FAQ

Do I have to give my personal details?

If you use our outreach, drop-in or telephone service for brief information, advice or support you can use your working name and we will not need to take personal details – Our helpline and online chat service can be used anonymously.

If you need more support, we would need take down and record your personal details and any relevant information in order to support you around your goals or support plan.

This information will be kept secure.

If you ask us to refer you into another service or speak to an agency on your behalf (such as housing health or support services) we will do this only with your signed consent and share only information that is relevant.

We will only share information without consent if someone is at risk of serious harm.

Please contact us if you have any questions or would like to see our full data protection policy.

I am a parent: Could I get in to trouble?

We know that stigma around being a sex worker can be a worry for many parents.  Many people worry about whether it is safe to talk to services or to report bad incidents at work to the police.

Being a sex worker does not make you a “bad parent” or mean your child is put at risk. Selling sexual services is not illegal.

As long as your child is not at risk of any harm then SWOP or other agencies you use should have no reason to be concerned and would have no reason to share information about you or your children.

So what would a health or support agency be concerned about?

These are some things that may be seen as “risk of harm”:

• If a child is living in or staying in the same premises where clients are seen for sexual services, this could raise concerns about the child’s safety or wellbeing
• if there are strangers regularly coming into the child’s home.
• If a child is experiencing violence or abuse or is witnessing or hearing violence or abuse
• If a child is at risk of neglect due to being left unattended while you work
• If a child is at risk of neglect or abuse due to carers being under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• If a child is at risk of sexual exploitation, grooming or other forms of sexual abuse
• If a child is being exposed to drug dealing or other illegal activity that could put them at risk.

If a child is at risk from abuse or neglect, agencies would be most concerned for:

• A child under the age of 4
• A child or young person with physical or learning disabilities.

This is because they need more care can come to serious harm more easily.

Working from home.

It is a criminal offence for a parent or carer to allow a child aged 4-15 years to live in or stay anywhere that could be classed as a “brothel”.

If you have anyone under the age of 18 living with you or regularly staying, with you, it is best to try to avoid seeing clients in your home. This is because it could expose your child to risks if there are strangers coming into the home.

Even if your child is never in the home when you work, it is worth thinking about possible risks of clients turning up uninvited, risks of stalking or harassment from clients or possible consequences if your child comes home unexpectedly or if there is a violent incident.

If you are worried about any aspect of parenting and confidentiality in relation to sex work or your personal situation, or if you are in need of support, please talk to us.

We are happy to answer any questions you have before taking personal details.

Our SWOP workers will always aim to talk to you first about any concerns and support options before talking to other agencies.

What happens if a Children’s Services referral is made?

Children’s services are there to support families to keep their children happy, safe and healthy and in most cases this means staying in their own home.

The social worker will usually speak to the parent or carer to check that the child is not in danger. They will ensure that the parent or carer has the right help and resources in order to keep their child safe and healthy.

The social worker may decide that there no need for any further action, or they may refer the parent or their child to other services for support.

The social worker will usually ensure that any services involved with the family work together with the parent and child to support them to address any problems they are experiencing and to enable the parent to make positive changes.