Concerned about a child Safeguarding Assessment

Type your search below

Transitional Safeguarding

The numbers of candles on your cake does not mean you are suddenly less vulnerable. 

If a child is at risk of exploitation at 17, then they can still be at risk of exploitation after their 18th birthday.

Transitional safeguarding can be complex as there are different pathways and legislation that can oversee the young person.

Children’s Social Work Services and Youth Justice Service will often close as the child turns 18. Similarly, child exploitation refers to those under the age of 18 and therefore police services are likely to respond differently.

‘Where young people are experiencing coercion and other forms of control and exploitation under 18, these experiences and the impact they have rarely stop when a person turns 18. Young people’s brain development continues to mature cognitively and emotionally well into their twenties. This has important implications regarding, for instance, potential ongoing coercive influence of exploiters. The transitional nature of maturation after 18 requires us to take a nuanced approach to the ‘age of maturity’ and to take account of young adults’ individual experiences and circumstances in how we protect their rights and understand their capacity to take particular decisions.’ 

‘Whilst turning 18 means that a young person legally becomes an adult overnight, the transition to adulthood is a process not an event – and this process differs from one person to another.’

‘The power imbalance between young adults who are still developing cognitively and the coercive influence of often highly sophisticated abusers is stark.’

Bridging the gap: Transitional Safeguarding and the role of social work with adults
‘Binary notions of child/adulthood, victims/perpetrators, vulnerability/capacity can mean some people can ‘slip through the net’ or face a ‘cliff-edge’. Mind the Gap. Dez Homes. RIP

What is best practice when a child is 17 and at risk of exploitation?

Below are a number of prompts for consideration when working with a child approaching adulthood.

  • Think ahead-prior to the 18th birthday. What needs to happen while the child is still a child? Planning needs to start around 17 and a half if not before.
  • Preparing for Adulthood forum-multi agency panel that considers the ongoing needs of children progressing into adulthood. Suitable for those with complex needs, risk of exploitation or substance use issues. We are encouraged to make referrals to this forum when a young person is approaching the age of 17.5. PreparingForAdulthoodForum@Leeds.gov.uk
  • Referrals can be made to Adult Social Care anytime from a person’s 17th birthday, the young person should consent to this. 
  • Mental Capacity Act- this starts at age 16, we need to think about the principles of this. Decisions need to be the least restrictive in the case of lacking capacity. Wishes and feelings always need to be considered.
  • Third sector agencies: in Leeds there are various support services that can work with young people after they turn 18. Consider services such as Basis, Forward Leeds, Getaway Girls.
  • Be clear around consent when promoting services with the young person-they may need encouragement.
  • Know whose responsibility is what-not assuming it is someone else’s role, ensuring that tasks are followed up for the young person.
  • The Serious Youth Violence agenda is up to age 25. Guiding A New Generation meetings consider young people at risk of exploitation and SYV up to age 25.
  • Young people with their own properties can be very vulnerable. They are likely to have had social work support that has ended once they turned 18. e.g. their service charge may have been paid by social care and now they are responsible for their own bills, service charges and their benefit claims. This is often overwhelming.
  • Young people are very vulnerable to cuckooing (properties being taken over by those involved in exploitation and/or drug dealing).
  • Young people are also vulnerable to being used as a honey trap (arranging for someone to be at a certain place where they will be attacked/robbed).
  • Knowledge is key, help the young person to recognise risks and be aware, ensure they have the right support and that professionals are curious, trauma informed and consistent.
  • Healthy relationships-lots of young people are vulnerable to domestic abuse, criminal exploitation and sexual exploitation. Young people with a history of trauma may not always see an abusive relationship as wrong or dangerous. Healthy relationship discussions and education is important.
  • Support needs to be relationship based. Be aware of when other services are pulling out so that a young person does not simultaneously lose several sources of support. 
  • The National Referral Mechanism-use when appropriate and with consent if they are over 18. Once a child turns 18 any pre-existing NRM referral will need consent.
  • NRM-best practice guidance Children’s Society 2024 Navigating the NRM, Consent and the Transition to Adulthood by The... - Flipsnack  Good practice would be to inform a child of the NRM and the benefits of this process, then when the child is approaching 18 to discuss the NRM and gain consent. The implications and benefits of the NRM should be explained. A trusted professional should have conversations with the young person as they approach their 18th birthday. ‘When professionals do not properly enable children to make an informed decision about the NRM, those children are more likely to withdraw from the process and experience the serious consequences that can result from this’.
  • Intelligence-use of the PIP-share intel with the police and other services.
  • Completion of keeping safe work with the young person, do they have a safety plan, do they understand consent and healthy relationships? 
  • Use of Contextual Mace for locations, themes and perpetrators.
  • West Yorkshire Financial Exploitation team (consent required) dutyofficer@wyjs.org.uk 
  • Leaving care eligibility
  • Staying close and staying put schemes for looked after children
  • Multi-agency information sharing and planning
  • CE assessment (social work) and partnership exploitation tool-to be completed at 17 and to consider transitional planning
  • Language-perception of young people suddenly making choices at age 18 when being exploited at age 17. Similarly, sex work at age 16/17 is not legal-it is exploitation.
  • Developmental age vs chronological age

Services for young people post 18:

For young people who have a diagnosed disability: under 18 and have a children's social worker with a funded service to transition to adulthood:

  • referrals can be made to the transitions team by the children's social worker through Mosaic, as soon as it becomes apparent that services/ support will be needed when the young person turns 18.
  • the young person will be added to their pending list and allocated a social worker around 16/17 years old.
  • a Care Act 2014 assessment will be undertaken to look at what support is needed when the young person turns 18.

For young people who have a diagnosed disability: under 18 with an Early Help Plan and a funded service to transition to adulthood: 

  • referrals can be made to the adult contact centre on 0113 222 4401 when the young person is 17.
  • the young person will be added to their pending list and allocated a social worker around 17.5.
  • a Care Act 2014 assessment will be undertaken to look at what support is needed when the young person turns 18.

Under 18 without a diagnosed disability:

  • refer to the preparing for adulthood forum on: PreparingForAdulthoodForum@Leeds.gov.uk
  • referrals to be made at 17.5 years old.
  • suitable for those with complex needs, risk of exploitation or substance use issues.

Over 18 with possible care and support needs:

  • referral via the adult contact centre on 0113 222 441
  • request a Care Act 2014 assessment. This will be undertaken prior to the implementation of any services.

Quick leave