“ I think I must have been born bad” Listening to children in the secure estate

1. “ I think I must have been born bad”Listening to children in the secure estate Sue Berelowitz Deputy Children’s Commissioner/Chief Executive

2. UNCRC: relevant articles 3 The best interests of the child must be the top priority 12 Right to express an opinion and be taken seriously 19 Right to be properly cared for and protected from violence, abuse and neglect 28 Right to education 24 Right to health and health services 37 Right not to be treated cruelly if break the law. Loss of liberty should be a measure of last resort & for shortest possible time 39 Children who are abused or neglected should receive special help to promote and assist their recovery 40 Children should only be imprisoned for the most serious offences and be treated in a manner which promotes their dignity and self-worth. A variety of dispositions should be used to avoid institutional care.

3. Children and young people in custody (“I think I must have been born bad” OCC 2011) • 60% have suffered maltreatment • 50% have problems with peer & family relationships • 66% come from broken families • 33% have been in care • 75% have a history of school exclusion • 33% have severe and complex mental health problems • 25% have learning disabilities • 30% have a physical disability • More than 50% have communication and literacy problems • High proportion have history of drug and/or alcohol abuse • High levels of other health problems

5. A need to belong (Centre for Mental Health 2013) • 4x more likely than other females in YJS to report poor peer and family relationships • 3x more likely to be identified as victims of csa • 3x more likely to witness violence & experience physical abuse and neglect • 3 – 4x more likely to run away • 3-3x more likely to be excluded from school • +5x more likely to be involved in risky or sexually harmful behaviour • Clear links between victimisation & gang association • +25% suspected diagnosable mental health problem • 30% self-harming or at risk of suicide • 30% have sleeping or eating problems • Almost 40% show behavioural problems before age 12.

6. CSEGG: Key findings • 2,400 actual victims in 14/12 • 16,500 at high risk • Happening everywhere • Ethnicity • Violent and sadistic • Relentless • Profile of victims • Profile of perpetrators • Victim/perpetrator overlap

8. Vulnerabilities • Living in a chaotic or dysfunctional household (including parental substance use, domestic violence, parental mental health issues, parental criminality) • History of abuse (including familial child sexual abuse, risk of forced marriage, risk of ‘honour’-based violence, physical and emotional abuse and neglect) • Recent bereavement or loss • Gang association either through relatives, peers or intimate relationships (in cases of gang-associated CSE only) • Attending school with young people who are sexually exploited • Learning disabilities • Unsure about their sexual orientation or unable to disclose sexual orientation to their families • Friends with young people who are sexually exploited • Homeless • Lacking friends from the same age group • Living in a gang involved neighbourhood • Living in residential care • Living in hostel, bed and breakfast accommodation or a foyer • Low self-esteem or self-confidence • Young carer

9. Already a victim • Missing from home or care • Physical injuries • Drug or alcohol misuse • Involvement in offending • Repeat sexually-transmitted infections, pregnancy and terminations • Absent from school • Change in physical appearance • Evidence of sexual bullying and/or vulnerability through the internet and/or social networking sites • Estranged from their family • Receipt of gifts from unknown sources • Recruiting others into exploitative situations • Poor mental health • Self-harm • Thoughts of or attempts at suicide