Carol A. Ireland
Child & Adolescent Sexual Exploitation Evaluation (CASEE)
Workshop Abstract
The CASEE (Ireland et al, 2025, version 1.1, http://doi.org/10.37576/abuse.2025.063) is a new assessment guide that considers vulnerability and protective factors for children, where concerns of child sexual exploitation (CSE) are noted.
These concerns can include a known exposure to CSE, suspected, or where a child is felt at risk of CSE. The aim of the tool is to assist practitioners by offering an empirically and theoretically driven structured assessment guide. It further encourages assessors to exercise their professional clinical judgement in understanding and formulating CSE concerns, aligning to the Structured Professional Judgement (SPJ) approach.
It emphasises the dynamic nature of vulnerability and protective factors, providing guidance on how to manage a child’s CSE vulnerability, comprising 18 vulnerability items and 8 protective factors. Each factor is rated as ‘clearly present’, ‘somewhat present’, ‘no evidence’ (or ‘absent’ for the protective items). Each vulnerability item is rated on the last six months, and each protective factor item projecting the next 6 months, to illustrate the dynamic nature of exploitation and the CASEE as a tool.
In addition, and critical to SPJ approaches, once the CASEE ratings are completed, the professional is encouraged to complete anindividualised formulation and scenario plan, which then directs consideration of management strategies (Ireland and Ireland, 2024). The general population for use is children aged 11 to 17 years. However, it could be utilised with children falling just outside these ranges, with caution applied and an understanding of the literature.
The overall aim of the CASEE is to assist practitioners with an empirically and theoretically drive tool, adhering to SPJ expectations, to understand vulnerabilities around the time of CSE concerns, and how protective factors can be maximised to safeguard the child. This workshop will present a summary of the CASEE and how it can be used in practice.
About the Speaker
Professor Carol Ireland is a Consultant Forensic Psychologist and a Professor in Forensic Psychology at the University of Greater Manchester.
She also works clinically at a community therapeutic service (CCATS, www.ccats.org.uk), Clinical Lead for assessment, intervention, research and consultancy. Professor Ireland works with individuals across the life span, addressing a wide range of forensic issues, including sexual offending for over 25 years, sexual exploitation, criminal exploitation and aggression.
Professor Ireland has worked extensively in the area of sexual offending, from assessment to intervention, delivering training in this area via TIOFP (www.tiofp.com). Professor Ireland has published extensively in the area of forensic psychology.