Young People and Families: Annual report 2023-2024

Impact

Hub Outcomes

Despite the significant increase in the number of young people accessing services in YP&F our outcomes have remained consistently high as you can see from the table below.

Number of service users reporting that as a result of Catch22’s intervention:

Outcome Star

Many YP&F services use Outcome Star to measure impact. Outcome Star is an evidence-based tool for measuring and supporting change when working with young people. A sample of 562 young people has been looked at from one star – ‘My Star’ which covers eight outcome areas relevant to child’s life:

• physical health,
• where you live,
• being safe,
• relationships,
• feelings and behaviour,
• friends,
• confidence & self esteem, and
• education & learning.

The results of the star show us that our young people are making progress with their aims and are maintaining this progress at the end of their intervention.

Demographics

Ethnicity

The majority of our service users (61%) are white British. According to the 2021 census white British people made up 81.7% of the population. When looking at the below ethnic groups against those reported in the 2021 census; the YPF service users do broadly represent the population of the UK. This year a significant number (11%) either declined to answer or were recorded as unknown.

Age

This year the majority of our service users (77%) have been between the ages of 11 and 19.

Gender

This year 57% of our service users were male (including transgender and cisgender males) and 41% females (including transgender and cisgender females). This is broadly the same as last year.

Disability

This year YP&F have worked with 488 service users who consider themselves to have a disability. There are a significant number of young people who have mental health difficulties coming into YP&F services. This resonates with the anecdotal evidence being reported by staff in services.

Services

Exploitation & Missing from Home

In the last year, YP&F had six services which delivered exploitation interventions to young people, three of which also delivered return home interviews for young people who go missing:

• Stoke & Staffordshire Missing and Exploitation Service,
• Pan-Merseyside Missing and Exploitation Service,
• Derby Cares,
• Kent Child Criminal Exploitation Service,
• Merton Risk & Resilience (also Substance Misuse), and
• Music to My Ears.

This year these six services have, between them, delivered one-to-one interventions to 3,326 young people (up from 1,792 in 22/23) and have completed 5,020 return home interviews

This year we have had some service closures – Derby Cares closed in January 2024 and Stoke and Staffordshire Missing and Child Sexual Exploitation services (not child criminal exploitation) were taken in-house in March 2024.

Impact and Performance – Missing from Home

All of our Missing from Home (MFH) services have performed at a high level this year. 72% of young people received a RHI within 72 hours. This compares to a national average of 33% (ECRC research 2019.) Our workers often gain information during the RHI’s, which is fundamental in respect of multi-agency safeguarding and risk management. Information sharing protocols and partnership working enables agencies to work together in the best interests of the young person. Relevant information, issues, or trends are then shared with the Local Authority Team, Police and MACE (or others) as required.

Impact and Performance – Exploitation

Of the 3,326 young people who received a one-to-one intervention and left the services, 90% of them did this in a planned and successful way. In our Merton Risk & Resilience Service, 94% of those young people worked with demonstrated reduced risk at the end of the intervention. This is usually captured on the reviewed risk screening matrix by a lower score and/or the CYP being taken off MACE Panel.

Josh’s Story

Josh was referred to Catch22 at the age of 15, he was a looked after child, living in residential care and was assessed as having multiple risk factors:

• Associating with individuals known to Police for criminal offences, knife crime, CSE risks, thefts, and assaults in the community. Josh was also believed to be involved in a local group known for dealing and consuming drugs.
• Regularly going missing.
• Involvement with the police for offences such as assault, robbery, theft, and carrying a knife. Josh had been arrested for the theft of a mobility scooter and was on curfew under bail conditions.
• Not in education or training.

At the point of referral Josh was assessed as being at medium risk for exploitation.

Catch22 offered Josh weekly direct work sessions to explore the risks of exploitation, consider push/pull factors, develop and build resilience, and offer practical and emotional support.

Initially Josh did not want to engage with Catch22 and often missed sessions, however with the persistence and tenacity of Catch22 staff, he did start to engage. A couple of incidents happened which involved Josh being arrested for possession of large amounts of Class A and Class B drugs. Following these incidents, Josh would stay in the care home more often. When the Case Support Worker asked Josh why he was staying in more, he replied, “I am too hot to handle”. The gang had now dropped Josh; however, this was now a reachable moment and gave the residential workers time to build a relationship with Josh. Josh was happy to start seeing other professionals too if his residential workers were present at the same time, this allowed Catch22 to build a relationship with him and complete the work listed on the action plan.

Josh began to recognise that he had been involved in some dangerous situations and began exploring with his support worker how he got there and how to keep himself safe moving forward. It took a while for Josh to see that this was not his choice and his peers, and adults had been involved in introducing him to this lifestyle and that he was a victim of child criminal exploitation.

As Josh became more confident with his Catch22 support worker and other professionals involved, he began to open up about his aspirations and wanted to spend more time with his family. He struggled to attend education every day, but he was attending far more than he had before which was a great success for him. Josh began taking part in more positive and structured activities at his care home with residential staff and other young people, his confidence grew, and he was able to regulate his emotions positively.

Substance Misuse

YP&F had four specialist substance misuse services operating in the last year. Wandsworth Young People’s Health closed in August 2023. Surrey Young People’s Substance Misuse, Hampshire 24/7, and Merton Risk & Resilience Service deliver traditional substance misuse interventions to young people up to the age of 25. Wandsworth Young People’s Health Service is delivered in schools through counselling interventions and offers a smoking cessation service. This year the four services have worked with 5,134 service users, with 1,011 receiving one-to-one targeted or specialist interventions. Hampshire 24/7 has seen a significant increase in beneficiaries due to an increased number of events in schools, colleges and the public, and an increase in the number of professionals trained. Wandsworth saw a reduction in beneficiaries due to the service closing part way through the reporting year.

Our targeted and specialist interventions have once again had excellent outcomes for our service users, performing above the national average for successful treatment as reported by the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS).

In Hampshire, over the last year, we have seen a significant increase in referrals for young people who have problematic ketamine use. Many of these young people are experiencing physical symptoms which include bladder pain, cystitis-type symptoms, weight loss and depression. We have been fortunate to establish a relationship with a Urologist who has experience working with ketamine users and is willing to treat young people with bladder issues.

Jenny’s Story

Jenny, aged 18, came to service following an extended ketamine binge. She was in crisis, and stated that her mental health was spiralling out of control. Aside from her ketamine use, Jenny’s cannabis use had recently increased to ¼ of an ounce a day. Jenny had gone to university in September 2021, something she had aspired to do for some time, and worked hard to achieve. However, shortly after starting university, her mental health declined. Jenny’s anxiety levels increased and she began experiencing suicidal thoughts on the train journey to university. Following this she felt she could no longer carry on with her studies and took the difficult decision to leave.

Jenny explained that her increase in substance use was due to her poor mental health and felt that ketamine was the only thing that diminished her unwanted thoughts and feelings. Ketamine had been a drug she often turned to when her mental health declined. Jenny was also £2,000 in debt and was spending £50 a day on Cannabis. She was waking up each day, smoking bongs immediately, and using ketamine and cannabis throughout the day and evenings.

Our work started with stabilising the situation, as Jenny said things had got completely out of control. She responded well to a conversational approach to working, and so we talked through the positives and negatives of her ketamine use. Jenny understood that although ketamine took away her intrusive thoughts and feelings, it came at a price, with her life falling apart and mental health spiralling out of control. We looked at triggers, high risk situations and cravings, which resulted in Jenny deleting her dealers’ numbers and avoiding situations that would encourage her to use ketamine. We also looked at alternative coping strategies and through some funding we were able to pay for a three month gym membership. This would help with both her physical and mental health and work as a distraction when craving ketamine. Jenny managed to stop using ketamine and we made a structured cannabis reduction plan.

Jenny struggled a great deal with reducing her cannabis use, however, she did start making small changes. It was around this time we spoke to her about a dance academy in her area, and how life changing it can be for young people who are experiencing difficult times in their lives. Jenny agreed for a referral to be made to them and started with them shortly after.

Jenny has now drastically reduced her cannabis use and remained abstinent from ketamine. She no longer feels the need to smoke cannabis throughout the day and continues to reduce her use. Jenny loves attending the dance academy as she felt it gave her something meaningful to do with her time and something she could achieve. The staff team were even able to attend Jenny’s dance performance which was nothing short of sensational.

Service Spotlights

Inclusion22

Inclusion22 is a dedicated service in Hampshire for children of drug and alcohol using parents and carers. The service helps children who are experiencing the impact of parental substance use to build their confidence, self-awareness, selfbelief and self-esteem whilst ensuring that their basic needs are being met. The service advocates for the child to ensure that there is a multi-disciplinary approach to the care and support package surrounding them, referring to other agencies and highlighting gaps where and as they arise. Between April 2023 and March 2024 Inclusion22 have received referrals for 42 children.

Mum of B said:

“B has loved his sessions with T, her help in listening to him has enabled him to become more open about his feelings, become more self-confident and independent. He has ‘grown up’ in his attitude. T has talked to me, listened to me. The service has been wonderful for my family. I am so grateful to everyone. Thank you.”

Emotional Health and Wellbeing

YP&F have several services falling under this category: The Hive, Bespoke Services (counselling in schools in Essex) and Wandsworth Young People’s Health. This year saw the closure of Wandsworth Young People’s Health due to changes in commissioning intentions. This year they have worked with 1,415 service users, with 1,078 of them receiving structured support. 96% of the service users that left service this year did so with a positive outcome. Of the service users who completed a feedback questionnaire 93% reported that their mental health has improved as a result of their work with Catch22.

The Hive

The Hive this year has improved mental health outcomes and transitions for young people in Camden. We are a trusted service with strong referral mechanisms and an efficient process for streamlining referrals from external organisations and individuals. We have proven to have significant experience in supporting vulnerable young people who are 16-24 years old who are experiencing adverse childhood experiences including social deprivation, neglect, physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, witnessing domestic abuse and parental substance abuse and having parents who suffer from mental ill health. 67% of the young people engaged in one-to-one support through The Hive have seen a positive change in their goals this year. With this cohort of young people – 88% presenting with multiple risk factors – it is extremely challenging to achieve impact at this level. A service user aged 19 said:

“The Hive has definitely helped my Mental Health, having a place where I can socialise and meet new people has been very beneficial. The workers are all friendly and attentive which makes the space welcoming, and the workshops are all great too.”

County Lines Support & Rescue

This service is funded by The Home Office and offers specialist one-to-one support to young people aged under 25 who are victims of county lines exploitation in London, West Midlands, Manchester and Merseyside, with a key aim to reduce this risk to them and others around them. We deliver one-toone specialist support that is tailored to meet the need of the young person or adult. The service also provides a rescue service to young people aged under 25 who reside in the 4 regions but found out of the area, to return them home safely to the region they reside. We see the rescue as a teachable moment at a time when the young person is in need of support the most. This year the service has worked directly with 358 young people and has completed 24 rescues.

Impact and Performance

The County Lines Support & Rescue Service has the benefit of being independently evaluated and below is a snapshot of the impact reported. Of the 255 cases that were closed during 2023/24, 103 young people had multiple assessments allowing analysis of progress across a variety of outcomes. Based on these, the most commonly achieved areas of progress were engaging in positive activities (41), reduction in substance misuse (35), improvements in friendships (29), improvements in feelings and behaviour (28), improved mental health and wellbeing (27), reduction in impulsive behaviour (27), improved relationships (25), and feelings of safety (24). On average, young people made progress in four outcome areas.

Encouragingly, regression analysis showed that young people working with the service developing a deeper understanding of county lines and exploitation and how to manage their circumstances appear to be significantly associated with a reduction in their county lines activity.

Working in Partnership

In March 2024 the CLS&R Service in Manchester were asked by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue service and GMPs Programme Challenger to collaboratively work in partnership with other agencies from across Greater Manchester on a pilot CCE awareness programme as part of intensification week. We were invited to Greater Manchester fire and rescue training and safety centre where we were able to use their facilities which was a mock street including a house, a trap house, a train carriage, and a shop. We were able to use the trap house and the train carriage for our county lines awareness workshop. Our workshop included three of the caseworkers, acting out a short storyline of how a young person was sent from Greater Manchester up to Scotland to a trap house for the first time. The trap house was realistic and showed the young people what it can be like and the consequences of being involved in county lines. Dawn Fallows Bury Complex Safeguarding Team Manager said: “I just want to say what the Catch22 team did on the day was absolutely brilliant and all the young people came away saying how good it was”

Community Resolution & Resilience

Our Community Resolution & Resilience services are made up with Colchester Housing Intervention Project (CHIP), Positive Futures, Bristol Reparation, Camden Mediation and Norfolk Mediation. This year, in January, all of these services left YP&F to move into the Communities operational hub within Catch22. Their full year’s reporting has been included within this report. This year the services have reached 3,430 beneficiaries and 1,071 received one-to-one support. The bulk of the numbers from this team come from Suffolk Positive Futures whose total beneficiaries were 2,606.

Impact

This year our Norfolk Mediation service (delivering community mediation services) has conducted over 1,000 phone calls and held at least 85 meetings with service users to help people find solutions. The service has worked with 439 households comprising nearly 700 people. 83% said their issue had been resolved by working with Catch22 and 96% said their issue had improved.

Suffolk Positive Futures delivered 1,151 hours of sporting activity across the county of Suffolk in the last year, with 10,477 attendances in total (1,536 individuals). 25 young people who were not in education, employment, or training undertook and achieved a recognised qualification with the project. The service brought in £86,504.10 on top of their contracted income to support the project. Tim Passmore, Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner said:

“I am delighted to support Suffolk Positive Futures through my crime and disorder reduction fund. I have seen first-hand the positive impact that Suffolk Positive Futures can have on young people. The project offers young people a positive alternative to crime and violence, giving them positive role models and an opportunity to gain qualifications. It is a chance to set them on the right path to be a good citizen and make a positive contribution to Suffolk.”

As a consortium of services, they are evidencing their impact on individuals’ resilience with exit surveys showing that 98% of people felt more able to make positive choices and 97% felt able to enjoy life more as a result of their work with Catch22.

Amira’s Story

Amira and her children were in temporary accommodation having lost their home. The family were long-term tenants in a private rental property with no issues. Sadly, the landlord’s financial circumstances deteriorated and required them to seek possession of the home. Amira was unable to source an alternative rental due to not meeting the financial criteria, being that she is employed on a zero-hour contract. The family found themselves homeless through no fault of their own, which triggered significant mental health issues for Amira. A serious suicide attempt was made prior to the referral to CHIP, and she subsequently lost her job as a result of having time off sick. The family had never before relied on benefits as Jenny had always worked, however she was unable to do so due to an anxiety disorder triggered by these traumatic events.

What Catch22 did and the difference it made:

• Supported Amira to access a GP and Mental Health Services – she is now taking medication and is monitored effectively.
• Assisted Amira in accessing appropriate benefits during her unemployment period.
• Signposted Amira to a foodbank and the community pantry during her period of unemployment and no income.
• Provided the family with food and blankets through the Winter Warmer Fund.
• Assisted Amira with an application for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and associated appointments – she is now in receipt of PIP.
• Assistance with seeking more suitable employment and creating a CV – Amira is now in full-time employment again and is able to manage her financial commitments.
• Financial planning and advice given to reduce outgoings and budget accordingly.
• Signposted to Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) – Debt management plan now in place.
• Sourced alternative temporary accommodation, as family were living in separate rooms in emergency accommodation for many months.
• Sourced alternative storage arrangements for family’s furniture and belongings – saving £250 per month.
• Hired a van and assisted the family with practicalities of moving.
• Currently supporting family to clean and decorate the new property, as they will likely be there a year or more whilst waiting for somewhere permanent. This has included putting up blinds and assembling furniture to help them settle.

The service is now providing ongoing support to Amira and her family and they are working towards closure as the family are now stable and managing well. Amira said:

 “I have never known a service like Catch22. There doesn’t seem to be anything that they won’t try to help with. Me and my family were in such a dark place when Catch 22 came along and didn’t really know what to expect. The support has been life changing and I only wish it didn’t have to end.”

Safeguarding

685 incidents were reported in the last year, with 515 individuals safeguarded across the hub. Our highest reporters were from our exploitation services, closely followed by substance misuse and emotional/mental health services. As you can see from the chart below drug use is the highest reported category closely followed by children going missing and mental health concerns.

Research & Development

The Young People & Families Research & Development Officer role brings together the knowledge and expertise from the hub’s Child Exploitation and Missing from Home services (CE & MFH). The role ensures the risk and resilience best practice seen in these services are disseminated across all YP&F services and that this golden thread of reducing risk and increasing resilience in our service users is present.

This post aims to influence practice, internally and externally and with local and national commissioning. This year Catch22 have attended the following National forums:

• NWG Policy Forum (chair)- policy forum for representatives from the main Children’s charities working in the child exploitation arena.
• ECRC meetings (co-chair) – The English Coalition for Runaway Children (ECRC) is a network of providers of Missing services for children in England. Representatives of statutory services are welcome but only third sector organisations have voting rights.
• National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) Missing Expert Reference Group – hosted by the NPCC Missing Persons lead, the group has representatives from government departments and national statutory and voluntary organisations working with missing people.
• NPCC Vulnerability Knowledge & Practice Programme (VKPP) Stakeholder Insight Group – a group with representatives of Third Sector organisations, national Police and government departments looking at emerging child abuse threats, convened by the NPCC Lead for Child Protection.
• National Cross-Border Safeguarding Task & Finish Group – looking at issues arising from children from one local Authority/ Police Force going missing or being trafficked to another LA/Force to ensure clear, consistent and comprehensive safeguarding responses.
• Metropolitan Police Social Media Partnership & Engagement Board – convened by Met Police with representatives from youth services and organisations relating to social media, exploitation and youth violence.
• IICSA Changemakers Steering Group where representatives from key NGOs and children’s charities aim to take forward the recommendations of Baroness Jay’s Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.
• Roundtables including on County Lines exploitation; Child Sexual Abuse; Children missing from care.

We have participated in the following national campaigns and consultation responses:

• Unaccompanied children statement of concern with other children’s charities.
• Police Productivity Review.
• National consultation on Safeguarding.
• Campaign with the NSPCC and other children’s groups to express concern about the safeguarding implications due to the rollout of end-to-end encryption, and
• Met Police Children and Young People Strategy consultation.

We continue to campaign for a statutory definition of Child Criminal Exploitation and a national strategy to address it. This is reflected in our Catch22 Manifesto asking all political parties, in the run up to the 2024 general election and beyond, to place renewed focus on adolescents and commit to policies that ensure everyone in society has good people around them, a safe place to live and a purpose in life.

Research

YP&F has focused on research into the experiences and voice of children and young people affected by Missing and exploitation this year.

• We are on the advisory group of a research project with Missing People and Listen Up CIC looking at the experiences of Black children and young people who have been reported missing.
• In partnership with Keele, Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan Universities, we have been successful in securing ESRC funding for a PhD studentship exploring the perceptions and experiences of children who have been criminally exploited.
• We have participated in two research workshops with The University of Nottingham Rights Lab, a research centre looking at Modern Slavery: one on the ‘Prevention and identification of children and young adults experiencing, or at risk of, modern slavery in the UK’ and one on ‘Social Media Facilitated Trafficking of Children and Young People’.