New pilot scheme to help child victims

Telford and Wrekin is one of eight new areas selected for a Home Office pilot scheme designed to get faster support for child victims of exploitation and trafficking.

The initiative aims to reduce the time it takes for a child to be identified and receive help, by giving local safeguarding teams the authority to make decisions.

This new approach, which also includes Shropshire, will put specially trained local experts in charge of cases rather than having them handled centrally by the Home Office.

The pilot scheme has already seen significant results in other parts of the country, with decision waiting times dropping from over a year to just over three months.

The Devolved Decision-Making pilot puts children at the heart of the process. Local teams, made up of police, social workers, and health professionals, can work together to understand the specific needs of a child in their community.

This leads to earlier identification of potential victims and more effective referrals to support services.

By joining the pilot, the borough is part of a wider effort to improve the system for vulnerable children.

Minister for Safeguarding, Jess Phillips, said the pilot is “delivering remarkable results” and helping children get the specialist support they need much faster.

The expansion is also part of the government’s commitment to reduce the backlog of cases waiting to be addressed.