What is Project Phoenix?

Project Phoenix emerged from the Greater Manchester Safeguarding Partnership in April 2012 following a scoping exercise into current practice in relation to child sexual exploitation. The partnership formally agreed to improve the response to child sexual exploitation strategically, operationally and tactically under the banner of Phoenix, with the objective of making Greater Manchester a beacon of good practice nationally. Phoenix has the support of the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities’ Wider Leadership Team.

Under Phoenix there are now teams in place dealing with child sexual exploitation in each of the ten districts of Greater Manchester. Each team deals with cases of young people being sexually exploited and offers a joined-up, multi-agency response to dealing with the problem. Phoenix provides advice, support and guidance to these teams to ensure that all professionals are working to the best standards and to improve services offered to victims and those at risk of child sexual exploitation.

During October there will be a GMP week of action focusing on CSE. The agreed focus for the week of action is ‘Sexting' and ‘Peer on Peer’.  At Hindley High School the children will have a 30 minute school assembly covering awareness raising of E-Safety, law, sharing images, keeping safe online. The CEOP video ‘Exposed’ or Barnardos ‘CSE and Me’ will be utilised dependant on year group. There will be a Multi-agency attendance at the Assembly including Police, Gateway/ CSE team, Wigan Safeguarding Board and Brook to offer opportunity for Q&A.

There are also sessions offered to smaller groups where need identified by School via pastoral leads and the education extended to the staff room with the police providing a briefing to staff within School around dealing with Sexting, Peer on Peer, Image sharing – what action is needed, who can help.

Links to the materials used are below:

Phoenix Week

Staff Briefing Presentation

CEOP ‘Exposed’ Video (windows media video)