NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
LUTON
The Public Working in Partnership with Bedfordshire Police for 40 years
Creating Safer Communities Together
Child criminal exploitation
Child criminal exploitation is when someone uses a child (under 18 years old) to commit crimes for them.
It includes things like forcing a child to work on a cannabis farm, or grooming a child to sell drugs in county lines operations.
Child criminal exploitation can involve bribery, violence or threats. The child does not need to have met whoever is exploiting them - children can be exploited via the internet or using mobile phones.
A child may have been exploited even if it looks as if they have willingly committed the crime.
Children can be exploited by individuals or groups, men or women, and adults or young people.
People who exploit children use the fact that they have power over children, because of an age difference or some other factor like gender, intelligence, strength, status or wealth.
Who is likely to be exploited
Any child can be a victim of child criminal exploitation. But risk factors include:
neglect or abuse
not having a safe and stable home
poverty
social isolation or other social difficulties
connections with people involved in gangs or crime
disability
mental health issues
alcohol or drug problems
being in care
being excluded from mainstream education
Signs of exploitation
Signs to look out for include:
often going missing from home or school and being found away from their normal area
unexplained money, clothes or mobile phones
having multiple mobile phones
getting lots of phone calls or texts
relationships with older people
unexplained injuries
carrying weapons
abandoning friends and their social circle
school performance getting worse
self-harm
significant emotional changes (like becoming more angry or sad)
Any sudden change in a young person’s lifestyle could be because of criminal exploitation and you should talk to them about it.
Social media
Criminal networks use social media to groom and recruit children for county lines. They may send them direct messages (knowns as ‘DMs’), or share messages to wider groups as ‘stories’ or ‘posts’.
Ways OCGs use social media
advertising drugs through photos, emojis, and price lists
posting statuses that show money, new drugs or when a dealer is open for business
dealers sharing ‘stories’ to followers, and using social platforms to expand their network with ‘suggested’ friends
tricking people with ‘fast cash’ scams, which is often referred to as ‘squares’. Victims may end up working for no little or no money, which is known as ‘debt bondage’
advertising for ‘workers’ or ‘runners’ to recruit people into county lines activity
using hashtags linked to drugs
using emojis as code for drug, violence and sexual activities, eg the snowflake emoji (for buying cocaine), 8-ball emoji (for buying an eighth of an ounce) or the rocket emoji (for purity of drugs)
Cuckooing
OCGs often use high levels of violence and intimidation to protect the ‘county line’ and control them. One of these forms of control exploits vulnerable people by using their home as a base for dealing drugs, a process known as cuckooing. Dealers often convince the vulnerable person to let their home be used for drug dealing by giving them free drugs or offering to pay for food or utilities.
Often OCGs target people who are lonely, isolated, or have addiction issues. It's common for OCGs to use a property for a short amount of time, moving address frequently to reduce the chance of being caught.
There are several signs to look out for that may indicate someone is a victim of cuckooing:
frequent visitors at unsociable hours
changes in your neighbour’s daily routine
unusual smells coming from a property
suspicious or unfamiliar vehicles outside an address
Missing persons linked to county lines
Children and young people involved in county lines may go missing or be out of touch for long periods. During these times, they may be at risk of harm or violence.
If you are reporting a child as missing, you should look out for signs they may be getting exploited. You should note:
transport they may be using
people they may be with
people they may be in contact with
You can seek additional support from Missing People's SafeCall service, which is dedicated to those impacted by county lines.
Advice for children
If you are worried about a friend
It can be really worrying if you know someone who is in a gang or who you think may be being exploited. You don't have to cope with things on your own.
You could:
let them know how you feel
encourage them to think about their safety and their future
suggest they contact Childline on 0800 1111 or online
ask an adult for help, like a parent or teacher you trust
call 999 if you think they are in immediate danger and need urgent help
How to leave a gang
try to spend less time with the other gang members
try to avoid places where you know the gang will be
contact Childline on 0800 1111 or online
ask an adult for help, like a parent, teacher or youth worker you trust
call 999 if you are in immediate danger and need urgent help
focus on things that you enjoy like sport, music, art, reading or hobbies
Advice for parents and guardians
Child criminal exploitation is a form of child abuse.
Advice about child abuse for parents, guardians and professionals
Report possible child criminal exploitation
If you suspect someone of criminally exploiting children, or think someone you know has been or is at risk of becoming a victim find out how to report possible child abuse.
If someone is in immediate danger and needs urgent help please call 999 now or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via crimestoppers-uk.org
Help and support
Parents Against Child Exploitation (Pace)
Support for parents and carers of children who are being exploited by criminals.