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Multi-agency working has long been advocated for within safeguarding (how we promote an individual’s welfare and keep them safe from harm) and is particularly advantageous when responding to risks of child criminal exploitation. In the United Kingdom (UK), despite a commitment from government policy and a consensus on the ground, there remain substantial challenges in implementing this policy into practice. This paper attempts to explore the relationship between policy and practice, with a focus on how certain factors facilitate effective multi-agency working. The study utilised data from 23 qualitative interviews from professionals and practitioners working with young people across local safeguarding partnerships, from different sectors, within one local authority area based in the UK. It sought to apply a theoretical analysis of how specific mechanisms enable the embedding of new practice. Findings suggest that a number of factors can support effective multi-agency working, including congruence in strategy to operational activity, proactive, passionate, and productive leaders, and effective partnerships, underpinned by a culture of inclusion and challenge. Normalisation Processing Theory highlighted these factors related to the process of cognitive participation, an essential component in initiating and enacting partnership working and embedding a multi-agency approach. These findings can be considered when seeking to implement existing and future multi-agency policy to safeguard young people, to ensure that the realities of the nuances involved in implementation are considered. Whilst there is a wealth of research surrounding multi-agency working, there is less specifically on embedding multi-agency working into practice and the theory underpinning this.

Across many countries, the use of dating applications and websites (DAWs) has become increasingly popular over recent years; however, research examining the relationship between DAWs use and experience of dating violence and/or other harms is limited. This study aims to explore the use, motivations, and experiences of harm associated with using DAWs and meeting people in person via DAWs. An online convenience sample pilot survey was completed by adults (n= 217) aged 18+ years, living in the UK or the Republic of Ireland, who had used a DAW in the past two years. Differences were found in usage, motivations, and experiences of using DAWs in age and gender. Nearly half, 46.5% of respondents reported having been a victim of at least one harm as a result of meeting someone in person via DAWs in their lifetime; 33.2% reported experiencing sexual violence, 27.2% verbal abuse, 8.3% sexual activity in exchange for goods and 6.5% physical assault. Further to this, 41.9% of respondents reported being “Catfished” in the past two years (i.e., the other person looking different in person compared to their DAWs profile). In multivariate analysis, experiencing at least one harm was significantly associated with female gender (Adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 4.0; p< .001), being aged 40+ years (AOR 3.1; p< .01; reference category, 18–29 years) and being “Catfished” (AOR 3.3; p< .001). In multivariate analysis, sexual violence was significantly associated with being female (AOR 6.9; p< .001), being aged 40+ years (AOR 2.9; p= .013; reference category, 18–29 years) and being “Catfished” (AOR 2.9; p= .001). The study reinforces the importance of understanding the use of DAWs, exposure to harms on and offline, and risks associated with “Catfishing.”

Aim: Sexual violence is global public health, human rights and gender equality issue. Sexual violence bystander programmes for nightlife workers are emerging across a few countries and further examination of such programmes is required. This exploratory study evaluates the potential effectiveness of the Good Night Out Campaign, a sexual violence bystander programme for nightlife workers. Subject and methods: Two hundred and seven trainees attending the 1.5 hour training programme across two cities in England were recruited opportunistically, immediately prior to training delivery. Sexual violence myth acceptance and readiness and confidence to intervene in sexual violence were measured at baseline and post-intervention. Analyses used paired-sample tests to examine differences in the three measurements pre to post-training and effect sizes were quantified using Cohen’s d. Results: Compared to pre-training, post-training participants were significantly (p&lt; 0.001) less likely to agree with sexual violence myths, and more likely to be confident and ready to intervene in sexual violence or incidents of vulnerability. Effect sizes were small–medium. Conclusions: The study adds to emergent evidence suggesting that sexual violence bystander programmes may be promising in decreasing sexual violence myths and barriers to bystander intervention, and increasing willingness to intervene amongst nightlife workers. Findings can support the emergence of sexual violence prevention activities implemented in nightlife spaces. Further programme implementation and evaluation using experimental designs is needed to explore outcomes in greater depth, considering the complexity of the nightlife environment.

Aim: This study aimed to describe associations between playing predictor games and online sports betting behaviours, and problem gambling. Methods: An online survey using a convenience sample was completed by males aged 18 + years, living in the United Kingdom, and having participated in any gambling activity in the past year (n = 384). The survey asked questions about sociodemographics, gambling behaviours and predictor game playing behaviours. The Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) tool was used to determine existence of at-risk and problem gambling. Bivariate analyses using X2, and multivariate analyses using binary logistic regressions were carried out. Results: Predictor games were played by 45.8% of all participants. In bivariate analyses, there was an association between predictor game playing and age (p= 0.019), with predictor game playing most prevalent in the age group 18–24 years 51.8%. In bivariate analysis, there was a significant graded relationship between playing predictor games and PGSI group (p&lt; 0.001), with predictor game playing most prevalent among those with problem gambling 76.9%. In multivariate analysis, after controlling for sociodemographics and PGSI group, those who played predictor games were 2.80 (1.65–4.74 p&lt; 0.001) times more likely to engage in high frequency online sports gambling than those who did not play predictor games. Conclusions: This study suggests there may be links between playing predictor games and gambling harms through increased frequency of online sports gambling, particularly amongst already vulnerable groups. Policy options placing restrictions on the most harmful inducements – one of which being predictor games – must be considered to protect against gambling harms.

Background:Injuries are a leading cause of death and ill health in children.Aims:To explore the potential utility of ambulance call-out data in understanding the burden and characteristics of child injury.Methods:A cross-sectional examination was carried out of injury-related ambulance callouts to children aged 0–14 years in the north west of England between April 2016 and March 2017.Findings:The majority of the 16 285 call-outs were for unintentional injuries (91.4%), with falls the most prevalent injury type (38.4%). The incidence of child injury ambulance call-outs peaked at age 1 year (233.4 per 10 000 population). Burns in children aged 5–9 years were significantly higher at weekends (P=0.003) and on celebration days (P=0.001); poisoning in 10–14 year-olds was significantly higher at weekends (P=0.001); and traffic injuries were significantly lower at weekends in 0–4 year-olds (P=0.009) and 10–14 year-olds (P=0.003).Conclusion:Ambulance call-out data can provide epidemiological support in examining the characteristics of child injury and identifying at-risk groups.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to explore the potential of ambulance call-out data in understanding violence to inform about prevention activity.MethodThis cross-sectional (2013–2015) study examined the nature, extent and characteristics of violence-related ambulance call-outs (n=15 687) across North West England and relationships with temporal, celebratory and sporting events.ResultsThe majority of call-outs were for men, with a mean age of 33 years. Most call-outs were to deprived (64.4%) and urban (65.4%) areas and occurred at night (18:00–5:59; 75.2%). Three-quarters (77.3%) were recorded as assault/sexual assault and 22.7% stab/gunshot/penetrating trauma. Significant differences in call-out characteristics were identified between the two violence types. Generalised linear modelling found that call-outs significantly increased on weekends, New Year’s Eve and weekday bank holiday eves (except for stab/gunshot/penetrating trauma). No significant associations between all violence call-outs, the two violence categories and sporting or celebration events were identified. Two-thirds (66.1%) of the call-outs were transferred to another health service for further assessment and/or treatment. The odds of being transferred were significantly higher among men (adjusted OR (AOR) 1.5, 95%CI 1.4 to 1.6), those aged 13–24 years (AOR 1.2, 95%CI 1.0 to 1.4), call-outs for stab/gunshot/penetrating trauma (AOR 1.4, 95%CI 1.3 to 1.5) and call-outs on Fridays/Saturdays (AOR 1.1, 95%CI 1.0 to 1.2) and lower for call-outs on New Year’s Eve (AOR 0.6, 95%CI 0.4 to 0.9).ConclusionAmbulance call-out data can provide a wealth of information to understand violence and subsequently inform about violence prevention and response activity. Ambulance services and staff could play a key role in preventing violence through sharing data and identifying and supporting victims.

Scientific information on violence can be difficult to compile and understand. It is scattered across websites, databases, technical reports and academic journals, and rarely addresses all types of violence. In response, in October 2017 WHO released the Violence Prevention Information System or Violence Info, an online interactive collection of scientific information about the prevalence, consequences, risk factors and preventability of all forms of interpersonal violence. It covers homicide, child maltreatment, youth violence, intimate partner violence, elder abuse and sexual violence.