Legislation to criminalise child criminal exploitation doesn’t do enough to protect vulnerable children.
An announcement earlier this year from the Home Office revealed that child criminal exploitation (CCE) will be recognised as a specific criminal offence in the upcoming Crime and Policing Bill. This decision aims to strengthen the legal framework surrounding the protection of vulnerable children, and to provide law enforcement agencies with the tools necessary to combat the growing issue of criminal exploitation.
By establishing child criminal exploitation (CCE) as a distinct offence, the Home Office is taking steps to recognise the seriousness of this issue, and enhance the legal mechanisms available to authorities combating the exploitation of children. Whilst this legislative change is a positive step, further measures are needed to ensure effective safeguarding and protection for vulnerable and exploited children.
Legal definition
The establishment of a clear legal definition of child criminal exploitation is absolutely critical to the safety of criminally exploited children. This definition would facilitate a better understanding of CCE amongst law enforcement, social and youth services, ensuring a more coordinated and effective response. The implications of not having a legal definition of child criminal exploitation will be the continued postcode lottery which dictates whether a criminally exploited child is treated with a safeguarding lens, or as we most commonly see, treated as a criminal and started on the pathway of criminal justice.
Funding for training
Additionally, it is crucial to commit resources to training and support for front-line responders, such as police officers, social workers, and educators – to equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge to recognise and respond to CCE effectively.
Relational and contextual safeguarding
A crucial aspect of safeguarding children from exploitation is not relying on the victims to disclose their experiences. Instead, a relational and contextual approach is vital in understanding the risks children face outside their homes. Focusing on the environments in which children navigate their daily lives, authorities can better identify, and mitigate the factors that contribute to CCE, whilst providing a relational holistic response to the victim and their family as well as building resilience and trust in the wider communities.
Parents as partners
Adopting a trauma-informed approach will allow practitioners to centre their efforts on the needs of the child and acknowledge the profound impact exploitation has on the entire family. Collaborating with parents as safeguarding partners is essential; this partnership can foster a holistic support system. Evidence collated by Ivison Trust clearly demonstrates that included and supported parents correlate with increased positive safeguarding outcomes for children.
Health-centred approach
A health-centred approach must guide the response to child criminal exploitation, emphasising the need for investment in addressing the psychological and emotional impacts on affected children and their families. By offering mental health support and counselling, we can create a more robust safety net that helps to heal those affected by exploitation. In our research parents regularly identify the devastating impact child exploitation has on theirs and their children’s emotional, psychological and physical health. Resources to support meaningful interventions are essential for immediate and long-term outcomes for the child and family.
The Home Office’s decision to classify child criminal exploitation as a specific offence within the Crime and Policing Bill is a momentous step forward in protecting vulnerable children. However, the effectiveness of this initiative hinges on further commitments, including a clear legal definition, comprehensive training for responders, a community-focused approach (using relational and contextual safeguarding), parents to be treated as equitable safeguarding partners and a resources to address the health impacts on children and their families.