The Sexual Exploitation of Looked After Children in Scotland: A scoping study to inform methodology for inspection - ANNEX 1

Introduction Background In December 2012 the Centre for Excellence for Looked After Children in Scotland (CELCIS) was awarded the tender for a research project to investigate the sexual exploitation of looked after children in Scotland. The research was commissioned by Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland also known as the Care Inspectorate and related in particular to children in Scottish care services for which the Inspectorate has responsibility 1. To comply with funding arrangements and operational imperatives, the Care Inspectorate required this research to be conducted and reported within a very short timescale (three months), and within a fixed budget. Researchers often face restrictions such as these and must find creative ways to work within these limitations whilst also being honest about what is possible and what might realistically be achieved within the limits that prevail. CELCIS has over -lapping areas of interest with the Care Inspectorate; this has allowed the study to be somewhat more intensive than would otherwise have been possible, it will also facilitate any necessary follow-on work. This allows us to meet the requirements of the Care Inspectorate and to ensure that the research is conducted in a robust and responsible way. This report draws together research related to sexual exploitation of looked after children in Scotland from four strands of this study and from earlier work done by others. This information will inform the work of the Care Inspectorate. Some strands of the study will continue to receive information via on-going participation in the various research activities already initiated. These data will be used to develop a more detailed and nuanced picture which will be made available to the Care Inspectorate in the form of an ‘Update Report’ in due course. The full analysis will also be used to inform CELCIS’s work and that of partners across the looked after children’s sector.