1.4 4 Aim Project |
SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER
This chapter relates to services for all children. It was introduced to the manual in January 2010. There is a dedicated chapter, Assessment and Intervention Moving on Project, which relates specifically to young people who are being dealt with by the Youth Offending Team.
Contents
- Preface
- Introduction
- Principles, Philosophy and Values
- Objectives
- Applicability
- Referral
- Child Protection/Children in Need Route
- Roles and Responsibilities
- The Assessment Report
- Management
- Multi-Disciplinary Meetings
- Complaints Procedure
- Steps to AIM Initial Assessment for Under 12's
- Under 10's
- Steps to AIM Initial Assessment
Appendix 1 - Parent/ Carer Consent Form
Appendix 2 - Practice Guidance and Agenda for Strategy Meeting
Appendix 3 - Gravity Weighting for Sexual Offences
1. Preface
The AIM (Assessment Intervention Moving on) Project was set up in January 2000 to address the way that agencies and professionals across Greater Manchester respond to children and young people who display sexually harmful behaviour and their families. These procedures have been written to provide professionals with a common and consistent framework of response.
Assessment of these children and young people has been central to the project's work as assessment is anchored firmly within these procedures.The AIM model of initial assessment for adolescents (2001) has now been replaced by AIM2 (2007). This new assessment model incorporates changes suggested by an evaluation of the original AIM model that was commissioned by the Youth Justice Board (2004), feedback from practitioners and relevant additional research. Similarly, the AIM assessment model for under 10's (2002) has been replaced by an initial assessment model for under 12's (2007). The assessment models for young people with intellectual disabilities and parents and carers, to date remain the same.
The AIM models of initial assessment, although useful as stand alone assessments, need to be located within a common and consistent multi-agency integrated response to children and young people who have displayed sexually harmful behaviour. The AIM models assess the risk, management and therapeutic needs of the child or young person who has abused. However, it is crucial that this occurs alongside consideration of the National Youth Justice Board and Safeguarding policies of those community services involved in the decision making processes surrounding children and young people who sexually harm.
The AIM procedures within this booklet therefore seek to ensure that the outcomes of AIM assessments are contributed to and shared with all relevant agencies and services. An integrated approach is vital to ensure that, not only the needs of the abuser are assessed, but that societal and victim safety concerns are also addressed as part of the response. This is essential to ensure that information from AIM assessments cannot only be used to help meet the needs of the child or young person who has sexually harmed but also those of his/her victims and potential victims.
Blackpool's LSCB has endorsed AIM project procedures that incorporate AIM initial assessment models.
2. Introduction
| 2.1 | In the last fifteen years there has been growing awareness and acknowledgement of the incidence of sexually harmful behaviour by children and young people. Researchers have estimated that between a third and a quarter of child sexual offending is committed by young people less than 18 years (Home and Glasgow, 1991; Kelly et al, 1991; N.Ireland Research Team 1991, Home Office 1997; Lovell, 2002; Vizard 2004). The peak age for these offences is 15 years, with males accounting for 97% of the offences. It must be remembered that while statistics provide a useful overview of the prevalence of sexual offences committed by young people, they do not account for inappropriate sexual behaviour carried out by children under 10 years (below the age of criminal responsibility) and those that do not come to the attention of the Criminal Justice System. Additionally, there are a number of studies that demonstrate nearly half of all adult sex offenders show onset of deviant sexual interest in puberty and began offending in adolescence (Brecker, 1989; Knight and Prenky 1993). |
| 2.2 | Recidivism rates for adolescents vary, with most studies showing rates of between 3 - 14% (Worling & Langstrom 2003), a significantly low figure, which provides a positive message to practitioners about the value of their work in this area. However, it should be noted there is a general consensus in the literature that there is a sub group of adolescents who are at high risk of re-offending sexually or violently. The challenge is to identify this group at an early stage via assessment. |
| 2.3 | Evidence (Kobayashi et al, 1995; Ryan et al, 1996, Skuse et al), suggests that Children and young people who display sexually harmful behaviour towards others may have suffered considerable disruption in their lives, been exposed to violence within the family, may have witnessed or been subjected to physical or sexual assault, have problems with their educational development and may have committed other non sexual offences. Such young people are likely to be children in need and some will themselves be in need of protection. |
| 2.4 | Children and young people who display sexually harmful behaviour are often not emotionally mature and cannot therefore be treated in the same way as adults who have been abusing for years. Young people are still developing and testing out their sexual feelings and understanding. Early intervention in cases of harmful sexual behaviour can assist this development and channel it in a more positive way, which enables such young people to adopt a healthy development pathway and proceed to make healthy peer relationships. |
| 2.5 | It is essential that children and young people who are involved in sexually harmful behaviours are properly and consistently assessed in order to establish the extent, the nature and the antecedents of the behaviour. The AIM procedures, processes, assessment models and intervention strategies will significantly contribute to the prevention, continuation and escalation of sexually harmful behaviour |
| 2.6 | Children and young people who display sexually harmful behaviour are not a homogenous group. They can be of either gender, from any race or social class and be of varying ages and abilities. A range of characteristics are likely to be found in different typologies of sexual offending. For example, those who abuse children may well have different features and aetiologies, than those who assault peers or adults and those who abuse males may have different recidivist rates to those who abuse females. Whilst we do not have sufficient research currently to distinguish adequately between the characteristics of these different groups, many children and young people who sexually harm often share a variety of psychosocial problems. |
| 2.7 | "Research and experience have shown repeatedly that keeping children safe from harm requires professionals and others to share information: about a child's health and development and exposure to possible harm. Often, it is only when information from a number of sources has been shared and it is then put together that it becomes clear that a child is at risk of suffering harm" Working Together to Safeguard Children - Department of Health and "The only way of delivering improving care services and delivering public sector reform is by involving the people who are going to deliver it ... engaging front line staff, listening to them and service users" |
3. Principles, Philosophy and Values
| 3.1 | Work with children and young people who display sexually harmful behaviour should be co-coordinated as part of the multi-disciplinary child protection system. It is important that all agencies work closely together to enhance communication and ensure consistency of approach. No single agency can manage children and young people who display sexually harmful behaviour. It is essential that the Youth Offending Team, Social Work Teams, Police, and the CPS work in partnership. |
| 3.2 | While sexual exploration and experimentation are a normal part of childhood and adolescent development, there are situations in which children and young people are sexually harmed by other children and young people. Clearly sexually harmful behaviour is different to normal sexual development. |
| 3.3 | The primary objective of all work with children and young people who display sexually harmful behaviour must be the protection of victims and the prevention of a repetition of the sexually harmful behaviour. |
| 3.4 | Assessment of risk rather than determination of guilt or innocence is a better basis for intervention. Assessment of these young people is of key importance and should consider the child and young person holistically; to include their sexually harmful behaviour, development, family, culture and religion. |
| 3.5 | There should be a range of interventions available and any intervention should be at an appropriate level with the core aims of: protecting potential victims, preventing further offending and enabling the child and young person to take responsibility for their sexually harmful behaviour and make necessary changes to that behaviour. |
| 3.6 | The reasons why children and young people sexually harm are multi-faceted but often they have experienced some form of trauma, loss rejection or abuse that may have played a contributory role in the development of the behaviours. This often means they are children in need, and the child's own need should be recognised and addressed. |
| 3.7 | All work carried out with children/young people who have sexually harmed should be underpinned by anti-discriminatory practice. |
4. Objectives
| 4.1 | All agencies must adhere to this policy and practice guidelines incorporating initial assessment models for assessing children under 12 and young people 10-12 and 12-18 years to ensure consistency. It is anticipated that the practitioner will make a professional judgement, given the individual circumstances of each case, which is the most appropriate assessment model (AIM/AIM2) to apply for the 10-12 year age group. |
| 4.2 | The AIM and AIM2 initial assessment models provide a framework to assist professionals working with children and young people who display sexually harmful behaviour to conduct an initial assessment of the behaviour in order to:
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| 4.3 | The AIM initial assessment model for children under 12 years accords with the 'Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families' and works alongside the social work initial and core assessments. |
| 4.4 | The AIM2 initial assessment for young people incorporates the concepts of the Department of Health 'Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families' as employed by Children's Services and the 'ASSET' framework as employed by the Youth Offending Service. The AIM2 model of initial assessment is intended to be used within the timescales agreed by the criminal justice, child protections systems and Public Law Children Act cases. |
| 4.5 | Information gathered throughout the AIM and AIM2 assessment processes should be written into a report. This report will be used by those agencies involved with the child or young person to inform planning and decision-making in the management of the case. This could include appropriate sentence recommendations in relation to criminal proceedings. |
| 4.6 | The AIM procedures seek to ensure that the outcomes of AIM and AIM2 assessments are shared with relevant services such as; Children's Services, Youth Offending Services, Police, Education, Health, CPS, Multi Agency Public Protection, Arrangements (MAPPA), and any other relevant Safeguarding agencies. An integrated approach is vital to ensure, that not only the needs of the child or young person who has displayed sexually harmful behaviour are assessed, but that societal and victim safety concerns are also addressed as part of the procedural response. |
5. Applicability
| 5.1 | These procedures should be applied to a child or young person under the age of 18 years, who has displayed sexually harmful behaviour, against children, adolescents, adults and animals, within the family, outside the family and in cases of stranger abuse. |
| 5.2 | The procedures and assessment models will apply to:
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6. Referral
Criminal Justice Route |
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| 6.1 | A young person who admits or partially admits a sexual offence will be asked together with their parents/carers to participate in undertaking an AIM/AIM2 assessment. If consent is given (Consent Form Appendix 1) the young person will be bailed for 28 days to allow the assessment to be undertaken. (Leaflets are available to explain the subsequent AIM process to the young person and parents/carers). This would not apply if the sexual offence was very serious and there is a likelihood of a committal to Crown Court. In such cases the Crown Prosecution Service would be contacted for advice. (See attached Gravity Weighting for Offences Appendix 3). |
| 6.2 | If the AIM process is applicable, the Police will contact the relevant Youth Offending Service within one working day with the young person's details; this will trigger the AIM process and initial assessment. The YOT manager will contact the locality Social Work Team. |
| 6.3 | The identified Youth Offending Team Officer will take lead responsibility for managing the AIM process. They will contact the identified social worker manager in the relevant social work team in order to identify a co-worker with whom they will jointly undertake the AIM/AIM2 assessment and arrange a multi-agency meeting within one working day and a further multi-agency meeting will take place at the end of the 28-day bail period. This meeting will consider the outcome of the report and a second multi-agency intervention plan will be formulated. |
| 6.4 | The assessment process begins by collecting information from other professionals and relevant agencies about the young person and their family. Gaps in the information are noted. |
| 6.5 | Interviews are undertaken with the young person and their family with a view to gaining their perspective and filling in gaps of knowledge/information. |
| 6.6 | The assessment is drawn together in a report that makes a recommendation to the Police/Crown Prosecution Service regarding an appropriate disposal for the young person. Having fully considered the assessment team's report and recommendation and any other relevant information which has been collated regarding mitigating and aggravating factors, the Police/Crown Prosecution Service retain the right to make a final decision. |
| 6.7 | Young people who deny the offence and enter a not guilty plea will not be subject to the AIM process and assessment at this stage. |
| 6.8 | Young people who denied and entered a not guilty plea but are later found guilty will be subsequently AIM/AIM2 assessed with the YOT Team Officer as lead worker and the SW as co-worker. The assessment will be used to inform the pre-sentence report. |
| 6.9 | Where there is insufficient evidence to charge or a decision is made not to charge, the case should be discussed with the allocated Social Worker, if this is known; or referred to the relevant Children's Services Locality Team. The relevant Team Manager will decide whether there are relevant child protection issues and whether the case should be AIM assessed via the child protection route. |
| 6.10 | For those young people who commit serious offences and are immediately charged, the AIM assessment will be triggered by their admission of guilt in court or by them having been found guilty in court. At this point a request for an adjournment should be made in order to carry out the AIM/AIM2 assessment, to develop an appropriate risk management plan, which will inform the pre-sentence report. |
| 6.11 | In those cases where a young person commits a further offence whilst on bail, their bail status will be reviewed. |
7. Child Protection/Children in Need Route
| 7.1 | In all cases where a child or young person who has displayed sexually harmful behaviour comes to the attention of Children's Services a strategy discussion/meeting must take place under section 47 of the Children's Act 1989. (See Blackpool's Child Protection Procedures) This meeting is seen as crucial to the entire process. If the initial investigation suggests that an incident has occurred, then joint liaison between Children's Services and the Police should take place to consider whether other agencies should be involved. Where identified these agencies should be invited to further meetings. A representative from school, who is independent from the investigation, should be kept informed so that decision can be made with regard to the future educational needs of the alleged abuser. |
| 7.2 | If no Best Evidence interview is conducted the reason(s)are to be clearly recorded on file. |
| 7.3 | In respect of the victim, a Child Protection Conference will be convened where one or more of the following child protection issues have been identified:
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| 7.4 | In all cases where it is confirmed that an incident has taken place the AIM or AIM2 initial assessment should proceed. The identified Children's Services assessor will take lead responsibility for managing the AIM process. They will contact the relevant YOT operational manager to identify a co-assessor in cases where the young person is over 10 years old or a co-assessor from their own agency or CAMHS for children under 10 years. |
| 7.5 | In all cases it is important that an AIM/AIM2 initial assessment is carried out. The child or young person and their parents/carers will be asked by the assessors to participate in the assessment process (APPPENDIX 1 Consent Form). If consent is not given but concerns remain, a paperwork assessment can still be undertaken drawing on existing information. |
| 7.6 | The identified Children's Services assessor will contact the Reviewing Officer in the QA unit to arrange an AIM multi-disciplinary meeting, which will be held on completion of the assessment report. Best practice would adhere to the timeframes imposed by the Criminal Justice System assessment route; thus, the assessment should be completed within 28 days and the AIM meeting held as soon as possible after that date. |
| 7.7 | The assessment process begins by collecting information from other professionals and relevant agencies about the child or young person and their family. Gaps in information are noted. |
| 7.8 | Interviews are undertaken with the child/young person and their family with a view to gaining their perspective and filling in gaps of knowledge/information. |
| 7.9 | The assessment is drawn together in a report and taken to the AIM multi-agency meeting. |
| 7.10 | The AIM multi-agency meeting is held, outcomes of the report are considered, and an investigation plan is formulated. Roles and responsibilities are agreed. |
| 7.11 | Review dates are set, if appropriate. |
8. Roles and Responsibilities
| 8.1 | In those situations where there is an immediate decision to charge the young person, the Youth Offending Team worker who undertakes the initial AIM/AIM2 initial assessment will if appropriate, complete any subsequent report(s). |
| 8.2 | If there is an identified social worker for the victim they should not be directly involved in the AIM assessment of the child or young person who has been sexually harmful. |
| 8.3 | In those cases where the child/young person and/or their families may have a different first language from the assessors, where there are mental health issues, learning disabilities or physical health issues appropriate arrangements must be made to ensure equality of access to service provision. |
| 8.4 | The assessors are required to contact the relevant person in the school, (designated Child Protection teacher), which the child/young person attends and inform them of the situation as well as including any information/opinions the school may hold in respect of the child/young person/family within the body of the AIM/AIM2 assessment report. A representative from school should be invited to the AIM multi-agency meeting chaired by a Independent Reviewing Officer. |
9. The Assessment Report
| 9.1 | The assessors should draw conclusions from the AIM/AIM2 assessment models; identify both static and dynamic factors of concern and strength and the initial level(s) of intervention necessary. There is a standard report format in the AIM2 manual. |
| 9.2 | The assessors will read through the assessment report with the young person and their parents in a supportive setting and any areas of disagreement will be noted and attached to the report. The family are entitled to retain a copy of the report. |
| 9.3 | Where the Aim2 assessment has been initiated through the Criminal Justice route the report will be forwarded to the investigating Police Officer and will make a recommendation to police/CPS regarding disposal for the young person. However, having fully considered the assessment team's recommendation and any other relevant information which has been collated regarding mitigating and aggravating factors. Police/CPS retain the right to make a final decision. |
| 9.4 | The completed report will be taken to the AIM strategy meeting. |
| 9.5 | Copies of the AIM/AIM2 assessments report will remain on the files of the assessor's agencies and a further copy will be held by the Social Care Independent Reviewing Officer. Copies will be retained in line with individual agencies' file destruction policies. |
10. Management
| 10.1 | The assessment process will be supervised and supported by the lead agency manager/supervisor and the agencies Quality Assurance procedures should be followed before signing off the report. |
| 10.2 | In the event of a disagreement about the recommendation, a discussion with the assessors' line managers, and the Independent Reviewing Officer should take place. |
11. Multi-Disciplinary Meetings
| 11.1 | Following the AIM/AIM2 assessment an AIM multi-disciplinary meeting will take place organised by the lead agency. |
| 11.2 | This meeting will be chaired by the Quality Assurance Officer. |
| 11.3 | Parents/carers and the child or young person will be invited to attend the meeting and will only be excluded in exceptional circumstances (see exclusion criteria document held by Quality Assurance Officers). |
| 11.4 | The meeting should be attended by the assessors and any other relevant professionals involved with the child/young person and their family. |
| 11.5 | Any additional written reports by the relevant professionals should be submitted before the meeting to Independent Reviewing Officer. If an identified agency is unable to attend they should receive minutes of the meeting. |
| 11.6 | The meeting should produce a shared multi-disciplinary plan, which addresses:
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12. Complaints Procedure
| 12.1 | If a complaint is lodged against a specific worker/assessor, their agency's complaints procedures should be followed. |
| 12.2 | If a complaint is lodged regarding the assessment process, The Local Safeguarding Boards complaint procedures should be applied. |
13. Steps to AIM Initial Assessment for Under 12's
Use initial referral information to determine the level of concern (see continuum in AIM Manual for under 12's). If the behaviour falls within the problematic or harmful part of the continuum, the following action needs to be taken;
14. Under 10's
Immediate Child Protection concerns - consider removal - begin AIM Assessment.
No immediate Child Protection concerns - begin AIM Assessment.
Gather information from referrer and child/ren targeted.
Gather documents/records about the family and child.
Talk to parents and child.
Put the information from the sexual behaviours checklist with the information about strengths and concerns.
15. Steps to AIM Initial Assessment
In summary, the AIM2 initial assessment model is designed to assist professional judgement on the management, placement and intervention needs of young people who have displayed sexually harmful behaviour. The model is anchored within the policies and procedures illustrated within this booklet and is intended to be undertaken by a co-working pair and completed within a 28-day timescale.
Thus, wherever possible the assessors will adhere to the following steps of AIM2 initial assessment;
- Referral Received:
- Inter agency liaison:
A minimum involving the police, Children's Services and Youth Offending Teams. If the young person is denying the offence and/or awaiting trial, a Stage One assessment only should be undertaken, unless agreement for a full AIM2 assessment is agreed with the young person's solicitor. - Allocation to Assessors:
Co-work between Children's Services and Youth Offending Teams, and when appropriate other relevant agencies. The lead agency should identify the assessors, and identify a date for the completion of the AIM2 report and subsequent multi-disciplinary meeting for discussion of the AIM2 report at the Child Protection or Quality and Assurance Unit, in discussion with the chair of the meeting. - Information Collection
- Watch the video Achieving Best Evidence interview or read the victim statement.
- Listen to the tape of the PACE interview or any account given by the young person regarding their inappropriate sexual behaviour.
- Read files and collate any information held by other professionals and relevant agencies e.g. schools.
- First Stage Scoring of AIM2:
Use the information gathered to date and initially fill in the scoring sheets. - Identify gaps in information:
Using relevant information sheet. - Plan the interview with the young person and the parents/carers where possible. Aiming to fill in missing information and engage them in a process that prepares them for a helping service to be received.
- Interview the young person.
- interview the parents/carers.
- Second Stage Scoring AIM2:
Revisit and update AIM2 scoring sheets: Using additional information from interview process. - Third Stage Scoring of AIM2:
- Total column scores.
- Complete concerns and strength profile.
- Check outcome level of supervision needed.
- Complete final outcome sheet.
- Interpreting Outcomes and making Recommendations:
Use the final outcome sheet for analysis and draw conclusions around the young persons risk, strengths, needs, capacity to change, intervention priorities and the degree of support parents/carers can provide. (For additional guidance on assessment of parents see the AIM Initial Assessment Manual). - Write AIM2 report:
Present report to the multi-disciplinary AIM meeting chaired by the reviewing officer, where roles, tasks and resources can be identified and agreed. - Set a review date if required.
Appendix 1 - Parent/ Carer Consent Form
Click here for Appendix 1 - Parent/Carer Consent Form
Appendix 2 - Practice Guidance and Agenda for Strategy Meeting
- When should an AIM Meeting or Discussion take place?
Whenever there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child or young person is suffering or is likely to suffer sexual harm from another child or young person, or displayed sexually harmful behaviour.
- When is a Discussion rather than a Meeting appropriate?
It may not always be necessary to hold a Meeting but Discussions may be held by telephone in cases where only Police and Children's Services are required/involved.
The discussion must involve the appropriate staff and managers (Laming Rec. 93), follow an agenda, and are properly recorded.
In all instances, the initial notification to the Police by Children's Services will ensure proper compliance with the requirements to inform the Police when a criminal act may have been committed (Laming Rec. 98, WT 5.8).
- Who should attend the AIM Meeting?
Meeting must include Children's Services, the Police, Youth Offending Service (for over 10's), Education, Parents and Carers, the Child/Young Person (as appropriate) and other significant/relevant agencies/professionals to the individual case.
Appendix 3 - Gravity Weighting for Sexual Offences
Click here to view Gravity Weighting for Sexual Offences Table
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