Philip Seccombe, Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner, is once again supporting the national fight against child exploitation on Child Exploitation Awareness Day (Tuesday 18 March), alongside local partners.
Agencies including Warwickshire County Council (WCC), Warwickshire Police, Barnardo’s, Warwickshire NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Warwickshire Safeguarding Partnership Board will be working alongside the OPCC to raise awareness with a range of online and offline activities.
Spot the Signs
Skipping school, being secretive when online and hanging out with older people are just some of the signs of child exploitation – and we all have a responsibility to spot them as hundreds of children and young people are exploited every year. Child exploitation can manifest itself in different ways and this year’s awareness campaign in Warwickshire will focus on the way technology is negatively impacting on children and young people.
This could be, for example, through sextortion scams, peer-to-peer sharing of inappropriate images, the use of AI for the creation of deepfake images and videos, and the use of social media to groom children and young people. The links between knife crime, gang activity and other forms of child exploitation such as county lines drug dealing and other coerced criminal activity will also be highlighted, as well as the concerning use of vapes by perpetrators to facilitate exploitation and abuse.
Police and Crime Commissioner for Warwickshire, Philip Seccombe, said:
“Exploitation affects some of the most vulnerable people in our society and is ever-changing. Everyone in Warwickshire needs to recognise the many forms these offences take, with the planned activities this week being a great opportunity to understand how we all play a role in spotting the signs and ensuring they know where support is available for the victims of these crimes.
“Police cannot tackle this issue alone. This is why it’s vitally important to work with partners to address it. This includes services which I commission, including Barnardo’s, who provide support to children and young people exploited across Warwickshire. Understanding the signs of exploitation helps us prevent these offences taking place, so we can ultimately build a safer Warwickshire for all.”
Get Involved
Throughout the week, Warwickshire agencies will be out and about raising awareness of forms of child exploitation with adults and young people. Warwickshire residents are being asked to pledge to put a stop to child exploitation by learning how to recognise the signs and reporting it if they feel that something’s not right.
Professionals working with young people in Warwickshire will have the opportunity to take part in a range of free online child exploitation awareness training throughout the week.
Schools and community young groups will be encouraged to educate young people, staff and volunteers about issues including peer and online exploitation, warning signs such as children not being in school, and the impact of exploitation on young people’s mental health.
Everyone is encouraged to:
- Learn what the signs of child exploitation are
- Know where to go to report anything that’s not right
- Write a message of support for victims of exploitation on their hands and share it on social media using the hashtags #CEADay25 #HelpingHands #WarwickshireCE
- Share social media messages from WCC and partners across social media to spread awareness
Child exploitation signs to look out for in a child or young person include receiving expensive gifts and money, hanging out with older people, using drugs and drinking alcohol, mood swings, self-harming, going missing, staying out late, being secretive and skipping school to name a few. As a Child Friendly county, Warwickshire is committed to creating safe environments where young people feel secure and protected from harm.
Help and Support
- For information on how to spot the signs of child exploitation and advice visit https://www.somethingsnotright.co.uk
- If you are worried about a child or young person, contact Family Connect between 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, on 01926 414144
- You can also make a report to Warwickshire Police via their website or by calling 101, or you can contact your local Children and Family Centre
- Contact Crimestoppers confidentially and anonymously on 0800 555 111
- Talk to trained counsellors on the 24-hour helplines run by ChildLine on 0800 11 11 and the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000
- If someone is in immediate danger, call the police on 999
This year’s campaign in Warwickshire amplifies the messages of the county’s Something’s Not Right campaign, a partnership initiative between the Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Warwickshire County Council, Warwickshire Police and Barnardo’s. Since its launch, the campaign has raised awareness in Warwickshire of all forms of child exploitation to encourage everyone to tackle the issue.
