Executive Summary
In 2025, Cleveland OPCC coordinated multi-agency discussions with partners to explore the local response of agencies to stalking across Cleveland. As part of these discussions, forensic Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHs) provided case studies and research highlighting missed opportunities across key agencies.
The significance of identifying risky attitudes and behaviours in children as early as possible to prevent the escalation of seriously harmful behaviour – including serious harm and homicides between children, in the context of stalking incidents is critical.
Discussions revealed a significant gap in awareness, knowledge and response from key agencies working with children including, Youth Justice Service, Schools, Children’s Services and others with a role in contributing to prevention, through increased awareness and earlier identification to facilitate necessary referrals to prevention panels, and the need to increase workforce capability to respond at the earliest opportunity therefore contributing to opportunities for prevention.
A training package, to be delivered to a range of agencies working with children between 10-17 years will be delivered in partnership between Alice Ruggles Trust and Forensic CAMHs to provide both awareness raising (identification) and referral response pathways (response).
A one-day training event will be offered across two available dates in March 2026 to a maximum of 160 practitioners across Cleveland’s children’s workforce. This will increase the capability of the workforce to support those children identified as presenting a risk of serious harm and will support referrals to prevention panels, including supporting the ability for young people to be referred onwards to appropriate services.
By improving early identification, intervention and coordinated support, this work directly contributes to the Police and Crime Commissioner’s priorities to improve safety for women and girls and to reduce crime, anti-social behaviour and harm across our communities.
Decision 2025/26 – 033: Stalking Training (application, 149kB)