Alongside data to reflect referrals, this report outlines the work completed the demonstrate the impact and outcomes achieved. It will reveal learning and reflections through identified themes and trends.
The voices of the children and families we have supported this year have been compiled within two accompanying feedback and case study reports.
There is also an annual Research and Development report to accompany this document.
Catch22 has been commissioned by Staffordshire Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.
Our aim is to deliver an education and support service working with children and families who are victims, or at risk, of child exploitation (particularly where this is linked to gangs and youth violence).
Catch22 has been working with children for over 200 years and, today, we focus on designing and delivering services that build resilience and aspiration.
Catch22 has vast experience of delivering effective child exploitation and gang services throughout the UK, in areas such as Coventry, Derby and Derbyshire, Merseyside, Kent, Wolverhampton, and London.
The model implemented in Stoke and Staffordshire mirrors our provisions in other areas of the country and adopts the existing processes and structures of the child sexual exploitation and missing service.
The ‘3Ps’ are part our organisational DNA. We believe that improving the lives of the young people and everyone we support is only possible when these basics are in place: to have good people around them, a purpose, and a good place to live.
We apply this thinking when creating action plans with young people alongside our outcome star data, local authority action plans and their child exploitation risk assessment toolkit.
Impact
Outcomes achieved
Over the last year, we supported 212 children, 142 parents and carers, and 590 professionals.
Based on these figures:
- 94% of young people who completed an intervention achieved risk reduction,
- 91% of children offered direct support engaged, and
- 80% of children supported through direct work had a reduction in missing incidents.
Our key outcome areas for improvement were drugs and alcohol, wellbeing, safety and security, structure and education, behaviour and citizenship, and family and other key adults.
92% of children showed outcomes in at least one outcome area, 78% in at least two, and 51% in at least three.
The top three outcomes that we saw for the children we supported were:
- Wellbeing: 76% of children demonstrated improvements, or maintained changes in relation to wellbeing.
- Drugs and alcohol: 70% of children supported demonstrated improvements or maintained changes in relation drugs and alcohol
- Safety and security, and behaviour and citizenship: 67% of children demonstrated improvements or maintained changes in relation to safety and security, and the same number demonstrated improvements or maintained changes in relation to behaviour and citizenship.
Referrals
This year, we received 399 referrals: 151 from Stoke-on-Trent (38%) and 248 from Staffordshire (62%).
In Stoke-on-Trent, this equates to:
- 19% increase compared to 2020-2021
- 15% increase compared to 2021-2022
- 26% decrease compared to 2022-2023
Overall, Staffordshire referrals remain consistent.
The number of referrals for each postcode area in Stoke-on-Trent has remained consistent with previous quarters and annual reporting periods.
In Staffordshire, on the other hand, we have seen notable increases in referrals from Stafford (52%) and East Staffordshire (81%), and notable decreases from Lichfield (38%) and South Staffordshire (62%).
Of the referrals received, the risk levels were consistent with previous annual reporting. 38% (151) of these referrals had their risk score overridden to a higher level based on professional judgement.
From these referrals, we saw the following outcomes:
- 34% (134) into direct work, with 0 children currently on the waitlist as of the last day of the contractual year in 2023-2024,
- 0% into bespoke work, as the professional(s) were confident to deliver resources without ongoing support from Catch22, and
- 66% (265) consultations, with 7 referrals in the consultation phase as of the last day of the contractual year in 2023-2024.
Consultations occur upon receipt of each referral. If direct work is not required, professionals working with children are offered resources to complement ongoing interventions. If professionals are confident to utilise materials independently, referrals do not progress past the consultation phase.
Resources were offered and shared in response to 192 referrals in 2023 – 2024.
Direct work may not be initiated for reasons such as:
- children being in the care of other local authorities,
- living out of area,
- in instances where a number of other agencies are involved,
- where youth offending services are working with a child, or
- where dual-risk risk factor matrixes (RFMs) are received but child sexual exploitation is the most dominant vulnerability.
Due to current child exploitation referral pathways, 64 children referred to the service were unable to be supported by Catch22 as they were working with, or had recently been referred to youth offending services.
Waiting lists have continued throughout the contractual year. However, the service is now in a position where there are no children awaiting allocation. This is due to increased capacity in relation to the child criminal exploitation service in preparation for the new contractual year, where Catch22’s waiting list position will change and be managed in partnership with local authority child exploitation coordinators on a multi-agency basis as part of existing child exploitation processes such as MACE Panel and RFM triage meetings.
Where referrals have been received from social care, a proportion of these were sent by the local authority’s child exploitation coordinators or MACE teams for information purposes, or to request that lead professionals be contacted and support offered (i.e. via direct work or resource sharing).
67% of referrals received from third sector organisations were from other Catch22 services, including our Missing and Child Sexual Exploitation service, and the Navigator Programme.
Of the 178 referrals from “Local Authority (social care)”, 124 (70%) were received directly from designated local authority Child Exploitation Coordinators.
Demographics
Our gender data showed a level of gender disparity. Child sexual exploitation is more difficult to identify in males. Accordingly, 83% of referrals received for females identified child sexual exploitation concerns, compared to just 20% of referrals for males.
The average age of service user referred into our service was 14 years and 1 month. There were 0 young people over the age of 18 referred into the service. Comparatively, of the children aged under 12, we saw:
- one child aged 6,
- one child aged 8,
- five children aged 10, and
- 17 children aged 11.
We saw the most referrals this year from individuals who identify as White British. Ethnicity reporting was consistent with previous reporting.
Further to this, we saw 38% (151) of referrals for children with a disability or additional need. This is an 8% increase compared with 2020-2021 and 2021-2022, and is consistent with referrals in 2022-2023.
Vulnerability factors
The chart below depicts the number of children who were referred into our service who displayed different vulnerability factors.
The top three contributing factors that we saw through our referrals were:
- Friends / peers (90% of referrals)
- Education (84% of referrals)
- Offending / anti-social behaviour (83% of referrals)
Within education, employment and training, 86% of our referrals were within education, training, or employment (ETE); this equated to 135 young people in Stoke-on-Trent and 207 young people in Staffordshire.
14% of them, however, were not in education, employment, or training (NEET); this equated to 16 young people in Stoke-on-Trent and 41 in Staffordshire.
Of the children referred, 84% had issues related to their education which contributed to their child criminal exploitation vulnerability, for example, behaviour, attendance, truancy, exclusion, bullying etc.
26% of young people were educated in alternative provision settings; 30 within Stoke-on-Trent and 60 in Staffordshire.
48% (193) of the young people referred into our service had missing episodes. This correlates with the continued evidence that missing is a significant indicator of child criminal exploitation. This figure is consistent with the number of referrals we saw with missing incidents in 2020-2021, and a 9% increase compared to 2021-2022. This figure is slightly down (1%) compared with 2022-2023.
Additionally, we saw 40% (158) of children referred into the service showing a dual risk for both child criminal exploitation and child sexual exploitation. This equates to 31% (47) of referrals from Stoke-on-Trent, and 45% (111) of referrals from Staffordshire. Of the 158 dual-risk referrals that were received, 28% of them were managed or had support facilitated by the Catch22 child sexual exploitation team.
Of those for whom domestic abuse was listed as a vulnerability factor:
- 77 experienced parental domestic abuse,
- 27 experienced child on parent violence, and
- 11 experienced partner domestic abuse.
Of the substance use reported, the young people that were referred into the service shared that:
- 191 were using cannabis,
- 78 were using alcohol,
- 21 were using cocaine,
- 19 were using THC, mushrooms or MDMA,
- 14 were using ketamine,
- 4 were using lean,
- 4 were using nitrous oxide or aerosols,
- 2 were using prescribed medications, and
- 1 was using amphetamines.
Finally, 9% (36) of children referred into the service were identified to be at risk of child financial exploitation (CFE). This element of child exploitation is significantly under-reported, due to ineffective mechanisms in identifying child financial exploitation, and limited professional understanding in recognising the signs and indicators.
Direct support
This year, the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Child Criminal Exploitation service supported 212 children through direct work.
134 children exited the service during the contractual year. There were 78 cases open, as of the last day of the contractual year.
Throughout our support, we completed:
- 36 safeguarding referrals,
- 25 referrals to other services, and
- 87 Police intelligence reports.
Due to Catch22’s national footprint in relation to the delivery of exploitation services, the service has access to a variety of resources and materials that have been utilised and adapted when working with young people. Each programme of support is tailored to meet the specific needs and learning styles of the young person and designed to manage risk, cater to individual circumstances, and aid engagement. The frequency, intensity and style of delivery is led by the young people we support.
Accordingly, 94% of young people who completed intervention through the service achieved risk reduction.
Some of the diversionary activities that we utilised to support this include boxing and sporting activities, music and performance, employment, education and training, armed forces and police cadets, the Catch22 Young People’s Forum, the Catch22 Mentoring service, and more.
Children were supported to do this through accessing services from organisations such as Action for Children, the Army, Army Cadets, the Department for Work and Pensions, Humankind, Neon Sound Studios, New Era, North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust, Staffordshire Police Cadets, Stoke City Football Club Community Trust, the Stoke-on-Trent Community Drug and Alcohol Service (CDAS).
We supported this with a range of techniques such as a person-centred approach, strengths-based approach, motivational interviewing, whole family support, trauma-informed practice, tailored interventions, solutions-focused approach, and contextual safeguarding.
The Catch22 team are also trained in and promote the use of the Outcome Star model to capture impact.
This allows workers to identify areas of need, set goals, analyse trends, and provide a visual tool which tracks progress.
On average, the young people we supported made progress in an average of 2.8 Outcome Star areas:
- 92% of young people made progress in at least one area,
- 78% in at least two areas, and
- 51% in at least three areas.
School work
Our model
Our work within schools consists of:
1.Child exploitation identified in geographical location or education provider
- Trends identified through the MACE Panel or multi-agency form, that indicates child criminal exploitation risk in specific area or education provision.
- Referral needs indicate children from the same education provisions.
- Training need identified for staff in specific education provision.
2.Education placement targeted
- Catch22 establish contact with education provider directly to offer intervention. Delivery method to be tailored to need, e.g. assemblies, staff training, targeted group work etc.
- Support sought from Local Authority partners where school is despondent.
3.School work offered and completed
- Catch22 staff member allocated to education provider to plan, facilitate, and deliver sessions to children. Service Coordinator to deliver to staff.
- Planning session with Designated Safeguarding Lead to confirm intensity, frequency, context, and level of intervention. Future Proof materials incorporated.
- Where individual risk factors are identified through group work, Catch22 will support with the completion of Risk Factor Matrixes (RFMs) and referrals to MACE Panel.
- Direct support is offered as a continuation for individuals where required.
Catch On
For Child Exploitation Awareness Day 2023, Catch22 created a national child exploitation teaching resource, “Catch On”, which is available to all schools across the country.
This package was further established in conjunction with Child Exploitation Awareness Day 2024, to incorporate a SEND version of the materials which is also now available to download.
Delivery locations
During the contractual year Catch22 delivered and/or offered sessions to the following education providers:
- Shenstone Lodge, South Staffordshire: Catch On resource shared and staff workshop delivered
- Norton Canes High School, South Staffordshire: Catch On resource shared and staff workshop arranged
- Ormiston Meridian Academy, Stoke-on-Trent: Catch On resource shared and group work delivered
- Sporting Stars, Stoke-on-Trent: Catch On resource shared
- Blessed William Howard, Stafford: Catch On resource shared and staff workshop delivered
- Trentham Academy, Stoke-on-Trent: Catch On resource shared
- St Thomas More Academy, Stoke-on-Trent: Catch On resource shared and workshops offered.
Catch22 have also offered training, such as group work and/or training for professionals, to various providers this year. However, risk has been managed in-house using existing resources, or interventions have occurred via other forms of delivery.
Navigator programme: custody
The “Custody” Navigator programme is currently focused on the Northern Area Custody Facility (NACF) only, with extension into Watling Street where capacity allows.
Of the children and families offered support by the Catch22 Navigator:
- 98% children and families engaged
- 11 safeguarding referrals completed
- 8 referrals to other services, including: housing, mental health services, and child exploitation teams (in- and out-of-area)
- 12 child exploitation intelligence reports completed
- 12 Risk Factor Matrixes (RFMs) completed or contributed towards
- 7 children received follow on support
- 3 referrals made to the Catch22 child criminal exploitation service
- 4 Return Home Interviews completed, for young people who were “missing” at the point of arrest
Where children have been unable to be seen a variety of actions are undertaken, such as:
- information sharing with partners in relation to child exploitation processes (such as MACE Panels, child exploitation coordinators, and the Police),
- intelligence submitted via formal process and communication with the violence reduction team (VRT) and local policing teams,
- safeguarding referrals or information sharing with Social Care to identify current and historic involvement; this also includes relevant out-of-area local authorities and police forces,
- recommendations for agencies who are already involved in the case, such as MACE Panels, child exploitation processes, and the completion of Risk Factor Matrixes,
- signposting and referral recommendations to other agencies,
- partnership working with agencies already embedded within the custody setting, including health and justice, custody sergeants, and supportive services to provide advice and guidance and avoid duplication.
Referrals to Navigator are recorded to contribute to needs assessment and identify themes, trends, and issues with capacity.
Individual case studies are also provided monthly to highlight all children seen.
Highlights
Across the year, some of the key highlights experienced by the Custody Navigator programme team included:
- Catch22 participated in a national peer review of custody in relation to the Navigator Programme, and met with the Police Foundation to share best practice related to engaging children in custody at the reachable moment.
- We had ongoing attendance and involvement with partner agencies within custody scrutiny meetings, where updates around the Navigator Programme were provided.
- Crib finalised and circulated among custody staff to clearly outline the aim of the service and process in relation to conflict with interview information and how this is managed.
- We attended the Health and Justice Showcase event at Stafford Hospital, to further promote the service and ensure robust links with other services in custody.
- We actioned a significant number of safeguarding actions and onward referrals linked to our Navigator interventions.
- We saw the implementation of our increased staffing capacity in preparation for the new service launch in April 2024.
Challenges
In addition to these highlights, we also encountered some challenges within the Custody Navigator programme. These have included:
- Referrals being received retrospectively due to notifications being sent to the incorrect email address.
- A high number of children have been released before Catch22 were able to respond to and/or action referrals, due to children being processed quickly to avoid long periods in custody.
- Due to team capacity within Catch22, we have not always been able to respond to all of the referrals for children detained in police custody.
- There has been ongoing duplication in relation to the number of services that children may come into contact with whilst they are within the custody setting.
- Further duplication is being created by similar Navigator-type roles being implemented by other third sector organisations.
- There is a possible conflict, where children share information with their Navigator Worker, that may be pertinent to their arrest. We are in the process of having discussions regarding the impact on the investigation and evidence chain.
- There was a period of time during the year, where children were not being referred into the service until after the formal interview had taken place, whilst the process was still being reinforced. This decreased our response times, as the period of engagement that was possible between Catch22 and the young person was reduced / limited as a result.
- The significant number of safeguarding actions and onward referrals that we have seen linked to Navigator interventions has impacted on the service capacity. As some children require intense support and follow-on actions which can last for a number of days after the interaction in custody, there have been occasions where direct work interventions have had to be rearranged so that the administrative tasks and safeguarding duties related to the Navigator can be fulfilled.
Navigator programme: accident and emergency
The “Accident and Emergency” Navigator programme is currently focused on the Royal Stoke University Hospital only, with extension into other sites where capacity allows.
Of the children and families offered support by the Catch22 Navigator:
- 100% children and families who were offered support engaged with us,
- 2 referrals were made to direct work with Catch22,
- 2 referrals were made to other services, and
- 2 Risk Factor Maxtrixes (RFMs) were completed or contributed towards.
In response to all referrals received by Catch22, information sharing has occurred with all additional services to ensure safeguarding measures are in place. This applies to all retrospective referrals, and any occasions where Catch22 have limited capacity to respond.
Catch22 are conscious of the limited number of referrals in relation to the A&E Navigator and have implemented a number of measures to try and build awareness and promote the service during the contractual year.
Catch22 continue to attend Daily Matrons meetings with Accident and Emergency children’s wards, and deliver training quarterly as part of child protection study days. Catch22 also attend the site periodically each week to promote engagement.
In preparation for the new contractual year Catch22 have a number of events arranged to build awareness among Adult Accident and Emergency services. This was following attendance at a Senior Tier meeting where a service overview was provided.
The following events have been scheduled for the coming months, with support from the Clinical Education Lead:
- 3 Senior Tier meeting attendances,
- 16 adult nurse training sessions,
- 4 child protection study days,
- 1 junior doctors training session,
- periodic attendance at handover meetings (8am and 4pm, daily),
- continued attendance at morning Matron meetings, and
- continued period visits to the A&E sites to complete sweeps of various departments.
Highlights
Across the year, some of the key highlights experienced by the Accident and Emergency Navigator programme team included:
- We have developed positive relationships with the staff in the children’s accident and emergency departments and hospital wards.
- We have begun attending the daily Matron meetings, alongside medical practitioners from the children’s wards, which is enabling escalations and concerns to be raised directly with our Navigator team in a timely fashion.
- We have delivered ongoing training as part of child protection study days.
- We are delivering ongoing outreach sessions, to enable us to continue to promote and build awareness of the service.
- We secured media coverage to promote the Navigator programme which was published in Royal Stoke in Print and Ditch the Blade during the first quarter of this annual reporting period.
- We established processes to build more relationships within the adult accident and emergency department over the coming months, which we are hopeful will help to promote the service and increase referrals.
- We have also recirculated our promotional materials within the accident and emergency departments to boost awareness of the service and increase referrals.
Challenges
In addition to these highlights, we also encountered some challenges within the Accident and Emergency Navigator programme. These have included:
- A number of children were not referred to our service, where they were supported by the adult accident and emergency departments.
- We received a number of inappropriate referrals, where violence or exploitation were not factors related to the young person’s admittance to the accident and emergency department.
- We also saw incidents of violence identified in young children who were not referred to the Navigator programme; when raised, it was highlighted that a number of safeguarding actions needed to be revisited in relation to internal policies and procedures.
- There was some difficulty accessing hospital sites, combined with an inability to accommodate members of the Navigator team, for example, a lack of access passes, no ability to access NHS recording systems, lack of space for the Navigator when on site etc.; this was also raised last year but has not progressed.
- Due to capacity, Catch22 have been unable to respond to all children who were admitted outside working hours.
- Periods of critical incident during the winter months, alongside ongoing strike action, has impacted staffing levels within the Royal Stoke University Hospital; accordingly, no referrals or notifications were received by the team during Quarter 3.
- We have seen some difficulty expanding our processes to the adult accident and emergency departments due to staffing capacity, however new processes and promotion opportunities are currently underway to tackle this.
- There has been some confusion amongst practitioners regarding the nature of the service; we have recirculated our promotional documents to mitigate against this.
