Dorset Safeguarding Children Partnership

Dorset Safeguarding Children Partnership have developed their multi-agency strategy in relation to extra-familial harm of children and young people. This is available to access here.

Tackling Extra Familial Risk and Harm in Dorset

Leaders from public agencies across are Dorset are committed to protecting children who are experiencing , or are at risk of EFRH. To help us all identify, respond to and prevent this from happening, we’re introducing a new model to ensure the needs of children at risk of, or linked to, EFRH are met through effective, protective, multi-agency working. – EFRH strategy

Dorset Safeguarding Children’s Partnership is committed to culturally competent and trauma-informed practice in all aspects of its work.

Dorset Police have a Partner Information Sharing and Intelligence form that you can use as a professional who has non-urgent (i.e. where there is not an immediate threat to life) information to report regarding concerns that a child or young person is being exploited or is subject to extra-familial harm (harm experienced outside of the home environment).

Leadership and Oversight – working together to reduce the risk of harm.

We all have a role in making this work.  Leaders will provide oversight, focus and resource across the partnership and a tactical group will use data, intelligence and knowledge to make sure we provide effective responses.  Most importantly, professionals who work directly with children that are experiencing or at risk of EFRH will be provided with the tools to make sure that multi-agency plans are in place, regularly updated and effective.

Know the signs and use the EFRH Toolkit

Even something that seems like normal teenage behaviour could be a sign that a child is being sexually or criminally exploited or experiencing other types of EFRH. Some of the visible signs that family members or people who know young people might identify are:

1. Persistently going missing from school or home and / or being found out-of-area;
2. Change on peer group
3. Change in behaviour – becoming aggressive and disruptive or quiet and withdrawn.
4. Unexplained acquisition of money, clothes, or mobile phones;
5. Items going missing from the home
6. Excessive receipt of texts / phone calls – possibly leaving the home afterwards
7. Appearing to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol
8. Being picked up or dropped off in cars by unknown adults
9. A significantly older ‘boyfriend/ girlfriend’ or relationships with controlling / older individuals or groups;
10. Spending excessive amount of time online and becoming increasingly secretive about time spent online
11. Sudden involvement in criminal behaviour or increased offending
12. Sexual health problems
13. being out late with older adults who do not seem to be family members
14. indications of sexual activity with one or more adult who is significantly older than the young person
15. Suspicion of physical assault / unexplained injuries;
16. Carrying weapons;
17. Significant decline in school attendance / performance;
18. Gang association or isolation from peers or social networks;
19. Self-harm or significant changes in emotional well-being.

Dorset EFRH Toolkit

The Extra Familial Risk and Harm toolkit should be used in any instance where you are concerned that a child is being exploited, through sexual or criminal means or any other form of EFRH, including Serious Youth Violence. The Screening Tool is for professionals within the partnership, outside of Children’s Services, and will act as a guide, but the professional analysis and judgement based on the indicators, context and history is most important in understanding the harm the child or young person is vulnerable to or experiencing.  The full EFRH Risk Assessment for children’s services practitioners to complete alongside the family, young person and other professionals will help to explore, identify and evaluate the cause of your concerns and reflect on what further safeguarding investigations are needed and what is the right service for the child or young person.    The EFRH risk assessment be regularly reviewed and updated to ensure the child is getting the right help at the right time to reduce the risk of harm.  Examples of categories of risk can be found here

• Extra-Familial Risk of Harm (EFRH) – Screening Tool
• Extra-Familial Risk of Harm (EFRH) – Guide for Volunteers
• EFRH – Panel Protocol
• EFRH PANEL TOR
• EFRH PANEL Confidentiality statement
• EFRH – Dorset EFRH Operating Protocol
• EFRH – EFRH Tactical Group Terms of Reference
• EFRH – EFRH Strategic Group Terms of Reference
• EFRH – Guidance App Language Toolkit
• EFRH – Flowchart
• EFRH – Significant EFRH Meeting Invite List
• EFRH – MACE Chairs Toolkit
• EFRH – Contextual Safeguarding Toolkit
• Philomena Protocol Guidance – 2025
• Philomena Protocol Missing Person Incident
• https://www.missingpeople.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/NWG-MP-Preparing-parents-for-their-childs-return-from-missing-V2.pdf
• https://www.missingpeople.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Centring-the-child-and-working-with-their-network-updated.pdf

Children and young people who are trafficked into Dorset for the purposes of moving/dealing drugs usually initially come to the attention of Dorset Police. This is often outside of usual working hours.   The Dorset Protocol for Managing CE Risk for Non-Dorset Children is intended to ensure there is a shared understanding of the individual agency responsibilities, provide a process for information sharing and recording to ensure that risks are known and managed whilst the young person is in Dorset and that the responsible Local Authority is aware of the potential risks to the young person following the Police actions when the young person is returned home.  The safe and timely return of the young person to their home is primarily the responsibility of the parents or if a child is looked after then home Local Authority. However, all agencies are required to work together to arrange the safe repatriation and escalate any concerns when repatriation is delayed.

Supporting children at risk of, or experiencing EFRH

It is imperative that children considered to be at risk of EFRH always receive support that is commensurate with the risks they face. This can range from prevention work for those children considered low risk; raising awareness and educating them about the risks of exploitation through to direct intervention with the child with the aim to reduce their current risk or provide support and interventions if they have been exploited.  It is also important to consider the role of parents and the support that they may require to enable them to better inform, support or protect their child.

8 Ways Schools Can Respond To Youth Violence | TeacherToolkit

Peer-on-peer abuse toolkit for schools

Child Exploitation Disruption Toolkit

What to do:

In an emergency or if a crime is ongoing always dial 999.

If you have any concerns that a child you know may be a victim of Child Exploitation report it to the local authorities.