Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) in the Family Environment

The Lucy Faithfull Foundation (LFF) states we need more than just responses to Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) after it has happened: “It is vital that we do all we can to stop child sexual abuse from happening in the first place.” 

The Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel (CSPRP) 2024 reviewed CSA in the family environment (please click here to view the whole report). They discuss “the scale of the challenge facing practitioners, and … wider society in identifying, responding to and preventing CSA in the family environment” and the uncertainties practitioners have about what they can and cannot be said to children. They found practitioners overwhelmingly relied on verbal disclosures from children. Children are unlikely to disclose CSA, and this has particular implications for pre-verbal, non-verbal and disabled children, leading to signs of sexual abuse frequently being missed. Practitioners reported feeling scared they’d damage criminal investigations if they talked to children about sexual abuse, where children said they wanted someone to notice things were wrong and wanted to be asked direct questions.

The Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse  (CSA Centre) works closely with partners from academic institutions, local authorities, health, education, police and the voluntary sector. Their CSA Centre found good reason to believe more children were being sexually abused than were coming to the attention of practitioners. The conservative estimate is that one in ten children experiences some form of CSA before the age of 16. The CSPRP found emotional abuse as a prerequisite to maintain secrecy and control of a child, and statistically, children were more likely to experience CSA where they were:

• Neglected - 20%;
• Experiencing domestic abuse - 29%;
• Had a learning disability - 24%;
• Came from Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups - 27%;
• Had single parents/carers;
• Were children who lived with parents/carers who had a learning disability.

They found some children were being brought up in families, involved in organised crime and the production of CSA material. They learned that most online CSA material had been created at home (CSA Centre, Scott 2023, cited in CSPRP). CSPRP's aim is to reduce the impact of CSA through having national and local safeguarding partnership frameworks which improve practitioner knowledge, training and resources, the hypothesis being better informed and supported practitioners and agencies, are more able to recognise signs of abuse, where which is more likely to lead to improved outcomes for children.

In Jersey, effective safeguarding of children and young people relies on timely and appropriate information sharing. All practitioners have a legal and professional duty to share information where necessary to promote the welfare and protect the safety of children (see Safeguarding Introduction).

Practitioners must be familiar with and act in accordance with the CYP Law and commensurate Statutory Guidance on Information Sharing, which supports multi-agency working and a child-centred approach to decision-making (see also Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2018).

• Child – A person under the age of 18. This term is intentionally used in this chapter to emphasise that a child is at risk of CSA and requires protection. Even if children are referred to as young people during their teenage years, they remain children.
• Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) - Forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example, rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing. They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet). Adult males do not solely perpetrate sexual abuse. Women … commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children.” (Working Together to Safeguard Children);
• CSA in the family environment - is “broadly understood as sexual abuse by a relative.., a parent, stepparent, sibling or grandparent, those closely linked to the family, … a parent’s partner, or someone within the home environment with caring responsibilities, such as a foster carer (CSPRP).” Some definitions also include family friends, neighbours and babysitters (Working Together to Safeguard Children, Horvarth 2014, Children’s Commissioner 2015). These definitions aim to capture a range of relationships between the child who has been sexually abused and the person abusing them, whilst also recognising that this harm may happen in person (face to face) or virtually (online). The CSPRP found the relationship between the child experiencing harm and the person(s) harming them not only weakens the child’s ability to disclose but worsens its impact, causing fear, isolation and confusion for the child, who holds onto the secret that a trusted person has abused them;
• Sibling Sexual Abuse (SSA) - “sits within a wider range of sexual behaviours that can occur between siblings”, including childhood exploration to Harmful Sexual Behaviour (HSB) (NSPCC) (see Harmful Sexual Behaviour Procedure). Harmful Sibling Sexual Behaviour “is one of the most complex and challenging forms of sexual abuse for professionals to understand and respond to effectively”, described as a “metaphorical bomb” going off in a family where parents are often conflicted and may be in denial (Caffaro 2020, Yates and Allardyce 2023 cited in NSPCC 2024, NSPCC – Podcast June 2022). 

Children from birth onwards may be subjected to CSA in their family environment. This has an immediate physical and emotional effect and thereafter a lifelong impact on their emotional, social and educational development. It often remains hidden and is the most secretive, difficult type of abuse for children to disclose. Many children do not recognise themselves as having been sexually abused, as they may not understand or see this as unusual within the norms of their family environment. Especially where the person who has abused them is an otherwise trusted carer, or sibling, and has sought to reduce the risk of them telling by grooming them.

CSA must be viewed through the lens of significant harm (CSPRP, CSA Centre). The CSPRP state “the criminal standard of proof (beyond reasonable doubt) has been frequently used as the threshold for ascertaining whether a safeguarding response was required, they recommend the safeguarding threshold of “balance of probabilities”, along with the evaluation of likely or actual significant harm as the threshold which should be used when assessing a child’s need for safeguarding.  

In the long term, children who have been sexually abused (at any point in their lives) are more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, eating disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They are more likely to self-harm, become involved in criminal behaviour, have problematic drug and alcohol use, fall pregnant as children and die by suicide as young adults.

Factors which may raise the risk of a CSA in their family home may have:

• Parents/carers who have frequent partner changes, increasingly where they may have met the person “online”;
• Adults who move into/visit the family home and offer to care for them are of particular concern where they offer to bathe/shower the children;
• Or be Child Looked After and/or Children Living away from Home (Children Looked After and other Children Living Away from Home Procedure);
• Increased risk due to their isolation, for example, home-schooled children, children frequently absent from school;
• Not been registered with a GP, not being brought to appointments and have frequent house moves;
• Parents/carers who are resistant or who fail to co-operate or engage with supportive agencies or to let the police and/or children's social care into their home;
• Parents/carers who fail to let children be seen alone or examined by practitioners;
• Parents/carers who disguise injuries or attribute them to other causes, centring blame on the child and their behaviour;
• History or new presenting behaviours such as self-harm, develops mental health problems, presents problematic substance use such as drugs, alcohol or solvents;
• Disabilities or learning difficulties;
• History or new presenting behaviours such as going missing and not wishing to return home.

The JCF Framework should be followed along with The Continuum of Children’s Needs to assess need, and as a matter of course, the use of a JCF chronology to record work with children and families.

Although not an exhaustive list, indicators of CSA may be:

• Health-related - such as recurrent urinary tract infections, complaining of pain, pregnancy under 16 (pregnancy under 13 indicating criminal activity and of particular concern), repeated pregnancies with no evidence of a father and/or where the identity of the expectant father is vague or secret;
• Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), vaginal or penile discharge or injuries to the mouth, genitals, anus, vaginal or rectal bleeding;
• Physical Injuries, especially bruises, bite marks, cigarette burns or other injuries to breasts, buttocks, lower abdomen or thighs;
• Injuries to the mouth which dental practitioners may note;
• Having sleep problems or regressed behaviours, i.e. bed wetting, secondary enuresis, smearing faecal matter;
• Changes in behaviour, including becoming more fearful, aggressive, withdrawn, or clingy;
• Knowledge of sexual behaviour/language that seems inappropriate for their age;
• Poor Hygiene, which often leads to social isolation in school.

Other factors

• Frequent house moves;
• Isolation of children (and other members) within the family from practitioners and the wider family;
• Attempts to disguise injuries or attribute them to other causes;
• Genetic abnormalities in pregnancy or in children who are born.

There is increased risk where there are also concerns concerning:

• Neglect (for Indicators see the Continuum of Children’s Needs);
• Domestic Abuse;
• Child Sexual Exploitation;
• Child Abuse Linked To Faith or Belief;
• Modern Slavery and Child Trafficking.

Please see SPB Jersey Practice Guidance Chapters.

HSSB behaviour "consists of sexual acts initiated by one sibling toward another sibling" (NSPCC) by use of:

• Force and coercion;
• Where there is a power differential between the siblings;
• It may involve children of similar or different ages;
• Occur frequently or infrequently;
• May include minor or advanced sexual behaviours; and
• Does not reflect age-appropriate curiosity.

Non-contact sibling sexual abuse includes behaviour that is intended to sexually stimulate the harmed sibling or themselves (i.e. the child how is causing the harm.) It can include:

• Unwanted sexual references in conversation;
• Indecent exposure;
• Forcing a sibling to observe others’ sexual behaviour;
• Taking indecent images; or
• Forcing the sibling to view pornography.

This may include contact or non-contact CSA perceived as non-abusive by both the harmed child and the child who is harming, which nonetheless meets these criteria.

Practitioners should:

• Ensure there is time and a safe and appropriate space for the child to talk;
• Listen carefully to what they say;
• Observe their behaviours;
• Clarify in a simple format the concerns that the child may have shared or their own concerns;
• Reassure the child that they have done the right thing when they have told someone they are being abused;
• Record clearly what they have seen and heard, in the child’s exact words. Recording where possible in the child’s first language with the support of an interpreter, or a specialist practitioner who can enable the child to state their concerns where the child has disabilities;
• Explain what action will be taken and within what timeframe (if this is known);
• Focus on ensuring the child’s safety.

Practitioners should be aware of a child’s barriers to disclosure of CSA, which include:

• Their individual circumstances and culture;
• Those who face disadvantage, discrimination and/or social exclusion because of characteristics, such as sex, ethnic/religious/cultural background, sexual orientation, gender, identity or disability (CSA Centre – Taking account of Diversity);
• Children who are looked after or living away from home;
• Those who come from affluent backgrounds face practitioners' challenges in intervening within these families (Bernard 2018).

There may be the presence of several indicators which should be considered as potential CSA (see Key Messages from Research on Identifying and Responding to Disclosures of Child Sexual Abuse from the CSA Centre). 

Practitioners may have concerns when they read a chronology for a child or see something in a case note. Alternatively, someone else may bring something to their attention (third-party concerns). These are legitimate indicators and where CSA should be considered.

The Brook Traffic Light Tool (see Harmful Sexual Behaviour Procedure) is a tool which should be used to work with and support children who present with sexualised behaviours.

Some children may disclose sexual abuse directly and verbally, whilst others may attempt to disclose by non-verbal means, including behaviours, requiring those around them not to just focus on the behaviour, but why the behaviour may be happening. Research has shown there may be a significant delay between the onset of the abuse and any disclosure. Children have said they try to disclose their abuse when they act in ways that they hope adults will notice and react to. The younger the age of the child when the sexual abuse starts, the longer it usually takes for them to tell a trusted adult, particularly so for disabled children (CSPRP, CSA Centre). It is essential that practitioners and trusted adults around them are curious, open-minded and link indicators which may be non-verbal disclosures as possibly caused by CSA.

Keen-eyed practitioners may observe the child’s non-verbal voice and may include:

• Changes in the child’s appearance and presentation;
• Changes in behaviour such as aggression, the need for comfort, being unusually quiet, withdrawn, anxious, frightened, or they may be being bullied;
• Dysregulated behaviour, which is otherwise viewed as naughty, attention needing or presenting as out of parental control, please see Trauma Informed Behaviours;
• Displaying sexualised behaviours and/or HSB towards other children (see Harmful Sexual Behaviour Procedure);
• Displaying emotionally concerning responses, appearing to switch off, and disassociate in situations which may otherwise be seen as exciting;
• Have difficulty concentrating;
• A drop off in academic performance or conversely some children have been seen to demonstrate excellence at school as school was their safe space;
• Appearing frightened of or seeking to avoid spending time with a particular person.

Practitioners should be particularly careful in their observations for signs of abuse in physically disabled children, children with Autism or ADHD and learning disability. Where their presentations and distressed behaviours should be met with professional curiosity and understood (as far as practicably possible), so as they are not simply attributed to their diagnosed conditions.

Crucially, risks of CSA increase where children already have safeguarding needs, where there are indicators of need around poor parental engagement or resistance to work with services, a known history of intergenerational or intrafamilial sexual abuse and/or a known person who holds risk within the family home (or in regular contact with child).

Children are more likely to tell a trusted adult, who asks them if they are being sexually abused, and as they learn about healthy relationships and how to recognise abusive behaviour. Schools have a significant role to play in aiding the disclosure process in providing developmentally appropriate education and a safe space within which to enable children to disclose (see Jersey Respecting and Capturing the Voice of the Child Procedure). Practitioners are advised not to shy away from open and direct discussion with the child about what sexual abuse is. Whilst it is important that the child is not pressed for information, led or cross-examined, it is important to talk openly and make a record of what is said. There is no problem in talking to a child about confusing, frightening, unusual, “funny” experiences or things that make them feel weird. Being open about what sexual abuse is, in a way the child may understand for their age and development, is not a problem and this does not hinder court process or procedure. Practitioners should discuss their training needs with their Designated Safeguarding Leads, to increase their confidence in this area of practice where required (see SPB Jersey Training). Where practitioners are unsure about whether they are identifying CSA, they should share their observations and concerns and any details of the conversation and/or observations which may be a child’s non-verbal disclosure of CSA, with their designated safeguarding lead (DSL) without delay, where the DSL must make a plan of care with the identifying practitioner to meet the child’s needs for further actions at that point in time.

Practitioners should see the Continuum of Children’s Needs to support their decision making around levels of need and on the actions and interventions to consider.

Where children and their families present with wellbeing need, practitioners should offer an Early Help Wellbeing Assessment (EHWA) following the JCF Framework.

Some childhood sexualised behaviours (which may be related to healthy sexual development) provide the opportunity to talk about typical development and sexuality. Depending on age, capacity and understanding, time should be given to direct discussion with a child and including their parents/carers, where appropriate to do so. Practitioners should take a curious view, looking to understand, clarify and provide support where necessary. The Lucy Faithful Foundation provides helpful advice for parents/carers and professionals, with the understanding that where children and families are given advice and support about childhood sexual development, this has the potential to stop sexual abuse from happening in the first place.

The Lucy Faithful Foundation advise practitioners follow a general skill set when supporting children of being:

• Open and unembarrassed;
• Capable of dealing with children and young people who push boundaries;
• Suitably trained in Safeguarding;
• Responsive and interested;
• Able to balance humour with the serious side of discussion;
• Non-shaming and flexible;
• Able to convey respect and actively listen;
• Capable of creating a non-authoritative, safe space.

Where a child has wellbeing needs then practitioners and agencies should offer an Early Help Wellbeing Assessment and with consent from parents and carers begin an Early Help plan, which includes opportunities to:

• Educate on healthy relationships (see Further Information where The Lucy Faithful Foundation gives guidance on how to make RSHE programmes most effective at primary and secondary school level);
• For younger children the opportunity to introduce programmes that increase their safety and enable them to talk about their worlds such as NSPCC Let’s Talk PANTS school programme - supporting children’s learning on how to keep themselves safe with the help of Pantosaurus;
• Provide information for parents and carers, such as ‘let’s talk about it’ where the information (see Let's Talk About It - Support for Parents);
• Help protect children and young people from online abuse through open discussion;
• There should be a “tools not rules” approach to sexual and health education, where students are given the opportunity to practice skills and apply this to their own lives. Using the principles of the “Real Respect” programme of value based education to create a three way approach between schools, parents/carers and students to share consistent messages.

Programmes in education settings (RSHE) should include:

• Successive stages of learning, with introductory content to prepare children and young people for the content;
• A right’s based approach, with definitions, legal rights and explanation around consent;
• Emotional literacy, how to show respect and self-awareness; advising children and young people to say to a trusted adult if they are in situations that make them feel uncomfortable, in particular around another person’s unwanted touching;
• Accurate facts and information about sexuality, where and how we learn about sex and relationships and the meaning of the emotional side of sex, love and the impact of pornography;
• Responsibility towards others, teaching social and emotional skills;
• Talking about sex and relationships, healthy relationships, and identifying personal boundaries;
• Supporting healthy friendships and relationships;
• Letting children and young people know it is good to talk and ask questions is fine;
• Talking about options and finding out where to get more information;
• The use of tools to identify risk of Domestic Abuse, such as the Duluth Power and Control Wheel, with referral to supportive domestic abuse services, with consent where appropriate (see Domestic Abuse - Safeguarding Children and Young People (Including the Unborn Child) Procedure).

See further information on the NSPCC Website.

Topics for Health Education may include:

• Naming private body parts;
• The use of anatomically correct language;
• Personal safety;
• Types of touch and rules about touch;
• Puberty;
• Managing periods;
• Online and offline relationships;
• Using the internet and social media safely, legally and respectfully;
• Sexual abuse;
• Child sexual exploitation;
• Consent and the law (see Children and Young People Sexual Development Procedure);
• Self-esteem and feelings;
• Cultural identity, gender and sexuality;
• Sexual functioning;
• Reproductive health;
• Decision making;
• Help seeking;
• Safer sex;
• Contraceptive choices;
• Sexual health checks;
• Balancing information and facts with critical discussion and reflection.

Where children and their families present with health and development needs, practitioners must follow statutory guidance and make a referral to:

• Send an Enquiry to Children and Family Hub for support (see Statutory Guidance – Levels of Need and the Continuum of Children’s Needs);
• Throughout, Practitioners must monitor what is happening for the child, supervise the child or young person and provide space to talk, building on the opportunities to work with children and their parents to provide targeted support.

A Wellbeing, Health and Development Assessment (CiN plan) should include:

• An identified lead worker, who will be an allocated children’s social worker;
• A multi-agency plan of care- where there are risk indicators from neglect, abuse or exploitation, further consideration must be made to safeguard the child’s welfare;
• Work with children and their parents in a trauma-informed way, taking time to identify and understand the child’s level of ability and developmental stage, with the delivery of targeted education on relationships and sexual health from the Team around the Child;
• Wellbeing, Health and Development CiN Care Plans with set review dates to understand outcomes, where there is little evidence of change or improved outcomes, further referral for support where required.

Relationship and Sexual Health support may include:

• Making home and other environments private and safe;
• Creating and modelling rules about privacy and safety;
• Reinforcing rules with praise or consequences;
• Having consistency between homes, family, school, and community;
• Increasing supervision during times of risk;
• Monitoring behaviour and reviewing support strategies;
• Where there is a need, consideration of restricting access to previous victims or vulnerable others until such time as risks have reduced;
• Supervise and limit time spent with children who demonstrate concerning sexualised behaviours or HSB;
• The provision of information and support to family, carers and staff;
• Referral for Specialist Support;
• Diversion techniques (e.g. sport, drama, singing).

There is importance in practitioners keeping a JCF Chronology, so that the strengths and needs of a child and their family can be recorded, and where this can be shared as part of multi-agency working together, where required. 

Practitioners are advised not to avoid direct discussion with children about what sexual abuse is and why they feel concerned. Whilst it is important that the child is not pressed for information, led or cross-examined, it is important to talk openly and record this. There is no problem in talking to a child about confusing, frightening, unusual experiences or things that make them feel weird; this is not a problem, nor does this hinder criminal investigation.

Practitioners should discuss their training needs with their Designated Safeguarding Leads to increase their confidence in this area of practice where required. Where practitioners are unsure of what they are identifying, they should share their observations and concerns, and any detail of verbal or what they consider may be non-verbal disclosure of CSA, with their designated safeguarding leads without delay.

Where a child (including an unborn child) or young person presents with:

• Verbal disclosure of CSA in the family environment;
• Non-verbal disclosure in the form of behaviours as discussed in indicators of Non-Verbal Disclosure of CSA in the family environment;
• Risk of CSA due to harmful persons being in and around their family home;
• Indicators of red light (Harmful Sexualised Behaviours);
• Or a combination of the above.

Practitioners must respond to children’s needs for safeguarding following SPB Jersey Child Protection Procedures:

• Where there is an immediate risk of harm, call the police on 999;
• Refer to the Children and Families Hub (following the Children and Young People Safeguarding Referrals Procedure);
• Refer any other child (siblings or friends) who may be at risk to the Children and Families HUB;
• Where there is also an adult with care and support needs, forward an enquiry to the Single Point of Referral following SPB Jersey Adult Safeguarding Procedures.

Note - In cases of CSA in the Family Environment, parents/carers are not usually informed of a safeguarding referral being sent to the Children and Families HUB until after Children Social Care and Police have made a plan of action (which will normally follow a Strategy Discussion/Meeting).

It is not unusual for children and young people to retract disclosures, particularly when their alleged abuser is part of the family network. The CSPRP found that where children retracted a disclosure, practitioners then assumed their retraction meant their initial disclosure was unsubstantiated. This would often happen without considering the many reasons why they may retract what they have said. This led children to be left at greater risk than before (Tully B 2002).

When there is a retraction of a verbal disclosure, the assessment of need should consider the reason the child may have retracted their original disclosure. A retracted disclosure should not be taken on face value or with the thought that there is no basis to the original disclosure without further assessment of risk, through a child-centred system.

A starting point is to consider how the child may have felt, recognising the challenges children face when sexual abuse is suspected or reported, including where children are:

• Non-Verbal;
• Pre-verbal;
• Where they have special educational needs;
• Where English is not their first language;
• Where reports are retracted;
• Where evidence has not yet reached the high threshold for a criminal justice intervention.

Where CSA is being carried out by more than one family member or the sexual abuse is happening to more than one family member, it may be possible for practitioners to identify patterns of referrals or presentations to different agencies over time  Where there are concerns multiple adults are abusing children there must be consideration given to following Organised and Complex Abuse Procedure.

The CSA Centre highlights the impact that secrecy, including the fear, confusion and isolation this creates for the child. Where the child involved feels something is wrong, but the abuse has been instigated by a trusted adult or siblings. Whilst these factors are not unique to CSA in the Family Environment, their combination and intensity in the context in which they take place make the experience particularly damaging. They promote the model proposed by Finkelhor and Browne (1986) (cited CSA Centre) to describe the four impacts of CSA on the child:

1. Traumatic sexualisation (where sexuality, sexual feelings and attitudes may develop inappropriately);
2. A sense of betrayal (because of harm caused by someone the child vitally depended upon);
3. A sense of powerlessness (because the child’s will and rights are constantly disregarded);
4. Stigmatisation (where shame or guilt may be reinforced and become part of the child’s self-image).

The child may be frightened to tell about the abuse because of what this might mean and how it might affect them and their family.

They may feel:

• Ashamed;
• Embarrassed;
• There may be cultural taboos;
• Familial loyalties.

Children face significant barriers to getting help, often feeling they will not be believed and can feel as if they are not being taken seriously.

There will be situations where, due to a lack of forensic evidence or corroborating witnesses, the threshold for criminal proceedings is not met. It is important in these cases that the lack of the ability to bring forward a case to court is not interpreted as disbelieving the child and does not prevent the child from being safeguarded against the risk of sexual abuse.

Points for best practice:

• 'Hearing the voice of the child' (which includes their non-verbal voice) requires safe and trusting environments for children to be seen, enabled to express themselves freely, and be listened to;
• The onus falls to the practitioners to seek to understand how children express themselves through their behaviour and not view them as 'difficult' or 'demanding';
• Active effort must be made to actually seeing and assessing children in their homes;
• Considerations must be made for children who do not communicate in English or who cannot communicate verbally with the wider world.

Where a Strategy Discussion / Meeting takes place, the core agencies involved with the child must participate, where there will be decisions around the need for an Article 42 Enquiry under the Minister's Duty to Investigate (See Article 42 Child Protection Enquiries Under the Ministers Duty to Investigate).  

Note – Where one child discloses abuse, or there are concerns for the welfare of the child through their non-verbal voice, then all children in the family environment must be considered at the strategy discussion. Where there are other children within the child’s network of friends or family members, this must also be considered, where each child and their siblings may require a Strategy Discussion/Meetings of their own. Where there may be more than one family involved, then a Strategy Discussion/Meeting must be held to consider the needs of all of the children in each family.

Where another child may have harmed a child, there must be a strategy discussion for all children, both the harmed child and the child who may have harmed.

The Police and Children's Social Care Services must coordinate their activities to ensure the parallel processes of an Article 42 Enquiry and any criminal investigation are undertaken in the best interests of the child, where they must determine the criteria and need for either joint or single agency enquiries.

The primary responsibility of the Police is to undertake criminal investigations of suspected or actual crime, and they must inform Children's Social Care Services when they are undertaking such investigations.

The police should assist other agencies to carry out their responsibilities where there are concerns about the child's welfare, regardless of whether a crime has been committed. At the Strategy Discussion/Meeting, the Police should share current and historical information with other services where this is necessary to ensure the protection of a child.

Where another agency becomes aware that a crime has been committed, they must report this to the Police.

All Child Sexual Abuse Medicals should be carried out in the Sexual Abuse Referral Centre (SARC) (please see Section 9, Child Sexual Abuse Pathway/and or Child Protection Medical Assessment Pathway).

At the conclusion of the Article 42 Enquiry, the case may go to an Initial Child Protection Conference (ICPC), where the child(ren) may be subject to a Child Protection Plan and/or to a legal planning meeting (see Child Protection Conferences Procedure and Implementing Child Protection Plans Procedure).

If the case does not proceed to an ICPC, a second de-briefing strategy meeting should be held to ensure that any ongoing risks are understood so that the multi-agency practitioners around the child can undertake protective action.

Safeguarding actions must be taken on the balance of probabilities threshold and in the best interests of children, which includes a whole systems approach (please see CSPRP diagram page 120).

Where a child may have been sexually abused, physically abused or suffered neglect, consideration must be given to following the Child Sexual Abuse Pathway and/or Child Protection Medical Assessment Pathway.

A paediatric forensic medical assessment is required whenever a child has made a disclosure of recent (or historic) sexual abuse, where sexual abuse has been witnessed or if the referring agency has a reasonable cause to suspect sexual abuse has occurred due to a child’s presentations and behaviours (Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, Child Protection Portal).

Where children have been neglected and/or physically abused, the risk of them also having been sexually abused should be considered, where a holistic paediatric forensic medical professional should consider all forms of abuse.

Where sexual abuse is disclosed or suspected, children should be referred to the Sexual Assault Referral Centre - Dewberry House.

Dewberry House is a centre which comprises a team of experts with a wealth of knowledge and experience in advising, supporting, and treating children and adults who have been sexually abused, assaulted and/or raped. The service operates 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year.

Dewberry House offers a specialist paediatric service where every child who is referred is reviewed by the clinical team to make sure their wellbeing, health and development needs are addressed. They consider a broad range of support services for children and ensure appropriate referrals are made to relevant services, including an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA).

Children who have experienced sexual assault or abuse are offered timely medical care, a forensic medical assessment, and emergency contraception if required. A forensic medical assessment is carried out by a speciality trained doctor and may include:

• A safe and supportive environment to anyone attending the service;
• Talking about the child’s health and background;
• Checking the child’s ears, nose, and throat, listening to their heart and lungs, and examining their tummy;
• Checking for any injuries of the body surfaces as well as the genital and anal area (external examination only);
• Discussing the risk of sexually transmitted infections and arranging tests if required;
• With girls, consider if emergency contraception is needed. This can be provided during the assessment;
• Collecting forensic samples;
• Providing reassurance to the child or young person and their families;
• Referrals to CAMHS or other therapeutic services such as counselling or psychology through a Children and Families HUB referral;
• Providing onward referrals to support agencies, including an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA);
• NSPCC Letting the Future In and Turning the Page Services.

Many people worry about children having a forensic medical assessment; however, it can be an incredibly positive experience that aids the recovery process. It allows the child and their families an opportunity to discuss any concerns they have and access any medical care they may need.

Dewberry House understands that Children and Young People may feel nervous about the assessment, so time is given to allow them to go at their own pace. The assessment can be stopped at point and can be restarted later. Children will also be given a follow-up assessment if required.

Harmful Sexual Behaviours (HSB) – Dewberry House offers medical assessment for any children who may be displaying harmful sexual behaviour, along with onward referrals to services such as NSPCC for the ‘Turn the page’ program. ‘Turn the page’ is a service for children or young people with harmful sexual behaviours. This service uses NSPCC Change for Good to look at the social and emotional challenges that young person are facing, to help them change their behaviour and improve their wellbeing.

Visually recorded interviews must be planned and conducted jointly by trained police officers and social workers in accordance with the Achieving Best Evidence in Criminal Proceedings: Guidance on interviewing victims and witnesses, and guidance on using special measures (2022). All events up to the time of the video interview must be fully recorded.

Note - The use of video recorded evidence should consider situations where the child has been subject to abuse using recording equipment and how this may affect the child when they are video recorded to make their statement.

Visually recorded interviews serve two primary purposes:

• Evidence gathering for criminal proceedings;
• Examination in chief of a child witness.

Relevant information from this process can also be used to inform Article 42 Enquiries, subsequent civil childcare proceedings or disciplinary proceedings against adults, where they work with children or adults with care and support needs.

All children will be assessed to establish if they require the support of a Registered Intermediary within their Police Interview. A Registered intermediary is an impartial communication specialist who enables vulnerable witnesses and complainants to give evidence to the Police and the court in any Criminal Trials at both the Magistrate's Court and the Royal Court of Jersey. Children are eligible under the Criminal Procedure Law (2018) to have an application made to the court for Special Measures.

Special measures available, with the agreement of the court, include:

• Screens;
• Live Link from Dewberry House;
• Evidence given in private;
• Video recorded Interview;
• Pre-trial recorded cross-examination;
• Registered Intermediaries;
• Aids to communication.

All children and young people who come to Dewberry House or complete a video-recorded interview will be referred to an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA). Young People ISVA’s ISVAs work directly with the child, their parents/carers (where safe to do so) or safe carers.

ISVA’s are specifically trained to work with children who have been sexual abused or assaulted. ISVA’s will provide a confidential space for children to talk about their emotions and worries that they may have, along with support throughout the Criminal Justice Process.

An ISVA is a safe person for many children, and they can ask any questions they may have about what happens with the Police or what happens at court. An ISVA can also support children and young people with referrals to counselling or other psychological therapy.

Practitioners should work in a culturally sensitive way, the culture around “justification” for child abuse may be based in tradition, custom, faith, honour, religion, thoughts, beliefs and values. Cultural competence does not mean ignoring or excusing practices that are against Jersey Law, or that cause or risk causing significant harm to children.

Please see the NSPCC briefing on Culture and Faith: learning from case reviews. Where published case reviews highlight that Practitioners sometimes lack the knowledge and confidence to work with families from diverse cultures and religions. A lack of understanding of the religion or cultural context of families can lead to Practitioners accepting lower standards for fear of being seen to practice without cultural competence. Challenge must be made on any attempt to justify harm on cultural or religious grounds where it is essential that practitioners remain focused on the health, development and welfare of the child or young person and that their rights and needs remain paramount.

Assessments should explore the impact of a person’s culture on their life, including spiritual practices, rites/blessings, beliefs and practices surrounding life events, dietary restrictions, personal care, daily rituals, communication, social customs and attitudes to health care and support. Practitioners who are unsure should seek support from their safeguarding designate leads.

All assessments, investigations and enquiries must be culturally sensitive and address religious, cultural, language, sexual orientation and gender needs of children, together with any individual needs due to any learning difficulties and/or disabilities. This includes consideration around potential communication difficulties and/or English not being the child’s first language.

Children’s Commissioner for Jersey

Local services involved in Children’s Rights, such as the Children’s Commissioner for Jersey, Barnardo’s, and Victim Support, should be contacted for advice and support.

The Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse

The Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse have produced a range of resources to support practitioners. These resources aim to give practitioners the knowledge to identify concerns of child sexual abuse and the confidence to respond to it, not just with the child, but with the whole family.

These include:

• Signs and Indicators: A template for identifying and responding to concerns of child sexual abuse. It helps practitioners to gather the wider signs and indicators of sexual abuse and build a picture of their concerns.
• Communicating with children: A guide for those working with children who have or may have been sexually abused. This guide aims to help you communicate with children in relation to child sexual abuse, including when you have concerns that such abuse is happening.
• Supporting parents and carers: A guide for those working with families affected by child sexual abuse. This guide helps practitioners provide a confident, supportive response when concerns about the sexual abuse of a parent or carer's child have been raised or identified.
• Safety Planning in Education: A guide to support education practitioners' knowledge, skills and confidence to understand and respond to incidents of harmful sexual behaviour and ensure the safety of all children and young people is addressed.
• Helpful 12-part short film series: The CSA Centre have produced an accompanying 12-part short film series which distils key information from these resources quickly and accessibly for practitioners. These films are designed for anyone whose role brings them into contact with children and young people under 18 years old or their parents or carers, including social workers, teachers, police officers, health practitioners, voluntary-sector workers or faith leaders/workers – whether they are new to the role, still in training or highly experienced.

Research indicates children who have been sexually abused and those who present with HSB have far improved outcomes (NSPCC).

Letting the Future In

Letting the Future In (LTFI) is designed to help children and young people who have experienced sexual abuse rebuild their lives. NSPCC Jersey supports children and young people aged between 4 and 17 years old so that they can recover from the impact abuse has had on their lives. Referrals can also be made for children or young people with learning disabilities up until the age of 19.

The programme begins with three or four weekly sessions for practitioners to assess the child’s needs and select appropriate therapeutic interventions. Children and young people are invited into safe therapeutic spaces at the Gower Centre, where they can meet with a trained practitioner and engage in activities like messy play, writing, storytelling and art. This aims to help them express feelings that they can’t put into words. Some children and young people may be able to talk about the impact of abuse and work with the practitioner to resolve any ongoing issues.

Parents and carers are critical to the child or young person’s recovery. We work with parents and carers to help them support their child throughout the therapeutic process.

Letting the Future In Siblings (LTFIS) - supports the siblings of those children who have been sexually abused. Increasingly, we are aware that when sexual abuse has been disclosed, there will be an impact for all family members, so NSPCC Jersey is pleased to be able to extend this service to include other children within the family.

Turn The Page is a suite of services that helps children and young people who have displayed harmful sexual behaviour and provides support to their families and their professional network. Please see NSPCC Jersey for further information on this service, and how to refer for support. 

An AIM 3 assessment holistically assesses the child’s or young person’s harmful sexual behaviour. It will assess their sexual and non-sexual behaviour, their development, their family, their environment and self-regulation. It has recently been updated to incorporate use for girls and young people with learning difficulties.

The AIM 3 assessment tool is used to assist early-stage assessments of young people between the ages of 12 and 18 who are known to have exhibited harmful sexual behaviours.

An AIMS 3 helps to form a plan of intervention, tailored to the child, young person and their family to support them and reduce the risk of harmful behaviour recurring. 

NSPCC incorporate AIMS 3 as part of the suite of support available in the Turn The Page Service.

The Probation and Aftercare Service have some trained practitioners in the use of AIMS 3. They are able to assess and work with children and young people with HSB who have been convicted of sexual offences (working mainly with children/young people aged 14 plus). If children and young people who are on Probation Orders for different types of offences begin displaying HSB, the Brook Traffic Light tool would be completed. If needed, an AIMS 3 assessment would be undertaken in collaboration with the young person, their family/carer and other services working with them.

Children’s Social Care do not offer AIMS 3 Assessment at present.

A victim support strategy and service should be established at the outset by Children’s Social Care and the Police. Support will be required in pre-trial, trial and post-trial periods if the case/s proceed to court.

It is clear from experience in research about sexual abuse investigations that many victims and families feel strongly that it is important that they remain in contact with the same practitioners throughout the investigative process.

Practitioners can access Safeguarding training through the SPB Jersey Safeguarding Training.

HSB “Train the Trainer” programmes will be available (please contact SPB Jersey  Safeguarding Training for further information).

Practitioners may access training in the use of the Brook Traffic Light Tool E Learning packages, which are available through OurGov, Connect Me for Government Employees and outside agencies through Virtual College.

Practitioners should have access to counselling or wellbeing support, which should be made available through their employing agency.

Practitioners should have access to regular Internal agency safeguarding supervision.

Agencies should also consider multi-agency reflective supervision where cases are complex, stuck or drifting.

Professional challenges should be welcomed, and partnership working depends on resolving professional differences and conflicts as soon as possible. Where staff experience professional differences, they must follow the SPB Jersey Resolving Professional Difference/Escalation Policy.

The Finkelhor Model

It is helpful for practitioners to have an understanding of Finklehor’s Model, and the Four Pre-conditions to Sexual Abuse, which will be in place before an abusive act takes place.

The stages are:

1. There is a person who wants to sexually abuse children – this can arise from several sources, which vary with the individual, but are based on their thoughts and desires.
2. The person overcomes the thought that abuse is wrong, justifying, shifting blame from themselves, normalising abuse, objectifying and dehumanising the child.
3. The person can get the child alone - this can include grooming the victim and involve creating the physical opportunity to commit the offence, babysitting, bed and bath times, or when out swimming.
4. Overcoming the resistance of the child – the offender will employ a variety of methods to commit the offence, and equally important, keep the victim quiet. These may include bribery, threats, shame or other forms of coercion.

An interruption at any stage may prevent abuse from taking place.