Swindon LSCB - Operational Groups

Forum - Children & Young People Exploited Through Prostitution

Representation

The Forum will be open to representatives of statutory and voluntary agencies who wish to contribute to the Forum’s aim of raising awareness to prevent children from being abused through exploitation. Core membership will be sought from the following, but will not be necessarily always include them at all times;

• Children’s Services
• PCT
• CAMHS
• Health
• Police
• Housing
• Community Safety Partnership
• Voluntary Sector

The Forum is currently chaired by Kevin Leaning (YOT)

Terms of Reference

The Forum was originally set up in 1995 to support practitioners who were working with children who were being abused or at risk of being abused through child exploitation. In 1999, it received a more formal mandate from the ACPC and became a sub-group of the committee.

The aim of the Forum is to prevent children from being abused through child sexual exploitation.

Forum functions

• To raise awareness of the issues and contribute to this through training and education (Delivered by the LSCB Training subgroup).
• To network, provide support and share information and research findings.
• To inform the development of strategies to protect children and young people from sexual exploitation.
• To monitor, evaluate and review local strategies identifying good practice and inform the LSCB and other relevant bodies appropriately.
• To promote and inform the development of prevention, harm reduction and support services, including exit strategies for young people.

Meetings of the Forum

The Forum normally meets quarterly.

(For a list of meeting dates, see Swindon LSCB Documents)