The Use of Tools and Checklists to Assess the Risk of Child Sexual Exploitation: Lessons from UK Practice.

Tools to assess the risk of becoming a victim of child sexual exploitation (CSE) have been developed by UK CSE practitioners based on their professional experiences, with little evidence underpinning their development, and no evaluation/validation. Little is known about how they are used in practice. This paper summarizes two studies. The first study consisted of a rapid review to identify factors associated with increased or decreased risk of vulnerability to becoming a victim of CSE and the assessment of 10 tools being used in the UK. The second study undertook interviews and online survey with professionals across multi-agencies to establish the use of tools. Results illustrate the context and processes in which the tools are being used and identify concerns regarding their ability to identify and protect children.