Free performance will explore how social workers can prevent sexual exploitation

A hard-hitting drama that explores how social workers can prevent child sexual exploitation will be performed at Community Care Live.

For the first time, social workers who attend Community Care Live in London will see a play that looks at the ways young people are groomed, manipulated and exploited, and how professionals can prevent it.

‘Chelsea’s Choice’, follows three students who discover the diary of a girl called Chelsea who, having fallen out with friends and family, is approached by a man called Gary.

Community Care Live is free for registered social workers and contributes to your continuing professional development
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The story that follows is examined by the three students and their teacher who attempt to understand what happened to Chelsea, and how it could have been prevented.

Visibly shaken

The 40 minute production is followed by an immersive Q&A. It has been seen by hundreds of professionals working to protect children and more than 300,000 young people across the UK.

Sean McGrath, creative director for Alter Ego productions, who created the play, said it always generates a really strong response.

“It’s a very hard-hitting play without being graphic. When we do it for adults we have people coming up visibly a little shaken because of how upsetting the subject is.”

He insisted the purpose of the play is not to shock, but rather to educate social workers and give them a more in depth understanding of the grooming process by seeing it in action.

“It’s educating them on how to spot the warning signs, and getting them to understand what message is going out to young people,” he said.

“One of the greatest weapons that perpetrators of child sexual exploitation have is both young people and adults’ naivety about the fact it happens and what it looks like,” he added.

The trailer for Chelsea’s Choice can be watched below: