Copy of Harmful Practices Strategy Consultation for professionals

Barnet Safeguarding Children Partnership [BSCP]:
Consultation on Harmful Practices Strategy

This survey is for people working with children and adults at risk or experiencing harmful practice in Barnet.

In 2018 the Barnet Children Safeguarding Partnership recognised that there was a need to better understand the prevalence of harmful practices in Barnet.

We began work on a multi-agency strategy with an ambition to understand the prevalence of practices in Barnet, the services, support and pathways in place and their efficacy through understanding the experience of service users and professionals that engage with harmful practices.

We would like to hear your views on our draft priorities and aims by answering the questions below:

- the survey should take you no longer than ten minutes of your time.

If you have any further questions on this questionnaire or the strategy itself, please email BSCP@barnet.gov.uk

Question Title

* 1. To understand the priorities of different agencies working with children and adults in Barnet, which area best describes your role? Please tick all those that apply.

Local authority adult services

Local authority children's services

Designated Safeguarding Professional

Health

Education

Police, prosecution, probation services

Voluntary or community or faith sector

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 2. Have you received training in the last 3 years on harmful practices?

Yes

Unsure

Question Title

* 3. Do you feel confident in dealing with issues of harmful practice as appropriate to you role and responsibilities?

Yes

Unsure

Question Title

* 4. In the context of your role where could a harmful practice strategy offer most value?

Training

Awareness raising and education

Community engagement

Service improvement

Identification and reporting of abuse

Support services for victims of harmful practices

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 5. Of these harmful practices which are you most likely to come into contact with in your work with children and adults?

Female genital mutilation
FGM is a form of child abuse and violence against women defined by World Health Organisation as: “All procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons”.

Honour based violence
'a violent crime or incident which may have been committed to protect or defend the honour of the family or community which may or may not include violence, but can include personal attacks including physical and sexual violence, forced marriage or repatriation, written or verbal threats or insults, threatening and abusive messages.

Forced marriage
'where one or both people do not (or in cases of people with learning disabilities or reduced capacity, cannot) consent to the marriage as they are pressurized, or abuse is used, to force them to do so.

Breast flattening (or ironing)
‘the process during which young pubescent girls’ breasts are ironed, massaged, flattened and/or pounded down over a period of time (sometimes years) in order for the breasts to disappear or delay the development of the breasts entirely.

Abuse linked to faith or belief
can (not exclusively) include belief in the concepts of witchcraft and spirit possession, the evil eye or djinns, ritual or muti murders where the killing of a child is believed to bring supernatural benefits, and using belief in magic or witchcraft to coerce and control children to make them more compliant for other types of abuse.

Question Title

* 6. Which of the following are you aware of?

FGM Mandatory reporting

FGM Protection Orders

Forced Marriage Protection Orders

Question Title

* 7. We are developing a strategy to prevent harmful practices in Barnet. We have identified three main priorities, please choose ONE which is most important to you.

1. PREVENTION: working with our partners to reduce the risk of harmful practices in Barnet, through a programme of engagement, awareness raising, training and culture change.

2. PROTECTION: ensuring that girls, boys and women at risk or experiencing harmful practices have a timely and appropriate response from statutory services (i.e. the police, health professionals, social workers).

3. IMPROVEMENT: improving outcomes for girls, boys and women at risk of, or who have experienced, harmful practices.

4. None of the above

Question Title

* 8. Of the outcomes below, which do you think the partnership should prioritise - please select three options.

To understand the data on interventions and prevalence.

To increase the uptake of specialist support by those who have experienced harmful practices.

To embed a common risk assessment.

To ensure timely and appropriate referrals based on a common risk assessment process.

To ensure that women in contact with maternity, gynecologically and other health services are given information on the legal implications of harmful practices, and child protection concerns are appropriately shared.

To improve record keeping and information sharing between agencies.

To improve the experience of women and girls when in contact with services.

To improve awareness and confidence among professionals.

To work with strategic partners, specialist services and Cambridge Education to ensure that all schools are offered training and awareness raising resources.

To liaise with Barnet schools to understand current awareness, training and practice in place for harmful practices.

To offer improved support through resources, guidance and advise on the BSCP website.

To provide support for designated safeguarding leads in working with pupils and identifying risk through professionals training offer.

To deliver a Community Outreach Engagement programme, working with communities that have a high prevalence of harmful practice: to raise awareness of support, advice and advocacy services for girls and women experiencing harmful practices.

To consult with communities to ensure a sensitive approach to public awareness and training activities.

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 9. What would make you feel more confident and supported to deal with harmful practices in your role. Please use the free text below to share your views.

Copy of Harmful Practices Strategy Consultation for professionals

Barnet Safeguarding Children Partnership [BSCP]: Consultation on Harmful Practices Strategy

Question Title

* 1. To understand the priorities of different agencies working with children and adults in Barnet, which area best describes your role? Please tick all those that apply.

Question Title

* 2. Have you received training in the last 3 years on harmful practices?

Question Title

* 3. Do you feel confident in dealing with issues of harmful practice as appropriate to you role and responsibilities?

Question Title

* 4. In the context of your role where could a harmful practice strategy offer most value?

Question Title

* 5. Of these harmful practices which are you most likely to come into contact with in your work with children and adults?

Question Title

* 6. Which of the following are you aware of?

Question Title

* 7. We are developing a strategy to prevent harmful practices in Barnet. We have identified three main priorities, please choose ONE which is most important to you.

Question Title

* 8. Of the outcomes below, which do you think the partnership should prioritise - please select three options.

Question Title

* 9. What would make you feel more confident and supported to deal with harmful practices in your role. Please use the free text below to share your views.

Barnet Safeguarding Children Partnership [BSCP]:
Consultation on Harmful Practices Strategy