Redbridge Success in using Virtual Reality to Safeguard Teenagers

Redbridge has seen fantastic results using Virtual Reality (VR) in social work interventions with young people exposed to child sexual exploitation, child criminal exploitation, radicalisation, and other risks outside of the home.

‘Virtual Reality’ (VR) is the use of computer technology to create simulated environments. This places users inside a three-dimensional experience. Instead of viewing a screen in front of them, users are immersed in and interact with 3D, 360-degree worlds.

As part of a project with Enfield and Waltham Forest, professionals at Redbridge Council have used VR films that follow teenage characters who are affected by a range of issues. In a short period of time, the films create an immediate impact on participants.

One of the VR films used by practitioners is ‘Joe’s Story’. We follow the story of a boy named Joe through his eyes. Joe is introduced to an older male who tells him he can help him make some money. The films show how the groomers use fear, intimidation and debt bondage; after buying Joe a phone, they coerce Joe into holding and distributing drugs and threaten him if he does not comply. The immersive experience of the VR enables users to put themselves in Joe’s shoes.

The Children and Families team at Redbridge is using VR to make sure that their work has a child’s rights-based approach. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child says that children have a right to be protected from abuse and violence; these videos help young people and the adults who look after them to identify signs of risk and talk to professionals about how to deal with dangerous situations and stay safe. The VR films are largely from a child’s perspective, which means they highlight the importance of the voice and experiences of the child.

Another key principle of a child’s rights-based approach is dignity in all circumstances, such as in schools and in other public spaces. The VR films show the ways in which children can be exposed to harm outside of the home and how their home environment can affect this risk. There are also some other VR videos about adopting and fostering that show how difficult it can be for children to be separated from their parents. These emphasise that young people should be involved in deciding what is best for them in these difficult situations; children are the experts in their own lives and should always have a say.

Across the three boroughs, the professionals who used the VR gave excellent feedback on the impact of the technology on young people. One Redbridge social worker said: ‘The young person who used the VR with me usually says nothing to me, or just gives “yes” or “no” answers. After using VR, it was the most talkative I’ve ever seen him.’

Another worker told us: ‘The young person loved it. She found the VR so interactive and surreal because she felt like she was in the situation herself. Looking at the scenario from a bird’s eye view gave her the scope to learn about situations that could easily happen to her.’

Parents said that after using the VR, they had a better understanding of what their child may be going through, felt better able to talk to professionals about how to protect their child, and were more confident to talk to their child about what they may be going through.

One social worker told us: ‘The young person’s mum couldn’t visualise what a traphouse looked like. The immersive experience really opened her eyes to the reality; she couldn’t have imagined how bad it would be. The experience brought her more on board with our safeguarding plan.’

Redbridge practitioners will continue to use the VR in 1-2-1s with young people, with their parents and in group settings.