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Fire Setting Guidance

1. Introduction

Young people with fire setting behaviour present a high risk to themselves and other people. Most children raise fires from curiosity. Education of both the children and their parents is shown to be effective. Some children start fire setting from the age of 3, and the behaviour peaks at age 8 with boys predominating. There is another, smaller, peak at aged 13 when children may be involved in fire setting set as part of anti-social behaviour with other young people for the purpose of seeking excitement. If not treated the behaviour continues into adulthood.

The risk of fire in a home is linked with other factors of social exclusion. Persistent fire setting behaviour is linked with less stable homes, absent fathers, poor supervision, harsh or inconsistent discipline, violence, abuse, neglect and parental substance misuse. Such children may be lonely and feel excluded and anxious.

Fire-setting behaviour may be managed in one environment, for example residential care, but may return if the child returns to the home environment and the underlying behaviour is not addressed.

Motivation for fire setting behaviour is a key issue. It is seen as arising from:

  • Curiosity
  • Excitement and attention seeking behaviour
  • Angry, frustrated and revengeful feelings
    Anti-Social Behaviour or gang fire setters
  • As a result of mental illness
  • Abuse and neglect

The following can assist in changing the behaviour:

  • Education of child and parent
  • Helping the child find positive activities. Fire setting may arise from revengeful feelings, but the fire does not provide positive feedback for many
  • Behaviour management
  • Support to parenting
  • Addressing causes of insecurity

A good preventative service may prevent the behaviour leading to the setting of more serious fires and address the child welfare and child protection issues for the child. Once the child has against his or her name the label of being a serious fire setter this will have serious implications within the provision of care and education and re-assessments should ensure that this is addressed as behaviour improves.

2. Initial Referral to Agencies and Assessment by County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service

  1. If the Police, any practitioner or member of the community becomes aware of any fire setting behaviour by a child/young person they should complete the County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service (CDDFRS) referral form which should be sent via e mail csenquiries@ddfire.gov.uk See www.ddfire.gov.uk/fireplay for more information or contact CDDFRS on 0191 916 0217 or 0191 916 0214
  2. If any agency, practitioner or member of the community becomes aware of any safeguarding issues, they should in addition contact the Local Authority Children’s Social Care via the Childrens Initial Advice Team. The Police should refer any young person over the age of 10 years to Youth Offending Service.
  3. When CDDFRS becomes aware of child/young person's fire setting behaviour, there should be consideration of whether there are any safeguarding issues and whether there are any immediate hazards. If this is the case, the child should be referred to Children’s Social Care via the Childrens Initial Advice Team. If this is not required, CDDFRS should undertake assessment of the risk presented by the child/young person and their behaviour and the motivation behind this. This assessment will occur within 14 days.
  4. Where the motivation for fire-setting is seen as curiosity and there are no other child/young person safeguarding issues CDDFRS will offer an education service and take no further action.

3. Inter-Agency Assessment

Where the motivation is seen to be other than curiosity and there are other child safeguarding issues, CDDFRS should make a referral to Children’s Social Care via the Childrens Initial Advice Team for further assessment.

Children's Social Care will either undertake an assessment, under Section 17, or a child protection investigation, under Section 47 of the Children Act 1989 using the Assessment Framework. Where it is appropriate to undertake an assessment, this will be completed within 45 working days.

Children's Social Care should send a referral to CAMHS/FCAMHS (Forensic CAMHS) if this is deemed to be an underlying mental health or neuro development issue.  A copy of the Assessment and the Fire and Rescue Service assessment should be sent to CAMHS and there should be liaison between the CAMHS and FCAMHS teams. Parents will be informed that this will be undertaken, and their agreement sought. Information may be shared between agencies under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 S 115 and in accordance with Darlington Safeguarding Partnership Information Sharing Protocol.

Service Provision

Where Fire and Rescue Service education service only is required this will be provided by CDDFRS.

Where the assessment of CAMHS, FCAMHS Children's Social Care and CDDFRS indicate that education service by CDDFRS and Children’s Social Care is all that is required, a care plan will be drawn up by Children’s Social Care.

Where a complex care package is needed a Child Protection Conference or Child in Need meeting will be held to put together an inter-agency plan. This would be likely to include CDDFRS, CAMHS/FCAMHS, Children’s Social Care, Darlington Borough Council Housing Department, Housing Association, Education and relevant provider services, for example the Youth Offending Service.

If a CiN Plan or a Child Protection Plan, the plan should be reviewed within the timescales outlined in Darlington Safeguarding Partnership Child Protection Procedures, until it is decided that the child or young person's behaviour has altered round fire setting and that his or her needs are being adequately met.

CAMHS/FCAHMS will offer an assessment of the therapeutic needs of the child or young person and send a copy to Children's Services, CDDFRS and the parents or those holding parental responsibility. The permission of those holding parental responsibility will be required unless the child's needs are being considered under a S47 investigation or a Child Protection Plan.  

Where a child or young person has been assessed as more than an acceptable risk of fire setting behaviour CDDFRS will continue to be available until the assessment may be reduced to acceptable risk. The re-assessments will be passed to Children's Social Care, CAMHS (if appropriate) or NE FCAMHS for advice consultation and/or assessment and the parents, or those who hold parental responsibility, will be informed