Child exploitation relates to forms of child abuse including (but not exclusively) the sexual and criminal exploitation of:

• children under 18 years of age;
• up to age 25 for children who have Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND); or
• children who have previously been in the care of the local authority.

Exploitation can happen in different contexts involving contact and non-contact abuse, via 1-1 (i.e., child on child or adult on child), constrained choices (a child feels they have no choice) or an organised abuse (group) basis such as a paedophile ring or gang association.

Types of exploitation may include:

• Child sexual exploitation
• Child criminal exploitation, including drugs supply, acquisitive crime and county lines
• Modern slavery
• Extremism and radicalisation
• Internet based exploitation - contact and non-contact offences, including sending nudes and semi-nudes
• Female genital mutilation (FGM)
• Honour based abuse and violence
• Forced marriage
• Serious adult and youth violence, including gang violence
• Financial exploitation

Any child who is at risk of or suffering any form of exploitation should be treated as a victim of abuse, regardless of the circumstances of the case.

There are a number of key points to note:

• The earlier the intervention, the better the chances of success.
• Early sharing of information is key to ensure that effective help is provided where there are emerging problems; this should include all agencies working with the child or family.
• There may be safeguarding concerns within the child’s life which result in a Child Protection Plan or Child in Need Plan, as well as CRE concerns. They are not mutually exclusive.
• The completion of a CRE risk assessment (opens in a new window) will identify both the vulnerability and welfare needs of the child. This must include contextual safeguarding and consider the lived experience of the child and their direct wishes and feelings. This assessment will also look to identify if the child is being exploited (high risk) or at risk of exploitation (medium and low thresholds) to inform what level CRE meeting is required.
• Social care have specific timescales to work to for meetings when a CRE Assessment is finalised. These can and should include partners working with or know about the individual or household.
• The meetings are there to formulate a plan which seeks to reduce risk and harm. It also may include an interim safety plan.

Sharing information

Information should be shared with partners as soon as you are made aware of it. This normally should be done through the completion of an Operation Liberty (opens in a new window) form. The information will go into the Police’s Safeguarding Co-ordination Hub and will be shared with appropriate partners including Derbyshire Social Care Teams, Health and others as required.

Local meetings

There are localised meetings that will be held to discuss the district CRE risks. Please contact your council Community Safety Team, or Social Care’s Early Help Manager or Senior Practitioner for your area to discuss these.

The operational pathway for these meetings can be found here

Policy and Procedure

Children at Risk of Exploitation (CRE) (opens in a new window)
Missing From Home and Care (MFHC) Protocol Child Protection Section 47 Enquiries  (opens in a new window)