Criminal Exploitation and County Lines

Criminal Exploitation and County Lines

• Introduction
• What is Child Criminal Exploitation (including County Lines, Online Criminal Exploitation and Financial Exploitation)
• Who is at risk?
• How common is child criminal exploitation and county lines?
• How Children and Young People Are Groomed into Criminal Exploitation
• Signs of Child Criminal Exploitation( including: The Importance of Professional Curiosity in Responding to Criminal Exploitation)
• Working with victims (including Barriers to engagement and Trauma-Informed Practice)
• The Impact of Exploitation on Parents and Carers
• Disruption as a Safeguarding Tool (including Local and National Disruption resources and the Multi-agency Child Exploitation Strategy)
• Referral Process
• National Referral Mechanism (NRM)
• Child Criminal Exploitation Examples
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Useful Contacts & Resources

Introduction

This guidance has been written in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023), which provides statutory guidance regarding the legislative requirements on agencies to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. This practice guidance is for practitioners to work in a multi-agency context, and to enable practitioners to increase their awareness and understanding of the risks for children who may be at risk of or experiencing Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE).

It has been designed to give agencies clear local guidance in relation to children who may be at risk of CCE, or who may currently be being exploited. It is important that there is a coordinated approach across all agencies when considering the risk to a child, and that the risk of CCE is assessed in all cases. And that if found to exist at any level, it must be reported and worked with, alongside any other associated risk factors and actions within a child or young person’s assessment and plan around that child. The guidance also promotes information sharing across all agencies and a joined-up approach to risk reduction, as well as appropriate management oversight of those children vulnerable to criminal exploitation.

Legislation and Standards

• Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023) Working together to safeguard children – GOV.UK
• Criminal Exploitation of children and vulnerable adults: County Lines Guidance Home Office (2018) Criminal exploitation of children and vulnerable adults: county lines – GOV.UK
• Modern Slavery Act (2015) Modern Slavery Act 2015 – GOV.UK
• HM Government Serious Violence Strategy (2018)
• Department for Education: Keeping children safe in education – GOV.UK
• Safeguarding Children who may have been Trafficked, Practice Guidance  (DFE 2009) Safeguarding children who may have been trafficked – GOV.UK
• Home Office: Modern Slavery Victims: Referral: Modern slavery victims: referral – GOV.UK
• Home Office: National Referral Mechanism guidance: adult (England and Wales) National referral mechanism guidance: adult (England and Wales) – GOV.UK
• Children and Young Person’s Missing from home, Education or Care (2014) Children who run away or go missing from home or care – GOV.UK
• Crime and Policing Bill: Child criminal exploitation and ‘cuckooing’ factsheet 
• Child exploitation disruption toolkit – GOV.UK
• Children and Families Act (2014)
• Children Act (2004)

The guidance will provide an overview of:

• Risk indicators to establish if a child is at risk of being criminally exploited;
• The referral process when it is identified a child is at risk of being criminally exploited or being criminally exploited;
• Contact points for practitioners to receive advice and support.
• Disruption strategies

The practice guidance is aimed at all practitioners who may encounter children and young people who may be at risk of being or may currently be being criminally exploited (either online or in the community).

What is Child Criminal Exploitation

The Home Office defines Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) as:

“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 (c) through violence or the threat of violence. The victim may have been criminally exploited even if the activity appears consensual.

Child Criminal Exploitation does not always involve physical contact; it can also occur through the use of technology. Criminal exploitation often happens alongside sexual or other forms of exploitation.

Child Criminal exploitation is broader than just county lines and includes for instance children forced to work on cannabis farms, to commit theft, shoplift or pickpocket, or to threaten other young people.”

Child criminal exploitation involves exploitative situations, contexts and relationships where children (under 18) receive or are promised ‘something’ tangible e.g. food, accommodation, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, gifts or money or ‘something’ intangible e.g. affection, respect, status or protection in return for committing a criminal act for the benefit of another individual or group of individuals or be threatened, coerced or intimidated into committing that criminal act.

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. The child may be being exploited, even if the activity appears consensual and does not always involve physical contact; it can also occur through the use of technology. A defining feature of CCE is the lack of choice available to the child either as a result of the child’s social/economic/emotional vulnerability and or the violence, coercion, or intimidation exerted upon them.

A child may be groomed into criminal exploitation as a result of desperation or coercion, and it can be difficult to identify this form of exploitation. Often, the signs of criminal exploitation can be mistaken for ‘normal adolescent behaviours. Children can be wrongly labelled as actively choosing to take part in criminal behaviour, which can mask the coercion and exploitation. This may lead to professionals falsely perceiving the child as complicit in their abuse. Therefore, identification of CCE requires knowledge, skills and professional curiosity in assessing the risk factors and personal circumstances of the individual child, to ensure that the indicators are correctly identified, and appropriate support is put in place to protect the child.

The law states that consent is only valid where a child makes an informed choice and has the freedom and capacity to make that choice. If a child feels that they have no meaningful choice, are under the influence of harmful substances or fearful of what might happen if they don’t comply, they cannot legally consent, whatever their age. It is also important to identify that perpetrators of CCE may also themselves be children who are criminally exploited, and that victims of CCE may also be a risk of becoming perpetrators.

The risk to a young person, and their family and friends, as a result of experiencing criminal exploitation can include:

• Physical injuries: risk of serious violence and death
• Emotional and psychological trauma
• Sexual violence: sexual assault, rape, indecent images being taken and shared as part of initiation/revenge/punishment, and internally inserting drugs
• Debt bondage – young person and families being ‘in debt’ to the exploiters, which is used to control the young person
• Neglect and basic needs not being met
• Living in unclean, dangerous and/or unhygienic environments
• Tiredness and sleep deprivation: A child is expected to carry out criminal activities over long periods and through the night
• Poor attendance and/or attainment at school/college

County lines

The Home Office and National Police Chiefs’ Council definition of  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.”

In practical terms, County Lines involves the supply of illegal drugs, predominantly crack cocaine and heroin, across towns or cities, within police and local authority areas, as well as exported from urban hubs, across county borders. The places they are taken to, are known as ‘importer areas’. This activity can happen locally as well as across the UK; no specified distance of travel is required.

County Lines activity and the associated violence, drug dealing and exploitation has a devastating impact on young people. It does not just affect large metropolitan areas, as young people are exploited in all communities up and down the country including rural communities. Perpetrators will recruit and use children and young people to exploit them e.g. use them to move drugs and money for them. Children as young as 12 years old and up to 17 years old are recruited, often using social media. They can be exploited by being forced to carry drugs between locations, usually on trains, coaches or via taxis. They are also forced to sell drugs to local users.

County lines activity typically involves organised crime groups (OCGs) from a large urban area travelling to small locations (often rural towns/village/coastal areas) to sell class A drugs. The groups tend to communicate with drugs users via mobile phones which are referred to as the ‘line’. The most common drugs involved are usually heroin and cocaine (crack and powder), but also MDMA, cannabis, amphetamines and spice.

Traditionally this line is kept away from the area where the drugs are being sold, and a relay system is used to contact those acting as dealers in the rural location. Those who are exploiting young people will often travel between the urban and county locations on a regular basis to deliver drugs and collect money. They tend to use a local property, often belonging to a vulnerable person, as a base for their activities (referred to as ‘cuckooing’). They often use violence, force or coercion. The National Crime Agency has also identified examples where perpetrators have also used apartments, holiday lets, budget hotels and caravan parks (NCA, 2017). Perpetrators may use violence to threaten children and young people when recruiting them, and may also violently assault children and young people working for them if they find their drugs or money are missing. Weapons such as firearms, knives, bats and acid are sometimes used to make violent threats. They may also include sexual violence and sexual exploitation.

Organised crime groups will typically exploit children to deliver drugs from urban to country locations using intimidation, violence, debt bondage and/or grooming. County line networks may often bring their own operatives into the rural marketplace in pairs; they will then stay for a month or so before returning home and being replaced by others. This is done to avoid police detection and familiarity with these operatives[PB1] . Organised crime groups are now starting to use more local children to sell in local areas in order to avoid detection or arouse suspicion

Although the National Crime Agency believe that class A drugs continue to be the main driver for this form of criminality, sexual exploitation has also been highlighted as a significant risk factor associated with county lines. It can be used as a means of control/exploitation for the gratification of perpetrators, or even as a commodity to be sold. Grooming is also often found in local communal areas such as parks, etc., where potential victims can be given alcohol and drugs to establish their ‘relationship’. Groups can then exploit them sexually and coerce them to take and deal drugs.

Online Criminal Exploitation

The internet is increasingly used as a tool for grooming and exploiting children and young people. Perpetrators use social media, messaging apps, gaming platforms, and live streaming to build trust, manipulate, and coerce children into criminal activity. This can include:

• Recruiting children to move or sell drugs via encrypted messaging apps.
• Using location tracking to monitor and control children’s movements (“remote mothering”).
• Coercing children into sharing personal information or images, which are then used to blackmail them into further criminal activity.
• Offering money or gifts through gaming platforms or social media to build dependency and control.

Online exploitation can be hidden in plain sight. Children may not realise they are being exploited, and may describe perpetrators as “friends” or “supporters.” Professionals must remain curious and alert to changes in behaviour, secrecy around online activity, or sudden access to money or technology.

For more, see The Children’s Society’s Online Exploitation Guidance 

More information on Online Exploitation can also be accessed in our Be Aware knowledge Hub: NYSCP

Financial Exploitation

Financial exploitation is a growing form of child criminal exploitation. It involves children being used to move, store, or launder money, often unknowingly, for the benefit of criminal networks. This can include:

• Using a child’s bank account or online wallet to transfer criminal funds.
• Recruiting children through fake job offers or “quick cash” schemes.
• Threatening or coercing children into handing over control of their accounts.
• Using children as “money mules” to avoid detection by law enforcement.

Children may be targeted in person (e.g. at cashpoints or in shops) or online. They may not understand the illegality of what they are doing, and may believe they are helping someone or earning legitimate income.

Financial exploitation is child abuse. It can lead to criminal records, emotional trauma, and long-term financial harm. Practitioners should be alert to signs such as:

• Unexplained bank activity or new accounts.
• Anxiety around money or secrecy about finances.
• Talking about “friends” helping them with money or jobs.

See The Children’s Society’s Financial Exploitation Guidance and Youth Voice Insights

More information about Financial Exploitation can also be accessed in our Be Aware knowledge hub: NYSCP

 Who is at risk?

Any child or young person may be at risk of criminal exploitation, regardless of their family background or other circumstances.

Like other forms of abuse and exploitation, county lines exploitation:

• Can affect any child or young person (male or female) under the age of 18 years;
• It can affect any vulnerable adult over the age of 18.
• It can still be exploitation even if the activity appears consensual.
• It can involve force and/or enticement-based methods of compliance and is often accompanied by violence or threats of violence.
• Can be perpetrated by individuals or groups, males or females, and young people or adults; and
• It is typified by some form of power imbalance in favour of those perpetrating the exploitation. Whilst age may be the most obvious, this power imbalance can also be due to a range of other factors, including gender, cognitive ability, physical strength, status, and access to economic or other resources.

Perpetrators are known to target vulnerable children and adults; some of the factors that heighten a person’s vulnerability include:

• Having prior experience of neglect, physical and/or sexual abuse;
• Lack of a safe/stable home environment, now or in the past (domestic violence or parental substance misuse, mental health issues or criminality, for example);
• Social isolation or social difficulties;
• Economic vulnerability;
• Homelessness or insecure accommodation status;
• Connections with other people involved in gangs or organised crime groups ;
• Having a physical disability or learning disability;
• Having mental health or substance misuse issues;
• Being in care (particularly those in residential care and those with interrupted care histories);
• Being excluded from mainstream education, in particular, attending a Pupil Referral Unit. It is important that when schools are considering exclusions, they also consider the safeguarding risks to the child.

It is thought that 14-17 years is the most common age for children to be exploited, but there are reports of children below the age of 11 years being targeted.

How common is child criminal exploitation and county lines?

In the year 2023–2024, approximately 14,500 children were identified as being at risk of or involved in child criminal exploitation in England and Wales 

This figure is considered a significant underestimate, as many cases go unreported or are misidentified due to the hidden nature of exploitation

It is difficult to establish the true extent of the number of ‘county lines’ operating in the UK. The National County Lines Coordination Centre (NCLCC) estimates in their County Lines Strategic Risk Threat Assessment that between 2023 and 2024, there were 1,447 Organised Crime Groups (OCGs) linked to County Lines this year, with the numbers of new OCGs and individuals linked remaining steady.

With continued improvements in recording practices and understanding across policing, a higher number of lines (6,644) were recorded in the last year (2023-24).

The report also states that the model for county lines has now become more localised. Organised crime groups are now starting to use more local children to sell in local areas in order to avoid detection or arouse suspicion.

The true number of children exploited is likely to be much higher than police data shows. Similarly, we must ensure that we understand how children are exploited and work to prevent that from happening.

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How Children and Young People Are Groomed into Criminal Exploitation

Children and young people do not choose to be exploited. They are manipulated, coerced, and groomed, often in ways that are subtle, gradual, and deeply psychological. Understanding the grooming process is essential to recognising exploitation and responding in a way that is trauma-informed and non-judgmental.

Grooming as a Process of Control

Grooming is the deliberate process by which perpetrators build trust with a child or young person, often by identifying and exploiting their vulnerabilities. This can include unmet emotional needs, poverty, social isolation, or a desire for belonging and identity. Grooming can happen in person, online, or both, and may involve:

• Gifts, money, or status in exchange for favours or loyalty.
• Flattery, attention, or affection to create emotional dependency.
• Normalising harmful behaviours, such as drug use or carrying weapons.
• Creating a sense of debt or obligation, often referred to as “debt bondage.”
• Threats, intimidation, or violence to maintain control once trust is established.

Children may not recognise they are being exploited. They may believe they are in a relationship, part of a group, or simply “helping out.” This is why it is vital that professionals always view the child as a victim, regardless of how they present or what they say.

Contextual Safeguarding

Exploitation rarely happens in isolation. It is shaped by the environments children move through: home, school, peer groups, and neighbourhoods. Practitioners must consider these contexts when assessing risk and planning interventions.

The exploitation of children rarely occurs in isolation, and there can be several issues occurring with a child or young person’s life that may make them susceptible to being targeted by exploiters. As such, this practice guidance should be read in conjunction with the practice guidance for Harmful Sexual Behaviour and Child Sexual Exploitation.

Signs of Child Criminal Exploitation

Children rarely self-report child criminal exploitation, so practitioners must be aware of potential indicators of risk, including:

• Acquisition of money, clothes, mobile phones, etc., without a plausible explanation;
• Gang association and/or isolation from peers/social networks;
• Exclusion or unexplained absences from school, college or work;
• Leaving home/care without explanation and persistently going missing or returning late, and/or being found in areas away from home.
• Suspicion of physical assault/unexplained injuries;
• Excessive receipt of texts/phone calls or having multiple handsets;
• Returning home under the influence of drugs/alcohol, increasing drug use or being found to have large amounts of drugs on them;
• Using sexual, drug-related or violent language, you wouldn’t expect them to know
• Evidence of/suspicions of physical or sexual assault;
• Relationships with controlling or significantly older individuals or groups/arrested with older individuals
• Multiple callers (unknown adults or peers);
• Concerning use of the internet or other social media;
• Increasing secretiveness around behaviours; and
• Self-harm or significant changes in emotional well-being
• Carrying weapons
• Significant decline in school results/performance
• Gang association or isolation from peers or social networks
• Criminal behaviour

Professionals should be particularly aware of two characteristic offending typologies, which are often associated with criminal exploitation –

Distributor or courier role – Usually, this arises where vulnerable young people from urban areas are exploited by organised crime groups to deliver drugs in an outlying or rural area. These young people will most commonly be arrested in possession of significant amounts of drugs and/or cash, and often armed with large knives or other offensive weapons.   Although less commonly seen, it is also possible that a child from North Yorkshire may be exploited in this way, either as a local operative or for transporting drugs to other areas. The possession of substantial drugs and/or cash, usually with weapons, is a key sign of involvement in organised criminal distribution. The presence of a suspected controlling adult near the place of arrest is also highly significant. 

Purchaser or debtor role – These will usually be local young people, who are offending to meet obligation to a County Lines gang, and facing severe reprisal if they fail to pay. Typical offending might include systematic high-value shop thefts, burglary offences or theft of high-value bicycles. Young people carrying out these types of offences may be alone or in small groups of two or three. The immediate proximity of a controlling adult is less common, but professional curiosity should explore how the stolen goods are being ‘fenced’ into cash. One local ‘fence’ may facilitate a network of acquisitive crime involving many children.

We also know that Organised Crime Groups(OCGs) will change and adapt their business model in how they exploit children, either to avoid detection by law enforcement agencies/or to respond to environmental changes. For example, there was evidence during the COVID-19 pandemic of  OCGs recruiting children close to home so that they were not reported missing, or would not cause suspicion regarding their whereabouts. OCGs may well also use girls to run drugs, as professionals will often associate county lines with boys, again to avoid detection. Furthermore, as law enforcement improves disruption on transport links such as train lines, etc. OCGs will often change their tactics to enable them to continue to exploit children without being identified (Crest, 2020).

The Importance of Professional Curiosity in Responding to Criminal Exploitation

Professional curiosity is a critical skill in safeguarding children and young people from criminal exploitation. It refers to the capacity and willingness of practitioners to explore what is happening in a child’s life, rather than accepting information at face value or making assumptions based on surface-level observations.

Children who are being criminally exploited often do not disclose their experiences. They may be fearful, ashamed, or unaware that they are victims. Exploiters may coach them to lie or manipulate professionals. As a result, signs of exploitation can be subtle, disguised as “normal” adolescent behaviour, or misinterpreted as poor choices or deliberate defiance.

Without professional curiosity, there is a risk that:

• Exploitation is missed or minimised.
• Children are wrongly labelled as offenders rather than victims.
• Opportunities for early intervention are lost.

What Professional Curiosity Looks Like:

• Asking “why?” and “what if?” rather than accepting the first explanation.
• Looking beyond presenting behaviour to understand what may be driving it.
• Noticing patterns, such as repeated missing episodes, changes in peer groups, or sudden access to money or technology.
• Challenging inconsistencies in a respectful and trauma-informed way.
• Seeking the child’s voice, even when it is hard to hear or understand.
• Exploring the wider context—including peer relationships, online activity, and community influences (contextual safeguarding).

Further information can be found in the professional curiosity practice guidance

Working with victims

Barriers to engagement

There may be many factors that could influence how a child or young person engages with interventions and professionals who may become aware of the risk of criminal exploitation. A few barriers to consider include:

• Child criminal exploitation is not being recognised and responded to as a safeguarding concern.
• Professionals may view criminal exploitation as a lifestyle choice, which can make a child or young person feel blamed for their exploitation, or reinforce a feeling of an untrue identity, e.g. of an autonomous drug dealer
• Services are not being consistent or persistent in their approach
• Children or young people are fearful of repercussions towards themselves, friends or family if they are seen to be engaging with professionals
• The child or young person may still be being controlled by exploiters and have no ability or power to exit
• Even if the police are involved, the child or young person still may not feel safe or protected from repercussions
• The child or young person may have distrust in services such as the police and social care
• The child or young person may be fearful of getting into trouble with the police, or be in breach of a court order
• Children or young people who have experienced previous abuse, fractured attachments and trauma can often hold a deep mistrust of adults and services
• The child or young person may be made to feel that they are ‘in debt’ to perpetrators and/or reliant on the ‘exchange’, i.e. money/substances/ this is often referred to as ‘debt bondage’.
• The child or young person can become withdrawn from their support network due to the grooming process andbe unable to access services
• The child or young person may have experienced multiple professionals talking about concerns with them, which again could lead a young person to feel frustrated or unable to engage
• The child or young person may feel embarrassed or ashamed of their experiences.

It is also important to remember that a child or young person might not relate to their experience as being abusive or exploitative:

• They may feel a sense of loyalty and brotherhood to the exploiters, and they may feel emotionally fulfilled in a way they haven’t before experienced from parents, carers or professionals
• The child or young person may feel that they have gained ‘friends’ or ‘family’ and that these people care for him or her.
• The child or young person may be receiving money or rewards that they have not had access to previously, or the money may be supporting their family to cover basic needs
• The child or young person may feel a sense of status and power that they haven’t had before. They may see themselves as an autonomous drug dealer, rather than a victim of exploitation at the bottom of a large organised crime structure.
•  Sometimes children and young people don’t have the language (due to age or capacity)  or aren’t developmentally able to see their experiences as abusive

Trauma-Informed Practice

Understanding and responding to child criminal exploitation requires a trauma-informed approach. Many children and young people affected by exploitation have experienced significant adversity, including abuse, neglect, loss, and exposure to violence. These experiences can shape how they perceive adults, services, and their own identity.

Key Principles of Trauma-Informed Practice:

• Safety First: Create environments where children feel physically and emotionally safe. This includes predictable routines, respectful communication, and non-judgmental attitudes.
• Trust and Transparency: Be honest and clear about your role, what will happen next, and how information will be used. Avoid making promises you cannot keep.
• Empowerment and Choice: Offer choices wherever possible. Even small decisions (e.g. where to sit, who attends meetings) can help restore a sense of control.
• Collaboration: Work with the child or young person, not on them. Involve them in planning and decision-making and validate their experiences.
• Understanding Impact: Recognise that trauma can affect memory, behaviour, emotional regulation, and relationships. What may appear as “non-engagement” or “challenging behaviour” may be a trauma response.

Practice Considerations:

• Avoid language that implies blame or complicity (e.g. “choosing to offend”).
• Be aware that some children may not have the language or developmental capacity to describe their experiences as abusive.
• Recognise that trauma can lead to mistrust of professionals, especially if previous interventions have felt punitive or inconsistent.
• Use reflective supervision to explore your own emotional responses and biases when working with children affected by exploitation.

Trauma-Informed Questions to Ask:

• “What has happened to this child?” rather than “What is wrong with this child?”
• “What does safety look like for them?”
• “How can I reduce the risk of re-traumatisation in this interaction?”

The Impact of Exploitation on Parents and Carers

Child criminal exploitation (CCE) not only affects the child; it has a profound and often traumatic impact on their parents, carers, and wider family. Families may experience fear, confusion, guilt, isolation, and a sense of helplessness as they try to understand and respond to what is happening to their child.

Recognising Parents and Carers as Safeguarding Partners

Parents and carers are often the first to notice changes in their child’s behaviour or routines. They are also the people best placed to support their child’s recovery and exit from exploitation. However, they are frequently left out of safeguarding conversations or made to feel blamed for their child’s experiences.

It is essential that professionals:

• Recognise parents as key safeguarding partners, not passive observers.
• Avoid blame-based language or assumptions about parenting capacity.
• Provide clear, compassionate communication and regular updates.
• Offer emotional and practical support, including signposting to specialist services.

Ivison Trust (formerly Pace) is a national charity working to keep children safe from exploitation by supporting their parents, disrupting the exploiters and working in partnership with police and family services. We also train professionals to support affected children and their parents using a trauma-informed, family-centric approach.

Disruption as a Safeguarding Tool

Disruption is a vital part of safeguarding children and young people from criminal exploitation. It involves taking proactive steps, often in partnership with other agencies, to interrupt, deter, or prevent exploitative activity, even when there is insufficient evidence to pursue a criminal prosecution.

Disruption tactics can:

• Reduce immediate risk to a child or young person.
• Send a clear message to perpetrators that their behaviour is being monitored.
• Create safer spaces in communities by targeting locations, behaviours, or networks.
• Support longer-term safeguarding and investigative outcomes.

Examples of Disruption Tactics:

• Closure Orders on properties used for exploitation (e.g. cuckooing).
• Child Abduction Warning Notices (CAWNs) are used to prevent contact between a child and a suspected exploiter.
• Civil Injunctions or Sexual Risk Orders.
• Targeted stop and search or surveillance in hotspot areas.
• Use of licensing powers to address exploitation in businesses or venues.
• Slavery and Trafficking Risk Orders
• Prevention Orders
• Sharing of Intelligence

National Resources:

• Home Office Child Exploitation Disruption Toolkit
  A comprehensive guide for frontline professionals on how to use existing powers to disrupt exploitation, including tools for targeting offenders, safeguarding victims, and addressing locations.
• NWG Child Exploitation Disruption Toolkit
  Developed by the NWG Network, this toolkit offers practical guidance and case examples to support disruption planning. 

There are many services that can offer support for young people who are at risk of exploitation or who are victims of exploitation. More information about the disruption of exploitation in North Yorkshire can be accessed in the following video: Child Exploitation Learning event Partnership disruption in North Yorkshire

Information on the services that are available locally can be accessed here: NYSCP.

Disruption is not just a policing tool; it is a multi-agency responsibility. All professionals have a role to play in identifying opportunities to disrupt harm and protect children.

The MACE and Contextual Safeguarding Strategy has identified four key priorities across the partnership. These four priorities will be underpinned by a detailed action plan that holds partners to account for their plans to fulfil the actions set out across our priority areas:

Prepare

Prepare the partnership and wider community to understand the scope and complexity of child exploitation and risk outside the home.

Prevent

Commit to a whole partnership and wider community approach to prevention, contextual safeguarding and keeping children safe from exploitation.

Protect

To protect and support children at risk of or experiencing exploitation without labelling or blaming them for the abuse they are experiencing.

Pursue

Actively pursue, disrupt and respond to perpetrators of exploitation, and work collectively as a partnership to disrupt the exploitation of children in the contextual spaces where they are spending their time

Referral Process

Framework for Decision Making

All agencies working within North Yorkshire have a responsibility to address the needs of children and young people in their area. Effective joint working provides the framework in which children’s needs can be met..

The Framework for decision making can help to identify the level of need for the children or young person who may be at risk of, or experiencing CCE. It is also intended to help identify how children’s needs might be met across services

North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Partnership Framework for Decision Making can be accessed by visiting: NYSCP (safeguardingchildren.co.uk)

Process

If you are worried about a child or a young person under the age of 18, you should contact the North Yorkshire Children and Families Service NYSCP. If your concern is outside of normal office hours, you should contact the Emergency Duty Team on 0300 131 2 131

In an emergency, always ring 999

You should call 101 to report crime and other concerns that do not require an emergency response.

Child Criminal Exploitation – Referral flow diagram
EVALUATION OF RISK     Practitioners identify risks posed to the child by consulting the NYSCP Framework for Decision Making:   NYSCP (safeguardingchildren.co.uk) Practitioners can send intelligence and/or make a referral:
Intelligence   North Yorkshire Police relies on intelligence from communities, partners and other law enforcement agencies. Intelligence can come from a range of sources, such as a concerned member of the community worried about a neighbouring address, a local authority worker who has received a disclosure from a person, or from police in another area.   Information should only be shared regarding perpetrators and/or community intelligence.   If there is any information regarding a specific/named child, then it should be coming in through the referral route.    If there is an immediate risk to a child/children, a member of the public, you should call the North Yorkshire  Police on 999.   Intelligence should be shared via the Community Partnership Intelligence Portal. Community partnership intelligence | North Yorkshire Police. Further guidance on the submission of intelligence can be accessed here, NYSCP	Intelligence   North Yorkshire Police relies on intelligence from communities, partners and other law enforcement agencies. Intelligence can come from a range of sources, such as a concerned member of the community worried about a neighbouring address, a local authority worker who has received a disclosure from a person, or from police in another area.   Information should only be shared regarding perpetrators and/or community intelligence.   If there is any information regarding a specific/named child, then it should be coming in through the referral route.    If there is an immediate risk to a child/children, a member of the public, you should call the North Yorkshire  Police on 999.   Intelligence should be shared via the Community Partnership Intelligence Portal. Community partnership intelligence | North Yorkshire Police   Further guidance on the submission of intelligence can be accessed here, NYSCP

If, through the referral process, a child is identified as being at risk of exploitation, an allocated worker will work with the child, their family and other professionals who are involved to identify what risks the child or young person may be exposed to and will then complete an Exploitation Risk Assessment containing the views of all involved.

Once completed, the Exploitation Risk Assessment is then sent back to the MAST for a multi-agency view of the risk level and scrutiny regarding the risk management around this child and the contextual safeguarding concerns. This case discussion takes place across partners in the MAST team alongside the allocated worker and any other local professionals required. The meeting will result in an agreement as to the risk level, which can be one of four outcomes:
High Risk—Evidence that the young person is being exploited (requires review every 4-6 weeks)
Medium Risk—Evidence that the young persons may be being targeted or groomed for exploitation (requires review every 6 – 8 weeks)
Low Risk—Vulnerability to exploitation (requires review every 8-10 weeks)
No risk status at this time – Exploitation is not currently a factor at this time and appears to be age-appropriate behaviours (requires resubmission should further concerns emerge).

The Exploitation Risk Assessment will continue to be reviewed in the MAST within the timescales until all partners are confident that the risk has been sufficiently reduced to remove any flags.
The risk assessment and risk management plan will form part of the plan for that child or young person (e.g. Child Protection Plan, Child in Need Plan, Looked After Child Plan or Early Help). It seeks to understand and manage the contextual safeguarding concerns in conjunction with the individual plan for that child.

The MAST may also make recommendations regarding whether the child should be referred to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) if there is a suspicion that the child has been trafficked or is subject to Modern Slavery. They may also make recommendations about referrals to third-sector support provisions for the young person and/or their families/carers

MACE Level 1 Process

MACE Level 2 Process

National Referral Mechanism (NRM)

The NRM is a framework for identifying and referring potential victims of modern slavery and ensuring that they receive appropriate support. It is also the mechanism through which the Modern Slavery Human Trafficking Unit (MSHTU) collect data about victims. The information contributes to building a clearer picture of the scope of human trafficking and modern slavery in the UK.

The NRM was introduced in 2009 to meet the UK’s obligations under the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. At the core of every country’s NRM is the process of locating and identifying “potential victims of trafficking”. The duty to refer children into the NRM is made by ‘first responders’ who include organisations such as the Local Authority, Police and NSPCC, where they suspect a child may have been subject to Modern Slavery or Human Trafficking. Modern Slavery is a complex crime and can involve multiple forms of exploitation. It encompasses:

• Human Trafficking, which is defined as ‘the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons (including children) by means of threat, force or coercion for the purpose of sexual or commercial sexual exploitation or domestic servitude’ (United Nations). Of note, children may be trafficked into the UK from abroad, but children can also be trafficked from one part of the UK to another.

Or

• Slavery, servitude, and forced or compulsory labour, which is the condition of a person over whom any or all of the powers attaching to the rights of ownership are exercised. People are treated as commodities and exploited for criminal gain. It is a global crime which transcends age, gender, ethnicity, and borders. Victims of modern slavery may have been brought legally or illegally from overseas, or they may be British citizens living in the United Kingdom. Unaccompanied and/or intentionally displaced children are at particular risk.

Some child victims may not recognise that they are being trafficked or exploited. They may feel they have chosen or consented to elements of their exploitation, or accepted it as part of their situation. However, a child cannot give consent to be harmfully exploited by others, so this has no effect upon our action to safeguard those children.

North Yorkshire and City of York NRM Panel

North Yorkshire and the City of York are currently taking part in a pilot of devolved decision making, which means that making the decision about whether a child has been subjected to modern slavery or human trafficking sits with the local decision-making multi-agency NRM panel. The NRM Panel is a virtual panel made up of senior managers from a number of key agencies, including North Yorkshire Police, Children’s Social Care, Youth Justice Services, Health and the Independent Child Trafficking Guardian Service.

The aim of the virtual panel is to ensure there is consistent multi-agency decision-making and robust planning in respect of children who may be subjected to Modern Slavery.  The panel takes place twice a fortnight on a Monday (COY) and a Friday (North Yorkshire)

The panel may hear the information surrounding what has happened to a child at  the following points:

1. Reasonable Grounds Once the SCA have received the referral, they will send it back to the NRM panel. Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018) requires two decisions to be made. The first is a Reasonable Grounds (RG) decision where there are reasonable grounds to believe that the individual may be a victim.
2. Conclusive Grounds, the second decision the panel is required to make is a Conclusive Grounds (CG) decision as to whether, on the balance of probabilities, a child is a victim of modern slavery. If sufficient information is known at the Reasonable Grounds Decision meeting, both decisions can be made at the same time. If there is not and further information is needed, a further meeting will be scheduled to make the final CG decision.  RG decisions are made 45 days from the date of receipt of the referral from the SCA. CG decisions are made within 90 days from the date of receipt of the referral from the SCA*.

*Decisions made by the panel will be subject to Quality Assurance checks by the SCA

Further information about the NRM Panel can be found through our One Minute Guides on:

• Modern Slavery and the National Referral Mechanism
• Submitting a Referral to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) for a child
• Trafficking & the NRM

If you are a first responder[1] and you suspect you have a child who may have been victim of modern slavery you should speak to your manager and then contact the NRM Coordinator via email at NRM@northyorks.gov.uk.Once a referral has been submitted to the NRM, it is possible that the child is not identified as a victim of modern slavery and human trafficking, thus no further action will be taken. However, where this is not the case, further outcomes are:

Stage 1 – The Reasonable Grounds decision:

If the NRM Panel reaches a ‘Reasonable Grounds’ decision, this means that the panel believe that:

“I suspect but cannot prove that the person is a victim of Human Trafficking, Slavery, Servitude and Forced or Compulsory Labour’

If a ‘Positive Reasonable Grounds’ decision is reached, there is enough information to investigate.

Once a decision has been made, the police force in the area where the crime has been committed will be contacted by the SCA and a crime will be recorded and investigated by the police to establish whether or not the child is the victim of modern slavery.

(Remember: the NRM runs alongside established safeguarding processes; it does not replace them.)

The investigating officer will be provided with the contact details of the person who submitted the notification and is expected to liaise with them on how to best engage the young person and obtain any updates that might be helpful for the investigation.

Stage 2 – Conclusive Grounds Decision

If the panel make a Conclusive Grounds decision, it is decided that ‘on the balance of probabilities’, there is sufficient information to decide that the individual is a victim of modern slavery.

A Conclusive Grounds decision provides official recognition (based on the civil burden of proof), that a child is/was a victim of exploitation at that ‘moment of time’. It does not confer any other automatic rights or benefits.

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[1] The list of First Responders can be found here

Child Criminal Exploitation Examples

Frequently Asked Questions

Useful Contacts & Resources

North Yorkshire Council Multi-Agency Screening Team	0300 131 2 131 Social.care@northyorks.gov.uk
Emergency Duty Team (out of office hours)	0300 131 2 131
North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Partnership	01609 535187 www.safeguardingchildren.co.uk
Police Vulnerability Assessment Team	intelligenceunit@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk 01609 643162
North Yorkshire Police	Emergency 999, Non-Emergency 101
Sexual Assault Referral Centre	01904 669339
NSPCC Child Protection Helpline	0808 800 5000
ChildLine	0800 1111
Missing People Helpline	0808 800 7070
Rape and Abuse Line	0808 800 0123 (answered by women every evening)
NHS Direct Health Advice	111
Supporting Victims	01904 669 276 help@supportingvictims.org
Domestic Abuse Support	03000 90 90
Drug and Alcohol Advisory Services (FRANK)	0800 776600
Crimestoppers	0800 555111 www.crimestoppers-uk/org

Further Resources

NYSCP County Lines, Cross Border Gangs & Cuckooing One Minute Guide

NYSCP Forms and Tools for Professionals-NRM

NYSCP Intelligence/Information Sharing

NYSCP Be Aware Page

NYSCP Procedures, Practice Guidance and One Minute Guides

NYSCP Services in North Yorkshire

St Giles – Turning a past into a future

County Lines Support and Rescue | Catch22

Exploitation and county lines for families – Missing People

County Lines & Child Exploitation | The Children’s Society

National County Lines Coordination Centre

Child exploitation disruption toolkit

Modern slavery and human trafficking – National Crime Agency

Modern Slavery Helpline

Ivison Trust – We support families affected by child exploitation.

Page updated July 2025