Creating Safer Organisations

Marcus Erooga is NSPCC Theme Adviser for Child Sexual Abuse and a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Huddersfield's Centre for Childhood Studies. He is also immediate past Chair of the National Organisation for the Treatment of Abusers (NOTA). He has studied staff and volunteers who may present a risk to children in the workplace,  and also undertaken research with people convicted of sexual offences in those settings. A past editor and current Board member of the Journal of Sexual Aggression, Marcus has authored and edited some 25 publications on child protection related issues.

"Creating Safer Organisations is a wonderfully hands-on, functional guide that not only raises awareness of the issue of organisational abuse but provides an empirical framework to the media-focused discourse on this topic."  (NOTA News, March 2013) "This is where organisations should head immediately for guidance on safer recruitment, organisational planning and the safe use of space... Creating Safer Organisations offers a firm, accessible and engagine platform on which further work can build."  (Journal of Sexual Aggression, March 2013) “The book flows well from topic to topic and there is a good use of examples. It provides an overview of the literature and research in each area it covers and weaves the outcomes together to create a holistic view of how children are either protected or put at risk by current practices.  However, the real strength and value of the book to professionals is the evidence-based way it provides practical advice on creating safer organisations.”  (Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 1 September 2013)

• About the Contributors xiPreface xvCreating Safer Organisations – An Overview 1Marcus Erooga1 Understanding and Responding to People Who Sexually Abuse Children Whilst Employed In Positions of Trust: An Overview of the Relevant Literature – Part One: Offenders 7Marcus EroogaPeople Who Sexually Abuse Children in Organisational Positions of Trust – a definition 7How Prevalent are Sexual Offences Committed Against Children in Professional or Workplace Settings? 8Characteristics and Behaviour of People Who Sexually Abuse Children in Organisational Positions of Trust 8Findings From a Study of Residents in a Specialist Treatment Setting Who had Sexually Abused Children Whilst in Organisational Positions of Trust 9Grooming 11Use of the Internet 14Motivations to Sexually Abuse 15Thought Processes and Cognitive Distortions 18Female Sexual Abusers 20Conclusions 222 Understanding and Responding to People Who Sexually Abuse Children Whilst Employed In Positions of Trust: An Overview of the Relevant Literature – Part Two: Organisations 27Marcus EroogaCharacteristics of ‘Vulnerable Organisations’ – the Importance of the Organisational Environment in Preventing Abuse 27Corruption of Care 28Models of Authority 33Characteristics of Sexual Abuse in Specific Organisational Settings 34Motivations to Abuse 38Developing Preventative Strategies 393 Policy and Legislation – Changing Responses to an Emerging Problem 44Kerry Cleary and Marcus EroogaGeneral Organisational Legal Responsibilities 45Child care Focussed Policy and Legislation 45Department for Children, Schools and Families List 99 47Protection of Children Act (PoCA) List 48Disqualification Orders and Regulated Positions (replaced by the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act, 2006) 48Sex Offender Register Notification Arrangements 49Criminal Records Checks 49Shortcomings of These Arrangements 50The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act, 2006 (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) 50The Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 53Strengths and Limitations of Legislation and Regulation 54What Do Developments in Legislation and Regulation Indicate About Desirable Cultures for Organisational Safeguarding by Government Organisations and Individuals? 58A Model 59How Should Legislation and Regulation Support the Development of Safer Organisational Cultures? 604 Sexual Abuse of Children By People In Organisations: What Offenders Can Teach Us About Protection 63Marcus Erooga, Debra Allnock and Paula TelfordIntroduction 63Methodology 64The Sample 65Findings 68Organisational Facilitating Factors 68Individual Facilitating Factors 73Discussion 79Situational Crime Prevention as a Response 81Conclusion and Recommendations 825 Manipulation Styles of Abusers Who Work With Children 85Joe Sullivan and Ethel QuayleIntroduction 85Demographic Profile and Offending Patterns of Professional Perpetrators 86Psychometric Comparisons with Intra- and Extra-Familial Child Abusers 86Rationale for a Qualitative Methodology 87Motivation to Sexually Offend 87Victim Selection, Grooming and Abuse 89Manipulation Styles 90Conclusions 95Multi Disciplinary Issues 97Future Directions 976 Organisational Issues and New Technologies 99Ethel QuayleAn Evolving Issue 99Technology In the Workplace 100Abusive Images 102Sexting 104Grooming 104Stalking 105Adult Pornography 105Misuse of Social Media 105The Individual and Organisational Abuse 106Situational Factors and Technology Mediated Organisational Abuse 108Guidelines on Child Protection Policies and Procedure In Relation to Technology 113Conclusion 1167 Safer Recruitment – Guidance for Organisations 122Kerry ClearyIntroduction 122Doing the Basic Things Well 123Importance of Values and Emotional Intelligence 124Safer Recruitment Within a Safeguarding Culture 126A Model of Safer Recruitment – PICK 127P – Plan 127I – Identify 130C–Check 134K is for Keep 136The Basics Are Necessary But Not Sufficient 137Appendix 1 Safer Recruitment Checklist 1388 Prevention Is Better Than Cure: The Value of Situational Prevention In Organisations 140Keith L. Kaufman, Hayley Tews, Jessica M. Schuett, and Benjamin R. KaufmanA Foundation for Prevention in Organisations and Institutions 141Rational Choice Theory 141Routine Activity Theory 143Defensible Space Theory 144Applying the Situational Prevention Model to Child Sexual Abuse 146A Structured Approach to Applying the Situational Prevention Model with Community Organisations and Institutions 150The Situational Prevention Model Approach to Assessing Local Organisational Settings 151Identifying Common Risks Across National Organisations and Institutions 161Situational Prevention Model Children’s Hospital Consultation – a Case Study 163The Boys & Girls Club Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Self-Assessment Initiative 164Conclusions 1669 Avoiding and Managing Allegations Against Staff 170Jo GreenIntroduction 170The Incidence of Allegations 171Behaviour That Gives Rise to Allegations 173Procedural Fairness Within a Precautionary Approach 174Characteristics of a Safe Organisation 186Index 188