Complex safeguarding

Complex and Contextual Safeguarding

Keeping Children and Young People safe from exploitation is a key priority for Oldham. Bringing together the various strands of complex and contextual safeguarding include:

For Children, Young People and their Families where need and vulnerability and risk are complex, multiple and acute, an integrated, coordinated and collaborative response is essential.

For more information see below -

Complex Safeguarding Hub Operating Procedures 

Oldham's Contextual Approach to Complex Safeguarding Strategy 2024 - 2027

Annual Report Complex Safeguarding Hub.docx

Complex Safeguarding Training Pathway

Youth Justice Service 

Please click the link for more information - Youth Justice Service website

Missing from home or care

When a child goes missing or runs away, they are at risk and therefore this is a safeguarding issue.  When missing, children may experience physical and/or emotional abuse or sexual abuse, be exposed to risk of harm or exploitation by perpetrators.  They may feel fear and loneliness, take part in risk-taking or self-harming behaviour or be in dangerous situations using coping strategies such as sleeping rough or committing crime to survive.  Family and social relationships may suffer, education may be affected, and live chances may be at risk of being adversely affected.  Children who go missing are vulnerable to trafficking, violent crime, drug and alcohol misuse and exploitation.

Statutory Guidance on children who run away or go missing from home or care

Missing From Home Strategy and Action Plan.pdf

Positive Steps Oldham deliver the local Missing From Home Service which ensures that young people who go missing are independently interviewed within 72 hours of notification. 

Positive Steps Oldham Missing from Home service

E-safety

Here are links to a range of resources for professionals that can help children and young people stay safe online.

Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre

The Lucy Faithful Foundation

Parentzone

Forced Marriage and Honour Based Violence

A forced marriage is where one or both people do not (or in cases of people with learning disabilities or reduced capacity, cannot) consent to the marriage as they are pressurised, or abuse is used, to force them to do so. It is recognised in the UK as a form of domestic or child abuse and a serious abuse of human rights.

Forced Marriage Protection Order (FMPO)

An FMPO can be used to protect a person being forced into marriage or in a forced marriage. The order contains legally binding conditions and directions that change the behaviour of a person or persons trying to force someone into marriage.  The following people can apply for an FMPO:

• The person who is to be protected by the order 
• A relevant third party (e.g. Local Authority)
• Any other person with the permission of the court

Female Genital Mutilation

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a procedure where the female genitals are deliberately cut, injured or changed, but there's no medical reason for this to be done. It's also known as female circumcision or cutting, and by other terms, such as sunna, gudniin, halalays, tahur, megrez and khitan, among others.

FGM is usually carried out on young girls between infancy and the age of 15, most commonly before puberty starts. It's illegal in the UK and is child abuse.

In England and Wales, regulated health and social care professionals and teachers have a mandatory duty to make a report to the police if:

• they are informed by a child under the age of 18 that they have undergone FGM
• they observe physical signs that an act of FGM may have been carried out on a child under the age of 18 (Section 74 Serious Crime Act 2015).

NSPCC - Female Genital Mutilation

Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003

Mandatory Reporting of Female Genital Mutilation - Procedural Information

Modern Slavery and Trafficking

It is defined as recruiting, moving, receiving and harbouring children for the purpose of exploitation. Child trafficking is a form of modern slavery (HM Government, 2014). Many children are trafficked into the UK from overseas, but children can also be trafficked from one part of the UK to another.

National Referral Mechanism

The National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is a framework for identifying and referring potential victims of modern slavery and ensuring they receive the appropriate support. From 1 November 2015, specified public authorities are required to notify the Home Office about any potential victims of modern slavery they encounter in England and Wales.

If the potential victim is under 18, or may be under 18, an NRM referral must be made – children cannot be referred in using a Duty to Notify (DtN) referral. Child victims do not have to consent to be referred into the NRM and must first be safeguarded and then referred into the NRM process.

Report Modern Slavery

NSPCC Modern slavery and trafficking

Home Office Modern Slavery Awareness 2017.pdf

Modern Day Slavery Toolkit

This document aims to explain plainly what Modern Day Slavery and Human Trafficking are and how everyone across Oldham can help tackle this complex and hidden crime.

Modern Slavery Toolkit

Oldham Modern Slavery 7 Minute Briefing

Independent Child Trafficking Advocacy (ICTA)

Independent Child Trafficking Advocates (ICTAs) are specialist professionals who support children who have been identified as trafficked or potentially trafficked to navigate the complex systems of social care, immigration and criminal justice.

ICTA - Independent Child Trafficking Advocacy Service.pdf

Radicalisation

The process for safeguarding individuals at risk of being drawn into terrorism or extremism leading to terrorism is known as Channel. All Channel referrals in Oldham are currently sent directly to the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)
(E-mail: child.mash@oldham.gov.uk).

All Channel referrals relating to children and adults vulnerable to being drawn into radicalisation will need to be forwarded immediately by staff in the MASH to both:
• Dovetail Team at GMChannel@manchester.gov.uk

• CounterTerrorismPolicingNorthWest(CTPNW)at channel.project@gmp.pnn.police.uk