Child exploitation

Child exploitation

Keeping children safe is everyone's responsibility. We encourage everyone to think, spot and speak out against abuse and adopt a zero-tolerance policy to adults developing inappropriate relationships with children; or children exploiting and abusing their peers.    

Parents and carers may find it difficult to differentiate between what is ordinary child/teenage behaviour and what is a risk of or involvement in exploitation but there are some signs that may signify that children or young people are being groomed for exploitation or actually being exploited.  

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, so it is important to learn how to Spot the Signs:    

• Change in friends  
• Change in appearance  
• Missing day or night  
• Going to new places  
• Spending more time online 
• Unexplained injuries   
• Coping mechanisms; self-harm, alcohol or drugs   
• New unexplained items

Find out more about how you can help a child or young person you are concerned about here.