Improving the hope of young people impacted by violence and exploitation
In Spring 2023, The Children’s Society’s Newcastle team commissioned Northumbria University to conduct an evaluation of their Safeguarding Children at Risk – Prevention and Action service, which works across the whole of the North East region. The aim of this evaluation was to understand the effectiveness of the SCARPA service’s current practice in supporting young people affected by serious youth violence (SYV) and child criminal exploitation (CCE).
Dr Rebecca Oswald, Dr Samantha Walker, Professor Sarah Soppitt and Dr Adele Irving
16 pages
The aims of the report
- To develop a greater understanding of the changing picture of SYV/CCE in Newcastle and the North East of England.
- To evaluate the principles, approaches, models, and methods used by The Children’s Society’s SCARPA service to engage with young people affected by SYV/CCE.
- To assess the impact of the work of The Children’s Society’s SCARPA service on young people, families, communities, and services.
- To establish broader practice lessons about supporting young people affected by serious violence (practice standards in the North East).
The findings of the report
The findings of the report
The Children’s Society’s SCARPA service has a distinctive approach to case management which is not defined by the legal definition of the age of a child (under 18) and will instead ensure appropriate support is in place, which is flexible, and needs-driven, as young people transition to adulthood.
By putting the young person at the centre of the service provision and encouraging their active participation and collaboration to agree the purpose and focus of their relationship with service staff, SCARPA adopt an approach which broadly aligns with ‘child first’ principles (YJB, 2022). At the same time, SCARPA also recognise that the young people they work with have often experienced and endured things that many adults will never experience, and that to view them simply as ‘a child’ is in danger of misunderstanding them and the environments they live and operate within.
The findings of the report
SCARPA seeks to empower young people by giving them choices regarding where and when they want to engage, what activities they’d like to do, what they’d like to discuss, and what goals they want to set. Crucially, young people are given autonomy as to if/when they want to make a disclosure that SCARPA would act upon. This is vital to restore some of the control young people have lost through their exploitation, and to reduce some of young people’s fears of engaging with professionals.
The SCARPA service aims to avoid the ‘offenderisation’ or ‘adultification’ of young people who may be in situations beyond their control. The service recognises that rigid timeframes are often counterproductive and will work with young people for as long as they jointly agree is necessary, with a case management approach build on trust and respect.
Conclusion
This research, while limited in the number of respondents, has provided insight into the local drivers of SYV and CCE in Newcastle and the Northeast of England. It indicates that the work of The Children’s Society’s SCARPA service has considerable impact on the lives of the small number of young people it supports, reaching those that might otherwise not engage with services, building trusting relationships and empowering young people with the knowledge needed to make safer choices, where they are able to.
