Child Criminal and Sexual Exploitation: Identifying vulnerability risk markers to support client safety and professional intervention

Child exploitation has developed into two separate but related academic silos: Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) and Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE). Both relate to a child being coerced, manipulated and/or controlled into criminal/abusive activity for perpetrator gain (HM Government, 2018). Academic attention into CSE has resulted from high media profile cases, e.g., Rotherham CSE Independent Enquiry (Jay, 2014). CCE has received less attention, due to less media/government focus (Wroe and Manister, 2024); the UK Government only categorised criminal exploitation as a distinct type in 2019. Yet, it is prevalent among children, with numbers increasing (www.gov.uk). Regarding CSE, Alderson et al. (2022) consistently notes half of UK children under 16 have been approached sexually by an adult, with 25% of these approached subsequently exploited.

Further, emerging research captures negative mental health impacts for victims and risk markers for continuing exploitation, fitting with the Protect and Vulnerability Model against CSE (PVM-CSE; Alderson et al., 2022) and Ecological Systems Theory (Bronfenbrenner, 2005). Overall, there is a need to detect and prevent exploitation risks, to learn from previous enquiries, avoid repeated service failures and ensure good-quality child-focused risk preventative assessments, to minimise and eradicate exploitation risk (Jay, 2014). Currently, services lack an empirical basis to determine these areas. To address this important area of need, this research programme will consider the following:

1. The prevalence of CSE/CCE and their co-occurrence.
2. Vulnerability risk markers (behavioural/mental health) that perpetrators are targeting (and operationalising Ecological Systems Theory by doing so).
3. Protective factors that offset vulnerability risk markers.
4. Level of service engagement required to keep a child safe; areas of resource plentifulness/deficit.
5. Strategies for professional intervention to protect a child once CSE/CCE has commenced, reducing negative impacts and effective prevention.

To address this, we will collaborate with clinical services specialising in child exploitation, namely CAMHS (North Wales) and HMPPS Youth Custody Services. Both have active interest in theoretically-informed assessments that assist child safeguarding.

To carry out this important work, the University of Central Lancashire invites applications to take up a full PhD studentship funded by the ESRC in partnership with CAMHS (North Wales) and HMPPS Youth Custody Services. The successful candidate will be physically part of a stimulating university environment at UCLan. There is also the provision for a physical base at CAMHS (North Wales) for the latter end of the research when/if required, and for the potential to spend time in a secure hospital in Liverpool to provide a variety of experiences for the successful candidate. Overall the setting will provide unsurpassed clinical and academic support and expertise, a robust research environment and thriving research student community, which together will cultivate research talent and maximise opportunities for professional development.

The project benefits from the full support of CAMHS (North Wales) and HMPPS Youth Custody Services, and the student will operate under the terms of the standard honorary contracts. The student will also benefit from a broad range of professional training in related mental health and exploitation areas (e.g., vulnerability and protective factor assessment, risk assessment, clinical interviewing) that may be relevant to the project or their future professional aspirations.

Candidates should have a UK BSc Honours degree at 2:1 level or above in Psychology (or equivalent qualification) and have completed a Masters level qualification in a relevant area (e.g., forensic psychology, mental health and/or research). EU and International applicants require an English Language level of UKVI IELTS 6.5 with no sub-score less than 6.0 (or acceptable UCLan equivalent qualification).

Further information

Informal project-related enquiries to Dr Carol A. Ireland (caireland@uclan.ac.uk)

For the full details go to: https://nwssdtp.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/case-studentship-guidance.pdf

Applications should be completed through the UCLan online application system.

Please quote the studentship reference number NWSSDTP CASE Studentship Psychology on the online application form.

Closing Date: 3^rd February 2025

Proposed Interview Date: 3^rd March 2025

Expected Start Date: October 2025

CURRENT UCLAN RESEARCH STUDENTS WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THIS RESEARCH STUDENTSHIP