IA2457 Child Exploitation and Missing Children Service

Staffordshire County Council, Stoke on Trent City Council and the Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire and Rescue and Crime wish to jointly commission a Child Exploitation and Missing Children Service.

The Service will directly contribute to the three strategic outcomes of our Pan-Staffordshire Child Exploitation Strategy:

• Children and young people are not victims of Child Exploitation.
• Children and young people are protected from Child Exploitation by parents/carers, communities, professionals and businesses.
• Children, young people and adults are not perpetrators and/or groomed to facilitate Child Exploitation.

The Service will also be responsible for the delivery of the Return Home Interview (RHI) process across the County and City in line with The Department for Education’s, 2014 Statutory guidance on children who run away or go missing from home or care.

The provision will offer a flexible approach to meeting the needs of children between 0-17 years and young adults with special educational needs and disabilities beyond their 18th birthday if they have an education health and care plan. The provision will also offer a flexible approach to care leavers beyond their 18th birthday.

The Provider will offer the Service, and/or refer to other agencies where appropriate. The Service must be provided and accessible in each of the eight (8) districts/ boroughs in Staffordshire and in the city of Stoke-on-Trent.

The current contracts, which are in place for the delivery of some of these Services come to an end on 31st August 2022.