Child Protection Pathway

Tertiary prevention focuses on children and young people at immediate risk or already experiencing significant harm due to CCE. At this stage the Child Protection Pathway is activated. Children and young people often face complex trauma and remain at risk of continued or repeat harm. This level of intervention involves intensive, statutory safeguarding and long-term support to ensure safety, disrupt perpetrators of CCE, and promote recovery.

In the context of CCE, tertiary prevention priorities include:

• An allocated Social Worker who takes responsibility for activating the Child Protection Pathway to remove the child from danger following an Inter-agency Referral Discussion (IRD) and Child Protection Case Conference.
• Development of a Child Protection Plan or A Looked After Care Plan where the child or young person is in the care of a HSCT either through voluntary accommodation or legal orders, should be undertaken in line with the Protecting Looked After Children (PLAC) guidance, with urgent safeguarding actions clearly outlined.
• Multi-agency response (PSNI, HSCT, Education Services, Youth Justice, CVS) to disrupt perpetrators and exploitation networks through multi-agency safeguarding and enforcement.
• NRM referrals should be completed for all suspected child victims of exploitation. Relevant criteria are outlined in section 2 of the NRM Guidance.
• Across Northern Ireland, the Independent Guardian Service offers support and guidance to children and young people who have been, or are suspected to have been, trafficked. The role of an Independent Guardian is outlined in the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Criminal Justice and Support for Victims) Act (Northern Ireland) 2015. The purpose of the role is to strengthen the protections available to children and young people who have been, or may have been, victims of human trafficking and/or who are separated from their primary caregivers. Further information can be accessed in the IGS Guidance. Where a child is not Looked After but requires safeguarding support, practitioners should consider the Child in Need Plan/Pathway.Emphasis is on contextual safeguarding and a flexible, responsive approach to changing levels of risk.
• Intensive case management and wraparound services tailored to individual needs.
• Review and Monitoring timelines - regular Core Group meetings should be held to review the plan, with adjustments made in response to the child or young person’s changing needs and circumstances. Where the child or young person is Looked After, reviews must be carried out in compliance with the Protecting Looked After Children (PLAC) Guidance and its associated requirements.

Examples of tertiary prevention strategies:

1. Trauma-informed therapeutic support - Access to specialised counselling and mental health services such as CAMHS or support for substance misuse.
2. Safe and supportive accommodation to remove the child or young person from exploitative environments (e.g., foster care, residential care). Safety planning may include additional risk assessments (e.g., Threat to Life) and supervision strategies.
3. Education and employment pathways – programmes that support re-engagement with education, training, and employment, helping young people rebuild confidence, skills, and future aspirations.
4. Intensive case management which requires coordinated, multi-agency support through dedicated practitioners, ensuring continuity of care and responsiveness to complex needs.
5. Peer support and mentoring providing opportunities for children and young people to connect with trained mentors or peers with lived experience, fostering trust, belonging, and hope.
6. Family and Community Support to help reduce risk factors (e.g., housing, financial support, parenting help, creating safe spaces).
7. Transition planning for older young people preparing to leave care to empower them to plan for their future as this is recognised as a period of risk.
8. Restorative justice approaches that recognise the role of coercion and trauma in offending behaviours, promoting safety and desistance.
9. Disruption and protection measures – targeted actions to disrupt exploiters and safeguarding children and young people, including intelligence-led policing, community safety initiatives, and contextual safeguarding strategies.