Carol Ireland

Purpose: This paper explores the quality of assessments available where a child is felt to be vulnerable to child sexual exploitation (CSE). In particular it considers the preliminary reliability and validity of the Child Adolescent Sexual Exploitation Evaluation (CASEE, Ireland et al, 2025), which aims to consider vulnerability and protective factors in a child felt to be exposed to CSE concerns.
Design/Methodology/Approach: It comprises of a Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA), followed by a study of 94 professionals who completed a two-day CASEE validation event (3 events in total).
Findings: The REA captured a continued absence of theoretical and empirical background to currently available CSE assessments for children, and a continued failure to consider a SPJ (Structured Professional Judgement) approach. Taking a SPJ approach to assessing CSE using the CASEE, this initial study demonstrated a good level of inter-rater reliability overall, with limited disagreements between raters.
Originality: This paper argues the continued lack of CSE assessment tools that are empirically and theoretically developed, that take advantage of the SPJ robust approach, in addition to considerations of reliability and validity. The CASEE is outlined as an emerging example of an empirically informed SPJ tool able to begin to consider some of these gaps.

The CASEE is an empirically and theoretically developed structured professional judgement tool that can assist professionals in the assessment of vulnerability and protective factors in children aged 11 to 17 years, in relation to Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE). Specifically the CASEE can be used with children who are at risk of CSE, those suspected of being at risk of CSE and those exposed to CSE. Based in theory and drawing extensively on published literature, the CASEE comprises 18 vulnerability items and eight protective factor items. Each item contains a description offering brief context and theory, outlining its association with CSE, followed by scoring details for each. This is followed by a formulation template and scenario planning to assist in the management of concerns. The manual contains all the materials needed to use the tool. The manual is published in English and is intended to be used by those with a foundation and maintained knowledge of the CSE literature, those with experience of working with young people who fit the age range of the CASEE, and those with a foundational knowledge of interviewing, assessing and/or working with this population. In the absence of this, there is an expectation that they receive supervision from someone meeting this criteria. If the CASEE is being used for non-clinical/non-practice etc purposes (e.g., such as research) then requirements may be less. Training in the CASEE is recommended and can be sourced by contacting TIOFP www.tiofp.com email: tiofp@tiofp.com.