Criminal Exploitation
Are you listening? Young people are being exploited by criminals in your area. They won't always act or feel like victims, often because they have been groomed to feel respected and important to criminal gangs. It's up to all of us to know the signs and to act if you suspect a child is in danger.
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Child Criminal Exploitation involves exploitative situations, contexts and relationships where young people (or a third person or persons) receive ‘something’ (e.g. food, accommodation, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, affection, gifts, money) as a result of them completing a task on behalf of another individual or group of individuals; this is often of a criminal nature.
Child criminal exploitation often occurs without the child’s immediate recognition, with the child believing that they are in control of the situation. In all cases, those exploiting the child/young person have power over them by virtue of their age, gender, intellect, physical strength and/or economic or other resources. Violence, coercion and intimidation are common, involvement in exploitative relationships being characterised in the main by the child or young person’s limited availability of choice resulting from their social/economic and/or emotional vulnerability.
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The most obvious sign is a change in a child or young person’s behaviour from what is considered ‘normal’ for them.
Other signs include:
• Withdrawal from usual group of friends and a mention of older or new friends
• Having gifts, a new phone or money that can’t be accounted for
• Becoming withdrawn or secretive
• Receiving a large number of calls or messages to their phone or being worried about being away from their phone
• A drop in grades or performance, as well as suspension or exclusion from school
• Going missing from home or not showing up to school or regular afterschool groups or clubs
• Become involved in low level criminality such as antisocial behaviour
If you suspect a child is being exploited try to talk to them. Children are more likely to open up to an adult they have an existing and trusting relationship with.
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When you suspect that a young person is at risk of child exploitation refer to the CE Checklist. Instructions on using the CE checklist are contained within the document. When you complete the CE checklist ensure you include as much information as possible (names of associates etc.). You can also send the CE checklist to the compass email (compass@wirral.gov.uk) and arrange a consultation to discuss your concerns.
Where there are safeguarding concerns and you feel that the young person is at risk then you MUST refer to the IFD as soon as possible.
If you are aware of an incident that requires Police involvement, then contact them on 101 (non-emergencies) and 999 (immediate response).
Professionals are able to submit intelligence via. The Merseyside Police website
As much information as possible is useful for the police (full names, dates of birth, addresses etc.)
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The Compass Team: The compass team are the child exploitation team in Wirral. Compass can be contacted for consultations around concerns you may have for a young person related to child exploitation. Compass also can provide professionals with resources which can be used to deliver direct work/ interventions. Email: Compass@wirral.gov.uk / Compass Duty Number: 0151 666 3800.
Catch22: Catch22 are Wirral’s commissioned service to conduct return home interviews when young people are reported missing. Catch22 also work with young people at risk of/ are victims of child exploitation. Email: vikki.mckenna@catch-22.org.uk
Further Support
Wirral Integrated Front Door Team IFD
If a child or young person is at risk of harm, abuse or neglect please report it to the Wirral Integrated Front Door Team:
Mon-Fri, 9:00am – 5.00pm Tel: 0151 606 2008
Outside of these hours Tel: 0151 677 6557
E-mail: IFD@wirral.gov.uk
CATCH 22
Catch 22 works to prevent and stop Child Sexual Exploitation Wirral Missing from Home and Child Exploitation Service Works with young people under 18-years-old across The Wirral who are missing from home or care, or experiencing or at risk of child exploitation.
Young people 10 to 18-years-old | Within a 30-mile radius of the Wirral.
Catch 22’s Missing from home helpline is manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week: 0808 168 9698
This service works alongside young people, their families and the police to find out what has caused them to run away and prevent them from running away again in the future.
Help is provided for young people who have run away who are at risk of becoming involved in crime to survive, from stealing to criminal gang involvement, drug and alcohol misuse, mental and sexual health issues, exclusion from school. and failure to meet educational milestones.
Links & Contacts
RASA Merseyside
RASA Merseyside is a professional counselling and support service that exists solely to improve the mental and physical well-being of individuals impacted by sexual violence at some point in their lives. Helpline support: 0151 666 1392 Tues 6-8pm, Thurs 6-8pm, Fri 12-2pm Birkenhead 0151 650 0155 Hoylake 0151 633 2151
Telephone: 0151 666 1392
Email: rasa@rasamerseyside.org
Read more about RASA Merseyside
Wirral Youth Justice Service
YJS prevention work is completed on a voluntary basis with young people aged 10 to 18 years who are involved in Anti-Social or Offending Behaviour.
Referrals for the YJS Prevention Services should be completed on the Youth Justice Service referral form.
Please call 0151-666-3466 for more details.
CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection)
CEOP is a law enforcement agency and is here to help keep children and young people safe from sexual abuse and grooming online. We help thousands of children and young people every year who have been in a similar situation to you. CEOP are unable to respond to reports about bullying, fake accounts or account hacking.
It’s Never Ok
Wirral Domestic Abuse Alliance is a formal partnership between a range of statutory authorities and voluntary organisations. The Alliance oversees delivery of the Wirral Plan’s Zero Tolerance to Domestic Abuse Pledge and allows all members to bring matters to the attention of other partners. How can we help, who we are. Visit our website for more information
SHOUT
Shout is an affiliate of Crisis Text Line® in the UK that provides free, confidential support, 24/7 via text. It’s the first free 24/7 texting service in the UK for anyone in crisis anytime, anywhere. Shout is available in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland
Text SHOUT to 85258 in the UK to text with a trained Crisis Volunteer
or
Text BLUE to 85258 to get resources and sign posting information.
Every texter is connected with a real-life human being trained to bring people from a hot moment to a cool calm place through active listening and collaborative problem-solving. All of our Crisis Volunteers donate their time to helping people in crisis.