Child Sexual Exploitation

The University’s International Centre: Researching child sexual exploitation, violence and trafficking is renowned for its research, teaching and learning on child sexual exploitation and other forms of sexual harm in childhood and adolescence.

The International Centre is one of the leading research centres in this field, both nationally and internationally. Its work is distinctive and unique because of its collaborative approach, engaging with partners in government, funders, service providers and voluntary agencies, and because it prioritises the voice of the child through participatory methods of work.

Current projects - examples

‘Learning from the Experts’: Mental health and wellbeing needs post sexual abuse

Funded by the ESRC and NSPCC, this participatory project will work with groups of young people who have experienced sexual violence in adolescence to help us understand their post-abuse mental health and wellbeing needs and how we could better respond to these.

Contextual Safeguarding Programme

Consisting of a number of complementary strands of work, our contextual safeguarding programme supports local authorities to adapt their safeguarding responses to accommodate incidents of harm outside of the familial home, with a particular focus on responding to peer on peer abuse.

Our Voices: collaboration with international partners

Our Voices consists of a number of different projects and activities that share the same overarching aim - to promote the involvement of children and young people affected by sexual violence in research, policy and practice www.our-voices.org.uk

• For full list of projects see www.beds.ac.uk/ic/current-projects

International Centre Staff

Dr Helen Beckett is Director of the International Centre. She has extensive experience in research and policy work across the academic, statutory and voluntary sectors, having worked in the field for 20 years. She has particular expertise in the ethics of researching sensitive issues and the engagement of children and young people in research, and draws on her experience to promote proactive and relevant learning for both policy and practice. Helen is supported by a leadership team consisting of Dr Carlene Firmin, Dr Julie Harris and Dr Camille Warrington

• For full staff list and biographies see www.beds.ac.uk/ic/staff

2013 Queen’s Anniversary Prize

The University was awarded the prestigious Queen’s Anniversary Prize, for its pioneering applied research in child sexual exploitation (CSE), influencing new safeguarding policy and practice.