Equality and diversity as a function of Child Protection OCU

Report: 9
Date: 16 November 2006
By: Assistant Commissioner Specialist Crime Directorate for the Commissioner

Summary

This report provides a review around the work of the Child Abuse Investigation Command (CAIC) outlining resources, together with key equality and diversity issues in relation to community engagement, service delivery and employment. It also details current work in progress around children exposed to domestic violence and Project Umbra and how DNA is being used to investigate child abuse. It will also outline some key challenges faced through the implementation of “Every Child Matters”.

A. Recommendations

That

1. Members note the report.

B. Supporting information

Introduction

Key internal diversity issues

1. CAIC currently comprises 429 police officer posts and 153 police staff, and is unique within the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) in that 50% of its police officers are female, as is 87% of its police staff. This is compared with a 20% female workforce for the entire MPS. CAIC also has 17% of its workforce working flexibly compared with 5% of the MPS.

2. This gender profile of the workforce led to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) being commissioned to conduct a report of CAIC to identify and understand the operational impact of such factors. The findings and recommendations have been published in a report which is being taken forward by the Diversity and Citizen Focus Directorate and CAIC.

3. Management of the high number of flexible workers was also examined and training and re-examination of policy were identified as areas for improvement in order to improve without compromising organisational operational delivery.

4. Being unable to work flexibly in the higher ranks was seen as a deterrent to some women from seeking promotion. PWC also identified that the MPS need to examine and review the manner in which they allocate and monitor headcounts. They believed that CAIC, due to their high number of female staff were effectively carrying the corporate burden in relation to maternity related absences. At present approximately 5% of CAIC staff are either absent due to maternity or unable to work operationally due to pregnancy. PWC commented that neither issue is taken into consideration when MPS resource allocation takes place.

5. At present CAIC has 4% black and minority ethnic (BME) police officers and 25% of its police staff. In an effort to increase the BME representation various initiatives are taking place. A recruitment day specifically aimed at BME officers was held where all of the MPS staff associations were invited and received presentations on the various types of work carried out by the CAIC.

6. Attendance at the Freshers Fair at Hendon takes place to promote the work of CAIC to new recruits. This together with a poster campaign across the MPS are examples of the positive action taking place. A black officer also recently promoted the work of CAIC in The Voice magazine, which received a favourable response from community members.

7. CAIC are currently implementing the Diversity Excellence Model which includes the following six action plans, all of which are work in progress.

• To increase the BME representation of staff across CAIC
• To increase the representation of male detectives across CAIC
• To improve the communication of diversity issues across CAIC
• To improve training and establish training needs
• To ensure CAIC literature is available in different languages to reflect he diversity of London
• To ensure visible leadership around diversity issues

The success of the work undertaken has been fed back through the Specialist Crime Directorate Diversity Forum and shared with other parts of the MPS through the internal intranet system and articles in the magazine publication “The Job”.

Resources used to support CAIC

8. 2005 – 2006 saw CAIC receive a budget allocation of £30,065,183, the financial year concluded with an overspend of £46,249. However, £234,692 is attributed to costs incurred in relation to Operation Theseus, officers seconded to counter terrorism activities. 2006-2007 saw CAIC allocated a budget of £31,951,019, the Command are forecast to end the year within their budget.

9. One of the key resourcing challenges is that previously funded police staff posts have been unfunded for the past two years. This relates to 32 Police Conference Liaison Officers allocated to CAIC and funded from reserves allowed by the MPA. The current cost is approximately £1,030,784.

10. A number of accommodation projects are currently ongoing. However, one of the major constraints is the under funding of costed projects, which results in the OCU being asked to pay for items, identified in user requirements but not funded from project costs. This naturally puts a strain on operational funding.

CAIC – summary of activities

11. Since April this year a decrease of 9% in recorded crimes of child abuse is evident, from 4251 to 3792, and the projected figures anticipate this to continue. However, those persons charged or cautioned have risen to 20%, an increase on 17% last year and 12% the previous year.

12. The main contributory reason for the decrease is likely to be the review of working practices and protocols around CAIC Referral desks (teams that receive allegations from partner agencies), which has been undertaken. Clearer robust thresholds now exist around what police will accept as an allegation of crime in order that resources are used effectively.

13. The key challenge for CAIC is now child rape, which has seen an increase of 3% on last years reporting figures. Detections are currently at 31%. As a result The Rape Improvement Group has been established to ensure that all potential avenues of investigation are maximised and ultimately lead to an increase in offenders brought to justice, to improve upon the sharing of good practice, intelligence and analysis between CAIC, and Sapphire. The group meets monthly bringing together staff from CAIC, Sapphire and Forensic Services. These include joint training and improved working relationships with the Crown Prosecution Service.

14. CAIC in conjunction with Forensic Services are exploring the feasibility of developing a forensic cold case review approach to child rape on a similar footing to work being undertaken by Sapphire, liasing with the Home Office – “Operation Advance” to ensure best practice.

15. CAIC have recently achieved a National first in securing a conviction through the use of NG-MAST forensic evidence utilised in the investigation of a rape of a child. The process identified a particular strain of sexually transmitted disease that the child had been infected with and linked it to that found on clothing belonging to the suspect and resulted in the suspect pleading guilty at court. This reduced any potential further impact on the young child having to give evidence at court. CAIC are now in the process of sharing this success both internally and with the National Crime Faculty.

Project Indigo

16. This work now being undertaken by CAIC in relation to the investigation of Sudden Unexpected Death in Infants (SUDI) is now in its second year. Having assumed responsibility for these investigations from Territorial Policing in 2005, SCD5 is gaining international recognition as a centre of excellence, being called upon to share working practices and analytical findings on a worldwide basis. From 1 April 2006 to date 67 SUDI have been investigated by CAIC.

17. Joint working is also being progressed though Indigo to develop a shaken baby prevention campaign.

18. Through the systems developed around data collection, CAIC have produced the first full years analysis of SUDI in London. This has never been produced before and is being shared with the Local Children’s Safeguarding Boards to promote learning from the issues identified. However, it should be noted that the data set is too small at this time to make any valued judgement around ethnicity or demographic trends of those effected by SUDI.

19. Work is now being pursued on further developing data collecting systems to ensure future analysis is better able to shape preventative work. Leaflets have been produced in ten languages to explain the work of Project Indigo and these are given to parents of those children that have died to instil confidence in the investigation process and give guidance and advice regarding support agencies available to them.

20. Child death review team development work continues, engaging with various partners both externally and within the MPS. A high level strategic proposal for joint work across London has been produced and this will be subject to presentation over the coming months. This aims to stimulate debate and develop a consensus across the 32 London Boroughs.

Project Violet

21. Project Violet was initiated in early 2005 as a response to public and community concern about ritualistic and belief-related child abuse. Prevention work has focussed mainly on black majority Christian faith communities resulting in a number of initiatives that were reported in the PPR June 6th Report.

22. In 2006 Project Violet Phase 2 has broadened with the aim of developing the Violet strategy from specifically focusing on Black Christian communities, to a broader focus on cultural or belief-related child-rearing practices in all communities that may be abusive to children. This broadened sphere of activity includes the following initiatives:

• Community Partnership Project Phase 2. This is being coordinated by the Bridge (part of the National Children’s Homes Charity) and involves eight London boroughs employing community advisors to make links with communities within their boroughs to prevent and reduce child abuse. So far four community partnership advisors have been appointed. The advisors have made links with many communities within their Borough and are holding focus groups and raising awareness around limits on physical chastisement and giving training on child protection. Many useful prevention tools are being developed across Borough Boundaries and are shared at meetings co-ordinated by the Bridge. The DfES have asked for input from the CPP 2 project to inform guidance they are shortly going to publish.
• Supporting the implementation of child protection procedures in Madrassahs. These are schools for Muslim children to learn the Koran languages, traditions and culture. An initial consultation with Dr Siddiqui from the Muslim Parliament of Great Britain was held on 4 May 2006. The Violet team will also liaise with Kirklees Council to learn from their successful model to inform this initiative around introducing child protection policies into Madrassahs in London.
• Continued progression of FGM (female genital mutilation) prevention campaign, raising awareness of its implications and illegality in effected communities. The campaign also strives to raise awareness internally amongst MPS staff providing investigation advice. A fast track awareness campaign was held in July 2006 prior to the ‘peak’ FGM time of summer holidays. This campaign resulted in extensive media and press coverage and involved a Joint Partnership of the MPS, AFRUCA and FORWARD. A joint statement was released under this group banner. The DfES, LSCBs and the BMA endorsed this. A DVD is currently being produced by CAIC to assist professionals and the public in dealing with FGM issues. It will be predominantly aimed at the Somali community but will also be of use for all African communities.
• Campaigning for minimum standards of regulation for practitioners of male circumcisions. This will involve a strategy group from all communities to address un-regulated practitioners.
• Assisting the production of a Project Violet documentary (BBC’s One Life) and taking appropriate opportunities to raise Violet issues in the media.
• Developing and continuing to support existing links to Churches Child Protection Advisory Service (CCPAS) and promoting the dissemination of ‘Safe and Sound’ a co produced leaflet giving advise around child protection and disseminated to multi faith churches across London.
• Good practice has been shared with, and advice and assistance given to, numerous other police forces within the United Kingdom seeking to gain knowledge around these issues.

23. For the second year running the CIAC has been successful in winning the MPS Diversity In Action Award. The Community and Partnership Team which leads on Project Violet has been recognised for their “dedication, energy and commitment to addressing the issue of abuse against children within black and minority ethnic faith communities”. The team have built relationships with members of many different communities in an attempt to raise awareness, build understanding, encourage reporting of crime and ultimately prevent and reduce child abuse within these communities. The team now go forward to the National Janes Police Review Awards in December where CAIC were successful last year in winning first place for work around FGM.

The London Paladin Team

24. The London Paladin Team (LPT) is a combined police, immigration and in the near future, social services team. Their primary objective is to safeguard children at London’s ports through pro-active intervention. They have an office at London Heathrow and a permanent police presence at the Asylum Screening Unit (ASU) in Croydon. The LPT provides the necessary expertise in child related matters, which not only supports the CAIC but also other business groups and partners. Their responsibilities include intercepting and debriefing travelling sex offenders, the prevention of minors being removed from the UK for the purpose of forced marriage or female genital mutilation (FGM) and intervention in child abduction cases. One of the primary roles for the London paladin team is to work with Immigration to ensure unaccompanied children, and those that are otherwise vulnerable, entering the UK are not being trafficked for domestic servitude, benefit fraud or other forms of abuse or exploitation.

25. The following activity has taken place since January 2006:

• Arrests - 25
• Children Accommodated / Police Protection - 148
• Criminal Intelligence Reports - 172
• Advice to Partners - 302
• Visits from other agencies - 19
• Sex offender debriefs - 22

26. The LPT have been involved in a recent intelligence exercise at the ASU in Croydon. This identified a number of areas of criminality that are now being jointly addressed. The LPT will provide advice, guidance, and appropriate support in relation to the investigation of child trafficking matters. These investigations are invariably complex and resource intensive; where there is capacity to take on investigations within the LPT they will do so. Child Abuse Investigation Teams (CAIT) are not resourced to undertake these investigations and it is anticipated that cases may fall to local boroughs or Operation Maxim to conduct. A pan London management board supports the LPT. This meeting links to the National Paladin sub group, which in turn links to the ACPO national child trafficking meeting.

Project Umbra

27. Project Umbra brings together all agencies both statutory and voluntary that deal with domestic violence (DV) to work as one to improve the services available to those affected by DV. This includes children exposed to such violence and Strand 3 of Umbra is committed to taking this forward.

28. One of the main areas for improvement identified at an early stage was the inability of police data collecting systems to adequately identify how many children coming to the notice of police were exposed to DV. Crime Reporting Information Systems (CRIS) showed that only 6% of child abuse victims dealt with by CAIC were exposed to DV. This figure was at odds with other agencies, which showed the figure to be much higher.

29. A flagging system has now been introduced to the CRIS system, which can be used by staff across the MPS and should enable more efficient collection of data to begin. The computer system “Merlin” which records all those children coming to notice of police was also identified as being unable to map those children effected. Merlin is currently under review at ACPO level.

30. The MPS and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) are working to develop guidance on the use of child witnesses to domestic violence and the CPS in relation to this have produced a document. However the monitoring of the success of this document along with other pieces of work under Umbra has proved challenging.

31. Internal communications between those areas within the MPS that deal with DV are being improved. Recently published Standard Operating Procedures by CAIC seek to add clarity and direction and clearly outline the responsibility of Community Safety Units to share information around DV cases with which they are dealing with partners at child case conferences.

32. A joint intelligence group has also been created chaired by CAIC to bring together CAIC – Violent Crime Directorate, Maxim (People trafficking) and CO14 (Clubs and Vice) it aims to share analysis and good practice across command areas of the MPS.

Every Child Matters

33. As part of the improvements to working in partnership, the MPS has made a commitment that it is represented on each Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB). They are able to speak for the organisation with authority, commit their organisation on policy and practice matters and hold their organisation to account. Additionally the Detective Inspector of the Child Abuse Investigation Team (SCD5) for that local authority area will also be part of the LSCB. This enables the LSCB to tackle those issues around keeping children and young people safe with the full support of the MPS.

34. The involvement of the borough police with the LSCB will improve the local working but the challenges that remain are:

• Improvements in the joint working between police and social services departments outside of the Child Abuse Command,
• Improvements needed around communication and the sharing of information, especially tackling the issues affecting children who are at risk of sexual exploitation,
• Appropriate attendance by borough police officers at case conferences where concerns about the children considered most at risk of abuse are discussed in multi agency meetings to decide on a protection plan (formerly the Child Protection Registers). The involvement of borough police is key in ensuring that necessary information is shared across all agencies and appropriate risk assessments are made. It requires managers of those borough units concerned eg Community Safety Units dealing with cases of Domestic Violence, to instil upon their staff the importance of such joint working.

35. The Children’s Act 2004 requires greater sharing of information between all agencies working with children and young people. For the police service this means:

• Agreeing and signing up to information sharing protocols
• Accessing the 32 different London Common Assessment Framework electronic systems
• Inputting data and searching the Department of Education and Skills (DfES) National Information Sharing Index (Children Index).

36. Each local authority area is developing their own information sharing protocol. A single protocol would be of benefit to the MPS, however this is unlikely. The MPS will be required to sign 32 different protocols although through consultation with the police and advice from the MPS Information Sharing Unit there should be a common standard.

37. The Common Assessment Framework (CAF) will have a significant impact on both CAIC and Territorial Policing. Implementation of this Framework requires the MPS to review the way information on children at potential risk of harm is processed. Current policy requires officers to report interactions with children at potential risk of harm by way of a Merlin ‘coming to notice’ report, which is then automatically forwarded to the local Child Abuse Investigation Team. Following development of the information – including a risk assessment – information is generally passed to social services for their information. SCD5 process over 112,000 Merlin reports a year and this requirement places a growing burden on ‘referrals desks’.

38. The CAF process is likely to significantly increase the notifications of children as the threshold for recording this information is significantly lowered so that children and young people who are not achieving the Every Child Matters five Key outcomes can be identified. As such a sizeable increase in the number of notifications called a Pre Assessment Checklist (PAC) will be generated. It is not appropriate for the CAIC referral desks to assess these reports as they are below the threshold that would require investigation of abuse and the volume would be difficult to manage.

39. The challenge for the MPS is to develop an alternative system for recording the information and how to manage it. This work is currently part of the Performance Needs Analysis (PNA) being undertaken and will be discussed at the next ECM programme board meeting on the 20 November 2006.

40. Each local authority area is developing its own CAF process. An attempt by the London Council (formerly the ALG) to create a pan London e-CAF system has been prevented by the DfES and this will mean that each local authority will be looking to develop their own e-CAF processes on different timescales. The MPS will not be able to manage 32 different implementations and will look to develop the CAF process at a time when all 32 local processes are operational. A CAF working group has been set up within the MPS and involves a local authority CAF coordinator. The minutes and decisions made at the working group meeting will be made available to each local authority CAF lead.

41. The National Information Sharing Index is currently being developed by the DfES and will contain specific information of all children up to the age of 18 living in England and Wales. Access to the system will enable all professionals working with children to identify if there are concerns about that child and will provide contact details for the professional who will have additional information that could help to safeguard that child. The MPS are currently liasing with Information Sharing advisors to establish how MPS electronic systems will be able to link with the index to enable information to be inputted as well as allowing appropriate MPS staff to have searching access.

42. Although there is government funding being made available to help make the relevant technical changes to systems, it is not known at this time what if any financial impact this will have on the MPS.

43. Most significantly in terms of impact on the MPS, is the requirement to ensure our workforce is ‘fit for purpose’ in relation to safeguarding children and promoting their welfare. This means that we must make sure that our personnel understand the duty to safeguard and promote welfare at all levels of interaction with children and families. The PNA has set out to identify the resource implications for training and developing staff. The current assessment is that the resource implications will be both significant and enduring.

Abbreviations

AFRUCA

African Families Unite Against Child Abuse

ASU

Asylum Screening Unit

BMA

British Medical Association

CAF

Common Assessment Framework

CAIC

Child Abuse Investigation Command

CAIT

Child Abuse Investigation Team

CCPAS

Churches Child Protection Advisory Service

CPP

Community Partnership Project

CPS

Crown Prosecution Service

DFES

Department for education and skills

DV

Domestic Violence

FGM

Female genital Mutilation

LCPC

London Child Protection Committee

LPT

London Paladin Team

LSCB

Local Safeguarding Children’s Board

MPS

Metropolitan Police Service

PWC

PricewaterhouseCoopers

SUDI

Sudden and Unexpected Death in Infancy

C. Race and equality impact

1. Those areas of child abuse investigation that impact upon diverse communities are always likely to attract the possible criticism of stigmatising a certain community and a failure to respect culture and tradition. However the priority of any investigation will always be the welfare of the child and it is through projects such as Violet that it is hoped that education and awareness will help to promote a safer environment for children.

2. Working in partnership with community leaders and seeking advice from the Safeguarding Children Independent Advisory Group around possible community impact, investigations are conducted sensitively and with respect to all sections of the community.

D. Financial implications

There are no financial implications in relation to this paper.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Det Supt Alastair Jeffrey and Det Insp Fran Barson, MPS

For more information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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