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This is a heads up to some of the activities that will be available to you soon and further details will also be promoted through our GSCP Alerts.
As part of this campaign launch throughout April the Gloucestershire Safeguarding Children Partnership will be delivering information encouraging ‘trusted’ adults to help tackle the exploitation of children by criminals.
Last year alone, there were 164 referrals about children deemed to be at moderate, or significant risk of child criminal exploitation (CCE) or child sexual exploitation (CSE). The average age of the victim was 15.
In Gloucestershire children as young as 11 are being targeted by individuals and gangs for criminal gain. They are forced into selling and distributing drugs, often as part of ‘County Lines’ activity, coerced into carrying and storing money and weapons or into committing theft, burglary or robbery. They may also be sexually exploited.
The children caught up in this are victims; exploited, coerced and forced into committing crime. They may not realise they are in difficulty because an exploited child often doesn’t see themselves as victimised.
Children don’t always speak up when they are being exploited but there are often some clear signs that indicate they need help. Some of these signs include changes in a child’s behaviour, being scared to be away from their phones, being absent from school regularly, and, receiving gifts they can’t pay for.
Evidence shows children are more likely to open up to an adult they have an existing and trusting relationship with. This can include a parent or other family member, neighbour, teacher, club coach or mentor or community leader. It is these people the campaign is trying to reach.
Based around the film ‘Are you listening’, the campaign targets trusted adults, raising awareness of exploitation, encouraging people to spot the signs and report anything suspicious. Alongside the film, there will be radio adverts, social media, leaflet drops, printed and digital posters and TV advertising on Sky.
You can watch the film now before it is more broadly promoted to the public next month. https://vimeo.com/474667050
Further information and links will be disseminated as part of this campaign in the coming weeks.
 Fearless.org - Crimestoppers would like to introduce professionals to their Youth Service, Fearless.org to explain the resources, youth outreach offer and the ways these can be built into youth settings. Fearless.org are offering free Prevention Workshops to schools, education settings and youth professionals working with Year 8 students.
The Fearless.org resources also includes activities and case studies to challenge young people’s perceptions, stimulate debate and encourage good citizenship.
For further information or to sign up to these prevention workshops aimed at schools and youth professionals please email Marco.Cetara@crimestoppers-uk.org.
CE Screening Tool - The GSCP will also be launching a new Child Exploitation Screening Tool along with a comprehensive Guidance document; this will support all practitioners to make quality referrals into GCC Children's Services and Gloucestershire Police. This will be launched as part of this on-going campaign.
GSCP Training - to coincide with this campaign, will be launching their new Child Exploitation Virtual Training. This will focus on the issues of CCE/CSE and children that are missing. This course can be accessed via the GSCP Training portal MeLearning and new dates will be promoted from early May 2021.
If you have urgent safeguarding concerns please contact MASH on 01452 426565 and select option 3 or if an emergency call 999
If the concerns are non-urgent and you wish to have a conversation to consider threshold and planning, please contact the Community Social Work Team on 01452 426263.
Please complete all referrals to MASH via our online portal:
https://children.gloucestershire.gov.uk/web/portal/pages/home
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