Criminal and sexual exploitation, peer-instigated sexual abuse and street-based or weapon-enabled violence, can all pose a risk of significant harm to young people. When they do, they are, in theory, child protection issues. In practice, however, a traditional child protection response is likely to focus on changing the actions of parents as a source of protection instead of changing peer, school, and community contexts where extra-familial harm occurs. As a result, many social care departments have refused to use child protection processes in these situations. Yet without a child protection response, young people at risk of significant extra-familial harm can be left without statutory social work oversight. ‘Risk Outside of the Home’ (ROTH) pathways have been piloted to address this challenge.
This is an introduction to the approach Doncaster will be taking to support children, young people and their families going forward.
