Transitioning from Child to Adult: Safeguarding Practice for Young People Who Have Experienced Child Sexual Exploitation

Date

2022

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Nottingham Trent University

Abstract

This report presents the findings of a qualitative systematic review conducted with metaaggregation to synthesise findings. This research was guided by benchmark methodology in qualitative systematic review research, the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) approach. Five databases were searched, utilising key words and strings developed in relation to the research questions (see Appendix 1 for search terms). Further search of UK-based online repositories and snowball sampling located additional articles to review. Studies were screened against inclusion criteria (detailed in full in Section 4.2). The review implemented standardised appraisal tools to assess the risk of bias (Critical Appraisal Skills Programme, 2017) and present a measurement of confidence in findings (GRADEcerQual). Finally, the review used meta-aggregation in order to construct a series of synthesised findings. This technique is designed to offer robust, well-supported synthesised findings for qualitative systematic reviews, which can serve as evidence for practice and policy. Findings A total of 2,746 studies were found which, after screening, were reduced to 57. A further 47 were excluded after detailed full-text review, often because they failed the methodological or content criteria upon closer reading, resulting in 10 included studies. Half (five) of the studies were conducted in the USA, followed by three in the UK, and the remaining two studies originated from Australia and New Zealand respectively. The studies were relatively recent, with the clear exception being Hines et al (2005). All included studies were qualitative and employed semi-structured interviews as the main data collection tool. The majority of the studies (eight) reported research based on data collected directly from 11 young people, and they were interpretive studies which drew on the voices of young people who had experienced or were regarded as at risk of sexual exploitation. A total of 598 young people’s views are reported, along with 176 professionals/practitioners. One parental guardian was also noted as being present at a focus group (Beech et al., 2018). The review found that significant gaps remain in what is known about young people who have experienced sexual exploitation and their needs during the period of transition from child to adult and children’s to adults’ services. For instance, data on prevalence of CSE in this population is lacking and research which captures experiences across the diversity of the youth population is needed. However what research exists can be characterised as follows in terms of synthesised findings (SF).

Description

Keywords

research, United Kingdom, International Resources, child sexual exploitation

Citation

Brady, G., Toft, A., Alldred, P., Roesch, C., Gair, H., Raymond, E., ... & Paechter, C. (2022). Transitioning from child to adult: safeguarding practice for young people who have experienced child sexual exploitation: Systematic review. Nottingham Trent University.

DOI