Child Exploitation

What is Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)?

Child sexual exploitation is a form of child sexual abuse. It occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18 into sexual activity:

(a) in exchange for something the victim needs or wants, and/or

(b) for the financial advantage or increased status of the perpetrator or facilitator.

Sexual exploitation can happen to boys and girls and can be linked to criminal exploitation.

What is Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE)?

Child Criminal Exploitation occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, control, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18 into any criminal activity

(a) in exchange for something the victim needs or wants, and/or

(b) for the financial or other advantage of the perpetrator or facilitator and/or

Victims of child sexual or criminal exploitation may have been so even if the activity appears consensual. Neither have to involve physical contact; it can also occur through the use of technology.

It is important to recognise that ALL children may be at risk of child exploitation. This includes children in strong and loving family units. There are however some children who have greater vulnerability, and these include:

Children who are looked after, especially those living in residential care
Children who have a history of physical, sexual, emotional abuse and/or neglect
Children who have a disability, mental health problem or sensory impairment
Children who are young carers
Children who use drugs and alcohol
Children who go missing from home or care
Children involved in crime
Children who live in households where there is domestic abuse

What are County Lines?

“County lines is a term used to describe gangs and organised criminal networks involved in exporting illegal drugs into one or more importing areas within the UK, using dedicated mobile phone lines or other form of “deal line”. They are likely to exploit children and vulnerable adults to move and store the drugs and money and they will often use coercion, intimidation, violence (including sexual violence) and weapons.”

Criminal exploitation of children is broader than just county lines, and includes for instance children forced to work on cannabis farms or to commit theft.

Find out more on Safe4Me

What to look out for: Signs and Indicators

There are a number of indicators which can alert you to the possibility that a child is being abused through or at risk of exploitation:

Going missing for periods of time or regularly coming home late.
Coming home with expensive clothes or clothes that are inappropriate, mobile phones (or multiple mobile phones) or other gifts and possessions.
Considerable change in performance at school or missing school.
Mood swings or changes in emotional wellbeing.
Having older boyfriends/girlfriends.
Suffering from sexually transmitted infections.
Drug and alcohol misuse.
Inappropriate sexualised behaviour.

In addition, where a child is at risk of criminal exploitation/county lines, you might see the following:

Increased social media and phone/text use, almost always secretly.
Older males in particular seen to be hanging around and driving.
Having injuries that are unexplained and unwilling to be looked at.
Increase in aggression, violence and fighting.
Carrying weapons - knives, baseball bats, hammers, acid.
Travel receipts that are unexplained.
Significant missing from education episodes and disengaging from previous positive peer groups.
Significant changes in behaviour that affect emotional wellbeing.

Child Exploitation Risk Assessment Framework (CERAF)

The CERAF is a tool designed to aid practitioners in assessing harm outside the home for children and young people. It supports identification of risk areas to be addressed and outlines next steps.
A CERAF should be completed as soon as potential concerns regarding any form of child exploitation are identified. This may include Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE), Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE), County Lines (CL), Modern Day Slavery (MDS) or Child Trafficking concerns.

Concerns may arise from information following a missing episode, increased instances of a child missing from school, staying out late, or associating with new peers/associates where there may be concerns or known intelligence of risk.

A CERAF should be completed when a school is considering exclusion.

Where possible a CERAF should accompany the referral to Children Services/Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub [MASH] to enable information to be assessed against information held by partner agencies.

The CSERQ4 (Child Sexual Exploitation Risk Questionnaire) is intended to help health practitioners who have ‘time limited’ contact with children in assessing a child’s risk and to support their professional judgement on deciding when to make a child protection referral.

The full CERAF CSERQ4 for health practitioners
Guidelines for the full CERAF Isle of Wight quick guide to the full CERAF

METRAC

(Missing, Exploited and Trafficked Risk Assessment Conference)

The Isle of Wight METRAC is a multi-agency operational group that is chaired by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary. It meets monthly to look at completed CERAFs and agree what action can be taken to protect the welfare of these highly vulnerable children. The aim is to manage and increase the safety of high-risk victims of CSE or CCE and reduce risks and prevent further harm so that children are safeguard.

Child Exploitation and Extra-Familial Harm Strategy and Toolkit

The HIPS Child Exploitation and Extra-Familial harm Strategy sets out the agreed priority areas that all partner agencies within Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will work towards to ensure the most effective and coordinated response to exploitation and extra-familial harm (safeguarding risks outside the home).

The HIPS LSCPs recognise that tackling child exploitation and extra-familial harm is complex and requires a proactive, multi-agency, holistic approach. As such they have made a continued commitment to collaborate and expand common ways of working.

In addition to the strategy, a toolkit with case studies, practical advice and information and guidance has been developed to assist practitioners in responding to child exploitation and extra-familial harm.

Child Exploitation and Extra-Familial Harm Strategy Child Exploitation Toolkit

Young boy looking sad leaning on a windowsill

Child Exploitation

What is Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)?

What is Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE)?

What are County Lines?

What to look out for: Signs and Indicators

There are a number of indicators which can alert you to the possibility that a child is being abused through or at risk of exploitation:

In addition, where a child is at risk of criminal exploitation/county lines, you might see the following:

Child Exploitation Risk Assessment Framework (CERAF)

METRAC

(Missing, Exploited and Trafficked Risk Assessment Conference)

Child Exploitation and Extra-Familial Harm Strategy and Toolkit

HIPS Procedures

Organisations that can Help

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