Child Abuse Investigation Command

Report: 7
Date: 17 May 2007
By: Assistant Commissioner Specialist Crime on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

This report provides an update on the work of the Child Abuse Investigation Command (CAIC) highlighting issues arising in respect of Project Violet, Project Indigo, the London Paladin Team (LPT) and highlighting changes for the London Safeguarding Children’s Board. It details work with the Child Exploitation On Line Protection Centre (CEOP) and outlines key challenges faced through the implementation of Every Child Matters.

A. Recommendation

That members note the report.

B. Supporting information

Summary of CAIT performance

1. In the last financial year, 2006-07, there were a total of 7441 offences recorded by the Child Abuse Investigation Command (CAIC). This is a decrease in the number of recorded crimes of child abuse within the Metropolitan Police District of 7% from 8033 in 2005-06. There has been a year-on-year decrease in reported crime over the last three years. This is a concern for two reasons, a) it would suggest that there is significant under-reporting that needs to be addressed and b) there is a need to ensure that crimes are being accurately captured and documented on police systems. This has been acknowledged in the 2007/2008-business plan where there is a documented expectation that we will seek to increase reporting of child abuse through working with partners and ensuring the quality of data on our systems. However, in the first two months of this year’s performance period there has been an 11% rise in reported crime.

2. During the last reporting period, there were 109,402 ‘Merlin’ reports (notifications of children coming to the attention of police) created. Since the beginning of this performance year, there has been a slight increase in the volume of reports, 10,099 in April 2007 compared to 9,713 reports in April 2006.

3. The number of individuals charged or cautioned by the CAIC continues to rise. The sanctioned detection (SD) rate for the last financial year was 22% against a target of 20%. However, although there was a target set, what was in the best interests of the child remained the overriding rationale in terms of decision making.

4. A key challenge for the CAIC is to build on last year’s excellent performance in the investigation of child rape offences. The SD rate at the end of the last financial year was 39%, against a target of 35%. The performance by the CAIC added around two percentage points to the overall MPS rape SD figures.

5. The “Rape Investigation Improvement Group” continues to develop and adopt investigative and victim centred approaches. This group draws on the expertise from across the MPS working closely with Project Sapphire and other key groups. Areas of work that are currently being examined include the CAIC approach to victims of rape and the support of a national project exploring sexual assault referral centres for non-acute allegations.

6. The CAIC Major Investigation Teams (MIT) managed a rise in intra-familial child homicide investigations dealing with 13 investigations over the twelve month period 2006/07. The final SD rate was 73% against an MPS target of 85%. However, two homicides that resulted in the suspect committing suicide cannot be counted as detected under current Home Office rules. This has already been raised with the Home Secretary. In effect, all recorded intra-familial child homicides last year were detected with the exception of one case still currently under active investigation.

7. A target of 120 sanction detections for paedophiles operating over the internet or those that were acting in a predatory manner was set for the Paedophile Unit (PU) and Computer Crime Unit (CCU). The number achieved was 113. The primary reason for not achieving the target was due to a change in focus during the reporting period. This change came about through the development of covert internet investigations and the ability to actively target those willing to meet and abuse children. In essence, the quality of the pro-active work went up but the volume decreased.

8. Other areas of performance that were measured related to the attendance of staff in support of case conferences. Although this data was collected, it could not be separated from other business group data and the performance of CAIC is good but not absolutely clear; this has been rectified for 2007/2008.

9. During the 12 month performance period, the Child Abuse Investigation (CAI) teams continued to investigate the sudden unexplained deaths of infants (SUDI). The deaths of 89 children under the age of two were investigated by officers from the teams under the auspices of Project Indigo. These investigations vary in complexity but all cases are time consuming in terms of managing and supporting the bereaved. A more comprehensive review of Project Indigo is detailed later in this report.

10. The CAIC Policing Plan for the current financial year has been documented and details objectives and measures as follows: The sanction detection rate for reported offences of child abuse remains at 20%. This is to ensure that the focus is on the best interests of the child and to ensure this principle is not lost in an attempt to achieve unrealistic targets, the principle reflects a national approach by ACPO. The SD rate for rape is set at 37% to reflect the previous years excellent performance and the detection rate for homicide remains at 85%.

11. An area that has changed is the measurement of pro-activity. In order to encompass all activity undertaken an innovative target has been developed that measures disruptions, given that the best outcome achievable is one of intervention that prevents a predatory paedophile from abusing a child. Under previous performance measures work in this area would not be counted, as there is no ‘detection’. By measuring disruptions, it allows the capture of all work currently undertaken, and is a more representative reflection of activity. Issues of integrity in relation to counting disruptions are addressed through an independent panel that will scrutinise submissions. This is learning from Criminal Networks research and will also link in with the MPS target for disruptions. Current performance to date is not available until the MPS disruptions panel sits to audit the process in the near future.

12. Performance in relation to the attendance at case conferences remains the same at 95%. New measures that have been put in place include compliance with the Victims Codes of Practice, mandatory staff training and attendance at local Safeguarding Children Boards (SCB). Performance data for the current year has not been included in this report as we are only 11 weeks into the reporting period and the figures will not provide an accurate reflection on performance.

Project Indigo

13. This report contains a comprehensive overview of ‘Child Death’ requirements in order to illustrate the complex issues and operating environment being experienced in this area.

14. All boroughs through local SCBs are required to have arrangements in place to review and respond to all child deaths by 1 April 2008. The Department for Educational and Skills (DfES) has published guidance in chapter seven of Working Together to Safeguard Children. No additional funding has been provided and considerable costs and resources are required to complete the statutory functions. The requirement has created considerable organisational difficulties for agencies in London.

15. There are two primary functional areas that are related in topic but distinct and separate in practice. The first is the coordination of a multi agency rapid response to the unexpected death of any child (birth to under 18 years). It is widely recognised that rapid response is best delivered on a local borough basis. The MPS is working with local SCBs to develop a recommended Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that can be used in all boroughs. A model is being developed in North London where a number of boroughs are taking a collaborative approach.

16. The second primary function is the strategic review and analysis of all child deaths. The organisation of the strategic overview is proving problematic for London. Tools, training, legal advice and resources have not been provided by DfES in support of the guidance that in itself is not prescriptive. A recommendation of a minimum population size of 500,000 means that no borough can credibly complete this process itself.

17. The MPS through Project Indigo have proposed a four regional collaboration in which local SCBs share costs and resources to undertake the task. The London SCB has made a proposal that a single process for London be undertaken and the Chair has written to all 32 local SCBs seeking feedback. Some have considered linking with neighbours, whilst others are considering an alliance based on a health service area. Alternatively, some local boards are looking in isolation at their own data. At the time of this report, no model has yet been finalised.

18. There are a number of critical factors for consideration including: costs, data set and collection, credibility of review, access to reports and data, and information sharing and management.

19. The MPS through the CAIC is in consultation with partners at local and London SCBs, DfES, Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Mental Health (CEMACH), University of Warwick and other UK and International agencies. The MPS clearly favour a regional or London wide organisation of the strategic overview panels rather than 32 boroughs working individually.

Project Violet

20. Project Violet is now dedicated to ‘children abused through a belief in spirit possession.’ Separate initiatives are now dealing with Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), supplementary schools and the Community Partnership Project. Following on from the success of the project in 2006 and achieving third place in the National Police Diversity in Action Awards, the focus of Project Violet has been on continued engagement with faith organisations. This is with a view to linking in with the local SCBs and addressing child protection awareness and training.

21. The role of the team has become largely reactive in response to advice and guidance for current investigations. There have been a number of London and provincial cases where early contact was established, enabling Project Violet to be represented at strategy meetings. The link with provincial police forces is via the National Crime and Operations Faculty (NCOF) as the team feature on the national list for guidance in this field.

22. The draft DfES guidelines on spirit possession were compiled in consultation with Project Violet. Following on from this, the Project are part of a working group established by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) to monitor and review the guidance and provide links for professionals enquiries in relation to this subject.

23. Following the successful awareness and training undertaken in partnership with the Churches Child Protection Advisory Service (CCPAS), the Congolese Pastorship was set up in summer 2006. In June 2007, Project Violet attended a special ceremony in recognition of their formation and compilation of sound child protection policies and procedures. The event was addressed by Beverley Hughes, Minister for Children.

24 It has been recognised that there is an intelligence gap in relation to much of the activity around “deliverance” of children. Project Violet will be involved in developing ways of obtaining and disseminating information. Project Violet is still involved in training and awareness raising, delivering talks or workshops at related events.

Community Partnership Project, Phase 2

25. The Community Partnership Project is sponsored by the London SCB and coordinated by The Bridge (part of the National Children’s Homes Charity). It involves eight London boroughs employing community advisors in new roles to establish links with faith communities and hard to reach communities within their boroughs to prevent and reduce child abuse. So far, seven community partnership advisors have been appointed. Five are expected to be kept in post until 2008 but with a wider safeguarding remit. Camden and Brent are as yet undecided as to whether to continue funding the post and Southwark have had difficulties in appointing to this post. The advisors are holding focus groups and raising awareness in relation to children abused through spirit possession, FGM, child trafficking and honour based violence.

26. Many useful prevention tools are being developed across borough boundaries and are shared at meetings coordinated by the Bridge. The DfES have asked for input from the Project to inform guidance that they will be publishing.

Project Ocean

27. Project Ocean has been established to support the implementation of child protection policy and procedures in supplementary or faith schools. There was an initial meeting with Dr. Siddiqui from the Muslim Parliament of Great Britain on 4 May 2006 following the publication of his report on the issue of Madrassahs. These are schools where Muslim children learn Arabic in order to read the Koran, traditions and culture. The Project has liased with Kirklees Council to learn from their successful model to introduce and support child protection policies in Madrassahs. In addition the Community Partnership Project had begun to identify and engage with other supplementary schools, cross faith and culture, noting that there was little or no child protection understanding. Project Ocean was therefore set up to deal with all supplementary or faith schools pan London and develop an awareness initiative and promotional material to support safeguarding protocols.

28. Project Ocean will engage with the National Resource Centre to help shape a pan-London campaign in relation to supplementary schools in partnership with the London SCB. In doing so the project are now part of a working party, initially attended by DfES and other partners at a meeting in April 2007. It was agreed in principal that a national resource should be made available and the DfES are now looking at possible funding prior to further work on the design of the product. This will then be available for the pan-London campaign.

Project Azure

29. The 2007 awareness and prevention campaign against FGM has now been given recognition as a Project in its own right. The campaign has been in preparation since the beginning of May 2007. As a result of the previous work in this area, recognised achievements and with funding from the award won in 2005, a training and awareness DVD has been produced. This is an excellent example of partnership working and is currently moving towards a high profile media launch on 10 July 2007. The DVD was previewed at the London SCB launch of the guidelines on FGM on 1 June 2007. The campaign and DVD has attracted much attention and to date approximately 200 advance orders have been received, which include local SCBs, Primary Care Trusts and non-governmental organisations (NGO) both nationally and within London.

30. The campaign is about raising awareness in affected communities of the implications and illegality of FGM. The campaign also strives to raise awareness amongst the Police, statutory and voluntary agencies who provide investigation advice or support for those communities affected. The strategy is to maximise awareness prior to the 2007 school summer holiday.

31. In the longer term Project Azure will be working both within the MPS and with external partners and agencies to develop the flow of intelligence regarding those affected by this practice. It will establish ways of identifying those responsible and gather the evidence required to successfully prosecute.

The London Paladin Team (LPT)

32. The LPT are represented at the ACPO Child Trafficking Steering Group chaired by the Director General of the Child Exploitation Online Protection (CEOP) Centre. They have been tasked by this group to review and monitor recommendations of the Paladin Child report, report on lessons learnt and best practice experienced by the LPT, identify mechanisms to improve partnership working in safeguarding children at ports and recommend a ‘Paladin’ model that could be implemented across the UK.

33. The CAIC chair a London Paladin Steering Group which is attended by senior management from HM Immigration Services, Social Services, NSPCC and the Vulnerable Persons Unit of the Home Office. This group will look to establish an agreement of Police and Immigration to ring fence resources. This will extend to including either Social Services or NSPCC as part of the team.

34. The LPT have provided the MPA with a further insight into their work by facilitating recent visits from Dee Doocey, MPA member. She has visited the LPT at both Heathrow Airport and the Asylum Screening Unit (ASU) at Croydon.

35. It should be noted that there have been no successful prosecutions in the UK relating to child trafficking. However, the LPT have a number of cases currently under investigation. Over the last 12 months, the team have taken into police protection or assisted children into the care of social services, on a wide range of safeguarding issues, on 217 occasions. A reactive human trafficking team of 11 officers has been formed under operation Maxim and is managed within SCD’s Economic & Specialist Crime command. Both CAIC and the Economic & Specialist Crime command are managed by the same ACPO lead who maintains a clear overview of trafficking issues. A representative of the Maxim trafficking team attends the joint intelligence group meeting to ensure a coordinated up approach to this issue.

36. The CEOP Centre has completed a child trafficking scoping report for the UK. This was a pre-curser to the completion of a full strategic threat assessment. Information was gained through contact with professions (including the MPS) and NGOs that have involvement with children who have come to notice in circumstances that may have given cause for concern. The report highlights identified intelligence gaps and notes several main recommendations for the development of policing child trafficking.

Child Exploitation Online Protection (CEOP) centre

37. The CEOP centre has now been in existence for 15 months. It is affiliated to the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and oversees the national police response to online paedophilia. Meetings take place between the MPS and CEOP centre at both a strategic and practitioner level. Relationships have continued to develop; tasking and mutual assistance have been provided to take forward a number of high profile enquiries.

38. The CEOP centre have recently taken responsibility for coordinating the registration of Covert Internet Investigators (CIIs) nationally along with CII operations and the delivery of relevant training. The CAIC have made it clear that whilst they are happy to assist on a national level in some circumstances and where there is an operational imperative, their priority in the first instance is operations against offenders seeking to harm the children of London.

Child abuse on the Internet

39. The increase in computer ownership and use of the Internet for social and study purposes has created an ever-expanding pool of potential child victims and adult predatory offenders. Offences committed and facilitated by the Internet include the exchange of child abuse images, grooming, hands on abuse and attempted abduction. One area of work that has grown and is demand led is the investigation of seized databases, which is time and resource intensive. There has been growth also in on-line offending and the Computer Crime Unit (CCU) has been driving the development of covert Internet investigations relating to this type of offending in the UK. As a result of the work by the proactive units of the CAIC, the first operational intelligence assessment has been completed on grooming offending on the Internet.

40. The forensic examiners within the CCU have increased their workloads by over 100% comparing 2006-7 to 2005-6. The CCU carries out work for other business groups within the MPS and is seen as a centre of excellence nationally and internationally. This work supports MPS objectives including criminal networks, safer neighbourhoods, information quality and citizen focus and significantly contributes to safeguarding children and public protection agendas. Due to the CII work of the CCU, the CAIC is submitting a proposal for increased funding for four Detective Constables.

Every Child Matters (ECM)

41. The CAIC is working closely with the rest of the MPS to develop the ECM change programme. The CAIC is actively involved in the ECM Programme Board and with both of the ECM Projects, People and Systems. Detective Superintendent Caroline Bates chairs the ECM People Project and as such is responsible for ensuring that the following areas are delivered on: training, safe recruiting, and the creation and development of the safeguarding children single point of contact (SPOC) role. The project team also have a responsibility to contribute to the delivery of the standard operating procedures.

42. The MPS are developing a safeguarding children SPOC role to manage, analyse and disseminate information about children and young people. Consultation with partners will soon follow in respect of the work to determine how safeguarding information will be shared with partner agencies and how they will manage the increase in the number of referrals. It appears that there is no agreed system for local authorities to receive this information. Some indicate they will have a Common Assessment Framework coordinator for receipt and onward dissemination to the appropriate department whilst others will not and police will be asked to direct each piece of information to the most relevant department, for example housing and education. Although each agency has a responsibility to ensure that information is passed to the relevant partners, there appears to still be a need for a Local Authority coordination role. The MPS are seeking support from the London SCB to encourage Local Authorities to create a Safeguarding Children Common Assessment Framework coordination post. CAIC will need to assist in the development of the SPOC role and will be required to offer guidance to borough staff performing the role.

43. The MPS are working with the London Councils to develop a pan-London multi agency information sharing agreement for ECM. Information sharing protocols are presently required between the CAIC and every separate London borough, though information is not shared on a consistent basis. The use of a secure e-mail system has been piloted and it is hoped that all boroughs will adopt this system for the secure relaying of safeguarding data. The creation of the Safeguarding SPOC will increase the flow of information and the necessity for secure e-mail links to be established.

London Safeguarding Children’s Board

44. The London Child Protection Committee (LCPC) has become the London Safeguarding Children Board (SCB). There is senior representation from Specialist Crime and Territorial Policing. This membership is reflected across the local SCBs with representation from both the relevant borough and CAIT.

45. The CAIC works closely with London SCB team in progressing training, partnership initiatives and projects. The CAIC and the London SCB are also involved in writing the London Child Protection Procedures, the updated procedures have yet to be finalised. There is some tension between the role of the London SCB, which is not a statutory body, and the local SCBs, which are.

46. One area CAIC are seeking to progress is joint training with front line social workers. Currently there is provision by the MPS, but this is not sufficient for the large numbers and higher turnover of Social Services staff. A proposal was made for the MPS to provide accredited training at the Crime Academy on a cost basis, but this has not been progressed. The CAIC will consider reviewing the manner in which it financially supports the local SCBs through the London board, rather than the current arrangement of providing a lump sum of money and then seeking recovery of costs in order to progress joint training issues which accepted guidance requires us to undertake.

Police staff investigators

47. The CAIC are participating in a pilot project to employ police staff investigators (PSI) in support of or to replace constables. It is anticipated that three PSI will be taken on to support the two major investigation teams and one CAIT. If this pilot were to be successful then further development of this role is likely and opens up a number of opportunities.

Abbreviations

ASU

Asylum Screening Unit

CAIC

Child Abuse Investigation Command

CAIT

Child Abuse Investigation Team

CCPAS

Churches Child Protection Advisory Service

CCU

Computer Crimes Unit

CEACH

Confidential enquiry into Maternal and Mental Health

CEOP

Child Exploitation Online Protection

CETS

Child Exploitation Tracking System

CII

Covert Internet Investigation

DfES

Department for Educational Skills

ECM

Every Child Matters

FGM

Female Genital Mutilation

HTCU

Hi-Tech Crime Unit

LCPC

London Child Protection Committee

LPT

London Paladin Team

LSCB

Local Safeguarding Children’s Board

NCOF

National Crime and Operations Faculty

NSPCC

National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children

SCB

Safeguarding Children’s Board

SMT

Senior Management Team

SOCA

Serious and Organised Crime Agency

SOP

Standard Operating Procedure

SPOC

Single Point of Contact

SUDI

Sudden and Unexpected Death in Infancy

TP

Territorial Policing

C. Race and equality impact

1. Those areas of child abuse investigation which 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. Project Violet is an example of such work that may attract such attention. However, the priority of any investigation will always be the welfare of the child. Through projects such as Violet, it is hoped that education and awareness will help to promote a safer environment for all children in the UK. It important to keep a sense of proportionality in relation to issues within emerging communities which, although are important to identify and address, are in small numbers in comparison with the overall trends in offending.

2. Working in partnership with community leaders and seeking advice from the Safeguarding Children IAG, in relation to possible disproportionate community impact, investigations are conducted sensitively and with respect to all sections of the community.

3. Such issues are incorporated into risk assessments, training for staff and the preparation of media releases to reduce the potentially negative impact on communities and individuals. Specific community issues, which are identified, are then progressed through consultation with the Safeguarding Children IAG or partner agencies reflecting diverse communities with whom CAIC have forged strong working relationships.

D. Financial implications

1. During the last financial year, whilst achieving the performance measures set, the CAIC came in on budget with just over a one percent under-spend on the total budget. This was in part due to the difficulty in recruiting officers into this area of work and the associated under-spend in police officer pay.

2. In line with MPS business groups, the CAIC has been requested to look at how efficiency savings could be made in the next financial year, 2008-9. Areas where efficiency savings could be made and opportunities for changing working practices are currently being examined.

3. As previously mentioned, due to the development of covert investigations, the demand led volume enquiries on the internet, and the cost of keeping up to date with developing technology, the CAIC are submitting a proposal for increased funding for 4 Detective Constables in 2008/2009. There is a total cost implication of £311,000. This is to support four new posts, training and the enhancement of the covert operating system.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Detective Chief Superintendent Alastair Jeffrey, MPS.

For more information contact:

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

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback