Research led by the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) highlighted that there are significant barriers to the identification of girls and young women affected by violence and exploitation associated with groups and so-called ‘gangs’.*
This can lead to a limited and inaccurate understanding around their risks and needs, and impacts on access to high quality gendered support.
Research in Practice, University of Lancashire and Abianda have come together in partnership to deliver a 12-month piece of work, commissioned by MOPAC.
The project aims to:
- Improve understanding of how current risk and needs frameworks respond to the realities of girls and young women’s lives.
- Consider how risk and needs frameworks could be further developed to ensure they better reflect girls and young women’s experiences.
- Develop a resource, or resources, to support improvements in gendered risk and needs frameworks used across systems and safeguarding partners.
- Ensure that research, contemporary evidence and the voices of girls and young women underpin the above.
Our partnership combines specialist expertise in evidence synthesis, sector engagement and meaningful participatory practice with girls and young women.
By drawing on the knowledge of professionals and expertise from girls and young women’s lived experience, and triangulating this with research evidence, we will produce and test ideas to improve how risks and needs are identified and responded to.
We are delighted to be undertaking this vital and timely work with our valued partners UCLan and Abianda. We look forward to working with and learning from London colleagues and the girls and young women they serve, to drive forward contemporary practice and policy in this crucial area of work.
Dez Holmes, Director of Research in Practice
This is a vital piece of work in the pursuit of increasing understanding and visibility of young women and girls experiences of gangs, violence and exploitation. We're delighted to work alongside our highly regarded partners and are grateful to MOPAC for bringing focus to this much needed work.
Abi Billinghurst, Chief Executive Officer of Abianda
Research shows clear gaps in how we identify, and respond to, the needs of this cohort of girls and young women, so we are delighted to be working with valued colleagues from Research in Practice and Abianda, and the wider sector, to help progress an improved response.
Professor Helen Beckett from the University of Lancashire
* This terminology is not used uncritically and will be considered as part of the project
