Contextual Risk, Individualised Responses: An Assessment of Safeguarding Responses to Nine Cases of Peer‐on‐Peer Abuse

Abstract

Practitioners, academics and policymakers are increasingly questioning the sufficiency of safeguarding practice in protecting young people from peer‐on‐peer abuse in England. Using the findings from an in‐depth analysis of nine cases where young people either raped or murdered their peers, this article explores approaches to assessing and intervening with those affected by peer‐on‐peer abuse. Building upon international calls for a contextual account of abuse between young people, the article identifies a professional struggle to address the interplay between young people's homes and the public and social spaces in which peer‐on‐peer abuse often manifests. Findings from this study are used to illuminate wider research into peer‐on‐peer abuse which has indicated a professional inability to: assess young people's behaviours with reference to the contexts in which they occur; change the environmental factors that influence abusive behaviours; and recognise the vulnerability of those who abuse their peers. The article concludes that to effectively respond to peer‐on‐peer abuse, multiagency partnerships are required which can identify, assess and intervene with the harmful norms in peer groups, schools and public spaces that can facilitate peer‐on‐peer abuse and undermine parental capacity to keep young people safe – thereby adopting a more contextual approach to safeguarding adolescents. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.‘Explores approaches to assessing and intervening with those affected by peer‐on‐peer abuse’Key Practitioner Messages Social contexts such as peer groups, schools and neighbourhoods can make young people vulnerable to peer‐on‐peer abuse. Assessing and intervening with young people and families affected by peer‐on‐peer abuse will not impact upon the social contexts associated with the phenomenon. Multiagency partnerships need to intervene with social contexts that, albeit beyond the traditional remit of child protection, facilitate peer‐on‐peer abuse and undermine the capacity of parents to keep young people safe. ‘Social contexts such as peer groups, schools and neighbourhoods can make young people vulnerable to peer‐on‐peer abuse’