The Preventing Child Exploitation and Harm Hub (PCEHH)
Multi-agency hub helps to improve youth safety
The Preventing Child Exploitation and Harm Hub (PCEHH), which started this May, is a multi-agency group that meets weekly to discuss and agree a coordinated package of support for children and young people at risk of any form of exploitation and/or serious youth violence. Since the start of PCEHH, 141 children and young people from 61 families have been referred to it.
The Hub also maintains a level of oversight and scrutiny over active “cases” once a package of support is agreed. This ensures that children, young people and their families receive timely and appropriate support.
Audrey Johnson, Director of Early Help and Children’s Health and Chair of PCEHH, said: “The Preventing Child Exploitation and Harm Hub is a vital part of the single exploitation pathway, ensuring that children and young people at risk are identified early and benefit from a robust offer of support to reduce risks and keep them safe in the community and in their homes.
“In bringing together the knowledge, expertise and resources of all partners, the Hub is able to share information swiftly, create a full picture of risk and need and provide a creative and effective response that is always guided by the particular needs and wishes of the individual child, young person and their family.”
She said that partners in PCEHH are “driven to intervene at the lowest level possible”, ensuring the right package of support is delivered by the right person when it is most needed.
Audrey added: “The Adolescent Exploitation Strategy placed a clear emphasis on early help and prevention to ensure that we identify, support and protect children before harm is experienced. In a very short time, the PCEHH has become a strong cohesive partnership consisting of professionals and agencies committed to delivering a child-centred approach to reducing and responding to risk.”