Understanding the landscape of harm and responses

Emerging Issues

Several key developments prompted the Child Protection Senior Officials Group (CPSOG), now reconfigured as the Children and Young People’s Strategy (CYPS) Child Protection Group, to prioritise CCE, including:

• Advice from the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY) to the Departments of Health and Justice following the civil unrest in July 2021.
• Rising concerns about the exploitation of children and young people by various forms of radicalisation.

Emerging Practice

Currently safeguarding frameworks in Northern Ireland remain primarily family focused. There is a growing body of Northern Ireland-specific research and models of practice that could be further integrated into broader safeguarding approaches, however this has not been piloted to date. Additionally, innovative models such as contextual safeguarding are gaining traction and warrant further exploration and adoption. Any future adoption would require careful consideration, adaptation to local legislation, and alignment with existing child protection systems.

Research Evidence

Research into the lived experiences of children and young people illustrates the relevance and urgency of these issues. It also highlights the complex and multifaceted nature of the challenges involved in addressing exploitation and harm.