A Game of Chance? Long-term Support for Survivors of Modern Slavery

Based on interviews with NGOs and law enforcement across the UK (2017), this study argues that despite the introduction of the Modern Slavery Act in 2015, there remain serious gaps in long-term support for survivors. Across the sector, there is a perception that post the mandatory support offered for confirmed victims, the 45-day 'reflection and recovery' period, survivors facea. 'cliff-edge' scenario and are often at risk of homelessness, poverty and retrafficking. Particularly at risk are those survivors seeking asylum. Recommendations include a review of statutory support to provide more long-term, comprehensive care tailored to support individual survivors needs

The Good Lives Model

The Good Lives Model (GLM) is a strengths based approach to offender rehabilitation which aims to promote an individual’s aspirations and plans for a more meaningful and personally fulfilling life (Ward, 2010). The GLM and the traditional Risk Need Responsivity (RNR) approach to offender rehabilitation are not mutually exclusive. Risks and needs can be reduced or managed within the GLM framework, which delivers a more holistic, client-centred, and engaging framework within which to do this (Ward and Fortune, 2013)

No-one is born a slave

What is modern slavery? The UK introduced the Modern Slavery Act into legislation in England and Wales in 2015, partly in response to the growing referrals of suspected cases into the National Referral Mechanism (NRM). The Act defines slavery as servitude and forced or compulsory labour. This incorporates a broad range of situations, including forced criminality; sexual exploitation; removal of organs; and securing services by force, threat or abuse, including from children and vulnerable people

Improving risk practice in Scotland : Evaluation of START:AV training

Following a review of risk practice in youth justice in Scotland and the risk assessment tools available, the decision was made to introduce the Short Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability: Adolescent Version (START:AV) into practice and to provide training in this tool across Scotland. Since 2018, a total of 440 staff have attended START:AV training across 18 different training events. Staff have been trained from 31 local authority areas, three secure care centres, six third sector organisations, the National Health Service and the Risk Management Authority. To better understand the impact of this training on the knowledge, understanding, skills and confidence of practitioners, and gather feedback on the START:AV tool, CYCJ undertook an evaluation exercise. The results from the evaluation indicate that the training has had a positive impact in relation to four areas of risk practice: structured professional judgment risk assessment tools, risk formulation, risk management planning and the START:AV itself. Improvements across all these areas from pre to post training were statistically significant with large effect sizes

Formulation in Risk Practice 2

Being able to formulate is a key skill for practitioners working with children whose behaviour presents a risk of harm to others; however, it is not an easy skill to master. CYCJ Information Sheet 68 detailed what formulation is, its purpose and the elements that create a good formulation. This information sheet provides some practical suggestions about how to use formulation with children and their parents/carers

Formulation in Risk Practice

The Framework for Risk Assessment Management and Evaluation (FRAME) for children and young people under 18 aims to bring consistency to the ways in which agencies assess, manage and evaluate the risks presented by offending behaviour. The five Practice Standards within FRAME set a benchmark for effective practice. ‘Risk Assessment’ is the first Practice Standard, and FRAME states that such assessments are best undertaken within the context of structured professional judgment (SPJ) and underpinned by holistic formulation. The SPJ approach guides decisions about what type of harm the individual is likely to engage in, the seriousness of the harm, the likely victim(s), in what circumstances the harm is likely to occur, and then makes recommendations as to how to prevent the harm from occurring. There are six key stages to the SPJ approach – gathering background information, identification of risk factors, formulation, scenario planning, risk management, and communication and review (Logan, 2016). This information sheet will focus on the formulation stage, as formulation or analysis of risk is included in various professional standards and guidance documents, but is often the stage that practitioners report is most complex (HCPC Standards of proficiency for Practitioner Psychologists, 2015; Care Inspectorate Inspection Handbook 2016/17: Joint inspection of service for children and young people)

National Youth Justice Conference, June 20-21, 2018

This Information Sheet highlights learning points from the National Youth Justice Conference workshops

Balancing Rights and Risks : How Can We Get It Right For Children Involved In Violent Behaviour?

Official data suggests that the number of children involved in offending has reduced significantly over the past ten years throughout the United Kingdom (Bateman, 2015; Youth Justice Improvement Board, 2017). Despite this reduction, there is a small, but substantial, percentage of children who present a risk of serious harm to others. To date there has been little examination of the nature and prevalence of the violent behaviour children engage in within Scotland. However, regular access to this type of information is crucial for both service planning and monitoring of the effectiveness of efforts to reduce violence. Similarly, it is essential that the needs underlying children’s violent behaviour are understood if appropriate interventions are to be provided and future harm is to be prevented. Emerging research clearly demonstrates the complex needs with which a number of these children present (McAra, Goldson, Hughes, & McVie, 2010; Youth Justice Improvement Board, 2017); however, our understanding of how well their needs are being met and how well the risks they present to others are being managed remains unclear. In order to contribute to the limited knowledge base this study examined the case files for a sample of 63 children referred to the Intervention for Vulnerable Youth (IVY) project due to concern over their risk of serious harm to others. Additionally, 23 practitioner responses to a survey regarding risk practice were examined

National Youth Justice Conference, June 21-22, 2017

This Information Sheet highlights learning points from the National Youth Justice Conference workshops (2017)