Connecting children and young people at risk of exploitation to community sports providers to improve outcomes

Typically, there are around 350 young people with open Risk in the Community (RIC) records, and between 100-130 young people open to MACE (Missing & Child Exploitation) in Essex. The demand for their service is challenging for ECC’s Involvement Service. 

The Sport and Activity Enabler was a capacity-building pilot. Working closely with colleagues from the Active Essex Foundation (the charitable arm of Active Essex, Essex’s Active Partnership) and ECC’s Involvement Service, the Enabler connected referred children and young people to a sport or physical activity provision delivered by an organization local to them. Activities offered included football, parkour, boxing, rugby, martial arts running and cycling. The intervention was individually tailored, with children and young people receiving additional support from the Enabler and coaches if needed.

• 103 young people were referred and offered personalised support in the pilot year. 
• 8 young people returned to school, started training, entered employment, or began actively job-seeking in the 3 months after their referral
• 16 young people’s RIC level reduced enough for them to be closed to MACE 1 in the months after their referral. 
• 92.2% reduction in the number of missing episodes for those referred. 

The Enabler (now known as a Sports Intervention Development Coordinator) continues to work with the Involvement Service while sources of funding are sought to continue this work. 

Testimonial from ECC’s Involvement Service: ‘The Enabler has played a pivotal role in developing relationships with sports provisions and coaches [...] who have become a valuable resource for young people that we never had before. In the climate of stretched public resources, using the [...] sport sector in this way makes a huge difference in reducing harm within the community.’

Rowena Hawkins, AEF Evaluation Researcher ([email protected]) 

 Full impact report here