Contextual Safeguarding
What is Contextual Safeguarding?
Contextual safeguarding recognises that young people experience harm and risk beyond the family home. Risks often exist in peer groups, schools, neighbourhoods, public spaces and online environments. Youth Unity embeds contextual safeguarding across all of our programmes to ensure young people are supported wherever those risks present.
Our Approach
Contextual safeguarding is integrated into every Youth Unity service. We work across schools, communities, families and statutory partners to identify emerging risks early and respond effectively. Our approach is trauma-informed, intelligence-led and rooted in relationship-based practice.
Where Risk Occurs
- Schools and alternative provision
- Peer groups and friendship networks
- Neighbourhoods and public spaces
- Transport hubs, parks and shopping areas
- Online and digital environments
- Family and home contexts
Key Risks We Address
- Criminal exploitation and county lines
- Grooming and coercive control
- Child sexual exploitation (CSE)
- Peer-on-peer violence and intimidation
- Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG)
- Substance misuse and associated harms
- Bullying, corridor culture and school-based risk
How We Safeguard
- Intelligence-led youth work informed by live risk assessment
- Early identification of vulnerability and escalation pathways
- Strong partnership working with schools, police, local authorities and safeguarding boards
- Clear referral routes into mentoring, early help and specialist services
- Consistent recording, monitoring and review of concerns
- Robust safeguarding policies and procedures across all delivery
Integrated Across All Services
Contextual safeguarding is not a standalone offer. It underpins our workshops, mentoring, outreach, detached youth work and specialist programmes. This ensures consistency, accountability and joined-up support for young people across all settings.
Impact
Through contextual safeguarding, Youth Unity has supported thousands of young people since 2019, helping to identify risk earlier, reduce harm and connect individuals to the right support at the right time. Our approach strengthens safeguarding culture within schools and communities while empowering young people to recognise and navigate risk safely.
Data Note
This approach is informed by internal monitoring, partner intelligence and ongoing evaluation across all Youth Unity programmes.
Our Workforce & Safeguarding Expertise
Youth Unity’s contextual safeguarding approach is delivered by a trained and experienced workforce with extensive frontline experience across youth work, education, safeguarding and criminal exploitation.
All staff delivering services are:
- Trained in contextual safeguarding and exploitation
- Trauma-informed in their practice
- Skilled in identifying early indicators of risk, grooming and coercive control
- Familiar with local safeguarding thresholds and referral pathways
Our team includes practitioners with professional backgrounds in:
- Youth work and education
- Safeguarding and early help services
- Policing and community safety
- Serious youth violence and exploitation interventions
Safeguarding practice is supported through:
- Regular supervision and case review
- Ongoing training and continuous professional development (CPD)
- Clear escalation routes into statutory services
- Robust safeguarding policies, procedures and reporting systems
Safeguarding oversight is led by senior staff with responsibility for quality assurance, risk management and partnership working across all services.