Horizons
Exploitation Safeguarding
Dedicated to protecting Sandwell’s most venerable children and young people from experiencing or becoming further entrenched into child exploitation
The team, development and even the name was created by Sandwell Children’s Trust young people with the help of the Participation Team. Young people’s voices are at the heart of everything we do.
- The Horizons Team are committed to reducing the risk to Sandwell’s children and young people identified as being at risk of exploitation.
- The team offer Return Home Interviews to children and young people within 72 hours of them returning home
- The team co-work with social work colleagues to offer support to young people where exploitation has been highlighted as a concern
- The team are part of a network of specialist national and regional agencies tackling exploitation of children within the UK
- The team offer training as part of the Sandwell Children’s Safeguarding Partnership
Horizons are leading the way in how they demonstrate best practice in relation to partnership working to prevent child abuse for our exploited young people.
West Midlands VIOLENCE Reduction Unit
What Horizons Do in More Detail
Return to Home Interviews
The Horizons team offer Sandwell’s children and young people who have been reported as missing to the police the opportunity to have an independent return home interview within 72 hours of returning home. Offering a consistent worker for those young people who have been missing previously.
The return home interviews can also be offered to young people placed within Sandwell by other Local Authorities at their request. The team work hard to ensure that young people can share their worries and concerns and to help them with these.
Case Work
Horizons have a co-working model with social care colleagues where exploitation has been highlighted as a concern. Offering specialist and bespoke interventions tailored to the needs of the young people identified at medium and high risk of all forms of exploitation. The interventions are embedded within a relationship-based approach and ensure that contextual safeguarding is considered at every point of the holistic planning and interventions.
The team also offer one off sessions to parents of children/young people with further signposting, to ensure that the families of victims are also supported around the impact of exploitation. All children and young people receive support from a consistent worker throughout their journey until positive changes are achieved and deemed to be sustainable.
MAPPING AND PREVENTION
Horizons is part of a network of specialist national and regional agencies tackling exploitation of children within the UK.
The team are members of local and regional strategic exploitation, missing and trafficking groups and work alongside and with neighbouring authorities and partners within Sandwell to map and gather information to not only support young people but to also focus on prevention, risk management and planning on a wider scale.
Training
The team offer training as part of the Sandwell Children’s Safeguarding Partnership, delivering exploitation training to Sandwell Children’s Trust foster carers and partners. The team can be contacted to deliver specific training and awareness sessions in settings across the borough.
Useful Resources and Websites
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