National Child Exploitation Awareness Day – 18th March 2022

#HelpingHands #CEADay22

National Child Exploitation Awareness Day is a time for organisations to raise awareness about the importance of all forms of exploitation. This includes modern slavery, criminal exploitation, sexual exploitation, and trafficking. The aim is to highlight and share good safeguarding practice and key areas for practice development linked to exploitation.

We have focused upon raising awareness of Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE).

What Is Child Sexual Exploitation?

Child sexual exploitation (CSE) is a type of sexual abuse. It occurs when an individual or group takes advantage of a power imbalance to manipulate a child into sexual activity. It can happen in person or online. For more information about CSE, please visit the NSPCC website and the Safeguarding Partnership’s CSE page.

This short video by Barnados’s will help you spot some of the signs of CSE and help you respond appropriately if you are worried that a child or young person may be a victim of CSE.

If you are concerned about your own behaviour towards children or young people you can contact the Lucy Faithfull Foundation.

The National Working Group (NWG) Network are a charitable organisation in the UK with a network of practitioners that share information around Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE), wider exploitation and trafficking. NWG are using Child Exploitation Awareness Day to highlight Child Sexual Exploitation and to encourage everyone to think, spot and speak out against CSE.

The NWG’s ‘Say Something if you see Something’ initiative is an all year round key message; aimed at supporting children, young people, parents, professionals and statutory and voluntary services to spot the signs of CSE. It is everyone’s responsibility to speak out if they are worried that a child or young person may be a victim of sexual exploitation.

If you are worried about a child being at risk of sexual exploitation, please contact our Stronger Families Hub on 01895 556 006 or use the following link for professional referrals.

If you are worried about the behaviour of a member of the workforce, whether professional or volunteer, please contact our Local Authority Designated Officer.

Key Local Services Contribution to National Child Exploitation Awareness Day

Adolescent Development Service:

The Adolescent Development Service offer targeted fun and free programmes for 8 – 19 year olds that live, learn or earn in Hillingdon. The programmes delivered by the Adolescent Development Service for the week will raise awareness through discussions about CSE.

The Adolescent Development Service have produced this great film called ‘Out of Town’ about CSE, county lines and grooming. The film is accompanied by a resource pack that can be used directly with children and young people.

To make a referral to the Adolescent Development Service, please visit Targeted programmes for children and adolescents – Hillingdon Council

Brook:

Brook is a national charity that offers sexual health services, education and wellbeing support to professionals, children, and young people. Please visit the Brook website for more information on a range of topics including relationships, abuse, consent and sexuality.

Brook have a free e-learning course to help professionals identify victims of CSE. For information about Brook services in Hillingdon please click on this poster.

#LookCloser Campaign:

The Children’s Society, The National County Lines Co-ordination Centre and The British Transport Police are raising awareness about child exploitation in public places. This campaign challenges stereotypes and highlights that any child can be a victim of exploitation anywhere.

For information regarding the free Programme of Learning virtual sessions by the Children’s Society and their partners please download the timetable.

Metropolitan Police:

The Metropolitan Police will be implementing Operation Makesafe, by engaging in proactive outreach to businesses, hotels and the community to raise awareness about CSE. Whilst supporting owners and employees to identify potential victims of exploitation.

Universal Youth Service:

Many of our Young People’s Centres will be having discussions and workshops around Child Exploitation Awareness Day. For more information about our Young People’s Centres please click on this link Young people’s centres and bus – Hillingdon Council

Please find the current timetable for the Mobile & Detached Team below. The team of youth workers travel around in the Transporter, which is Hillingdon’s mobile youth bus. Offering state-of-the-art facilities and a mobile drop-in for young people who might not have access to their local young people’s centre and/or other facilities.