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8/13/2019 Gwenda Thomas AM Child Sexual Exploitation Letter Message of Support Doc 2
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Stronger together: collaborative working to tackle child sexual exploitation
and child trafficking conference November 2013
Message from the Deputy Minister for Social Services, Gwenda Thomas AM
I am sorry that I am unable to be with you all today at the Stronger Together -
collaborative working to tackle child sexual exploitation and trafficking conference.
I would like at the outset to pay tribute to the staff of Barnardos Cymru for organising
this important conference and for their tireless work, on a daily basis, to protect and
safeguard children and young people who might be at risk.
Raising awareness of child sexual exploitation and trafficking in particular is not an
easy task. It is an extremely uncomfortable thought to grasp for many, and it is
shocking to think that children and young people in Wales fall victim to these terrible
crimes. However, we can not shirk that responsibility and we have to tackle these
difficult problems head on.
Guidance such as the all Wales protocols on child trafficking and child sexual
exploitation and Safeguarding Children from Sexual Exploitation published by the
Welsh Government can help support and educate practitioners so that they can
begin to identify children who are at risk, and ensure a consistent understanding of
the challenges across agencies.
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Central to the effectiveness of any guidance is the key principle of ensuring that
multi-agency co-operation is critical to effective safeguarding. In safeguarding and
protection, arrangements are only as strong as the weakest link and we must ensure
that everyone that safeguarding and protection are primary responsibilities.
Safeguarding is everyones business and we want to promote that principle through
all aspects of our work.
We know that there are strong links between children going missing, child trafficking
and sexual exploitation and the Welsh Government is determined to do all it can to
protect our most vulnerable young people and keep them safe from harm.
We believe that improved outcomes for children can only be achieved and sustained
when key agencies work together to deliver more integrated joined up services to
tackle these issues.
Recently, I was pleased to help launch, with Barnardos Cymru, an information leaflet
aimed at children and young people to help raise awareness of the dangers of
sexual exploitation, and to recognise signs of grooming. This innovative leaflet helps
young people to develop the knowledge and skills they need to help keep
themselves safe from harm and signposts advice and support.
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I have recently issued a Ministerial Statement on the progress in developing, in
particular, new safeguarding and protection arrangements through the Social
Services and Well-being (Wales) Bill two of the core principles we are trying
enshrine through the legislation are improved leadership and collaboration.
I make no apology for repeating, safeguarding is everyones businessand as such I
made it clear in my Written Statement that I intend to further strengthen multi-agency
collaborative arrangements through the provisions set within the Bill.
The National Independent Safeguarding Board, once established, will reinforce the
principle of improved leadership and enable agencies at all levels to work together
more effectively to further strengthen safeguarding arrangements in Wales.
It will also ensure there is clarity and focus around protection issues, that key
safeguarding agencies have clear guidance and the statutory tools necessary to
work collaboratively to protect children and young people who are at risk.
The development work required through the Bill to ensure that the legislation and
guidance supports operational practice will continue through the rest of this and next
year. I hope that many of you will be involved with the Safeguarding Advisory Panel I
have established to advise me on these matters.
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The model for development we have implemented reflects that which we put in place
for the development of the Child Practice Review framework introduced in January
and that puts practitioners and professionals right at the heart of the development
process to ensure more effective safeguarding arrangements.
I hope that you will find todays event thought provoking and helpful and I would
again like to thank colleagues at Barnardos Cymru for taking this initiative.
I trust that the measures I am taking to strengthen safeguarding and protection
arrangements will make a difference to the lives of citizens in Wales.
Thank you.