asphaleia has delivered the Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) service in Bromley since November 2018. The service provides intervention for young people under the age of 18 and care leavers up until the age of 21 who have been a victim or are at risk of being a victim of CSE.
what's involved?
The intervention takes the form of 1:1 sessions delivered by a CSE interventionist to raise awareness and improve young people's knowledge
1:1 sessions can be delivered in the home or at school.
Over the past year, our CSE Interventionist has delivered nearly 250 support sessions with YP.
what's covered?
Examples of topics that are covered in 1:1 sessions are healthy relationships, online safety, consent, sexting, exploitation risks, social media and body image, emotions and sexual health.
Our CSE Interventionist has also been able to advice on different laws to the referrer. The referrer is kept up to date with feedback from sessions and the intervention is reviewed with both the referrer and the YP. Support can be extended if there is need for this and as agreed with the referrer.
COVID-19 response
In March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic that affected us both nationally and globally, we had to adapt the way we worked across all our services in line with government guidance.
This meant limiting any non-essential contact whilst maintaining a safe working environment for the young people we support.
asphaleia continued to deliver the CSE service through the year and we adapted to the changing times by providing virtual 1-1 intervention sessions and adapting the timings of these to allow for YP's schooling, whether at home or attending school.
We resumed face-to-face meetings where we could throughout the year as restrictions were lifted, as long as masks were worn and we followed other COVID related requirements.
what do YP say?
Over 90% of YP we have delivered intervention to over the passed year have met the desired outcomes by the end of the sessions. These outcomes include a reduction in behaviours like going missing and substance abuse, and an increase in knowledge of the signs of exploitation and unhealthy relationships.
I now know what is out there and what to look for and how to keep safe.
G stated that since working with the CSE interventionist, they have been thinking more about themselves and making more informed decisions. They state that they are more aware of their relationships with different people, including friendships and they have been making smarter decisions when it comes to any type of relationship.
I said 'I understand more about the meanings and importance of things. I am much more aware of what is going on. Before if anyone told me about not doing things on my phone, I would have ignored them but I now know what is out there and what to look for and how to keep safe.
If you are working with a YP in London Borough of Bromley and would like to refer them to this service, please complete our contact form.