"It's Like Screaming Into the Abyss": Exploring the Risk Assessment Process as a Dynamic Relationship for Sexually Exploited Youth in Care

Abstract

This thesis examines the complexities of risk assessment practices concerning sexually exploited youth in care. Taking an anti-oppressive practice and transformative justice approaches, we explore how risk assessments are employed and impacted by state institutions, social workers/service providers, and the youth themselves. Drawing on qualitative data from 14 interviews with service providers working in the field, this study highlights the relational and interconnected nature of the risk assessment process. Findings highlighted that current risk assessment tools, driven by a checklist approach, fail to account for the lived experiences, autonomy, and protective factors of youth. A thematic analysis revealed that relationships between young people and service providers can either mitigate or exacerbate harm to youth, underscoring the importance of holistic, empathetic, and collaborative approaches in risk assessments. Service providers advocate for the adoption of harm reduction, trauma-informed, and consent-based approaches, emphasizing the need for shared decision-making practices rooted in youth autonomy.