Investigating complex (organised or multiple) abuse
Staff must be familiar with the relevant section in Chapter 6 of "Working Together to Safeguard Children"
Complex (organised or multiple) abuse may be defined as abuse involving one or more abusers and a number of children. The abusers concerned may be acting in concert to abuse children, sometimes acting in isolation, or may be using an institutional framework or position of authority to recruit children for abuse.
Staff must be familiar with the guidance Complex Child Abuse Investigation: inter- agency issues (Home Office and Department of Health 2002) For information please go to: www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/fs/en - and use the site search engine.
The Guidance seeks to help agencies confronted with difficult investigations by sharing the accumulated learning from Serious Case Reviews. It sets out the overarching policy and practice framework to inform and shape the detailed strategic plans that agencies will need to develop when confronted with a complex child abuse case. This guidance is equally relevant to investigating organised or multiple abuse within an institution. In addition, Appendix A in the Complex Child Abuse Investigations guidance identifies the issues that should be addressed in all major investigations.
Senior Officers Co-ordination Group
If any agency is concerned about the handling of a case because of its complexity, it is possible to ask for a Senior Officers Co-ordination Group to be established, in order to provide advice and support. The request should be made to the Head of Safeguarding & Corporate Parenting who will convene a meeting of Senior Managers from agencies who are involved. The person requesting a meeting will be asked to provide a report detailing the case and the issues of concern to agencies.
In cases where there is multiple abuse or where high profile PR is likely, a Senior Officers Co-ordination Group should always be requested.