Child criminal exploitation

How people exploit children and young people 

Police and local authorities understand that exploiters groom, force or threaten children and young people in a different way to adults. 

The exploitation of a child is sometimes referred to as child criminal exploitation (CCE). A child, young person or vulnerable adult may be abused or put into dangerous situations. A person who is being exploited should always be treated as a vulnerable person before a criminal suspect. 

About grooming 

Grooming is when someone builds a relationship, trust or emotional connection with a person so they can manipulate, exploit and abuse them. 

Exploiters groom victims in lots of different ways. 

This can include: 

• romantic relationships 
• mentoring 
• online relationships built over social media or gaming apps 

Not all victims will recognise that they're being exploited. Sophisticated grooming often stops victims looking for help, as they don't recognise there's a problem. 

Not all children involved in criminal exploitation are known to children’s social care or law enforcement agencies. This can make it harder to identify child victims of exploitation. 

About county lines 

County lines is a term used to describe urban gangs who supply drugs to suburban areas, market and coastal towns around the UK using dedicated mobile phone ‘deal lines’. 

County lines involve CCE as gangs use children and vulnerable people to move drugs and money.

Gangs establish a base in the location where they want to work. They often take over the homes of local vulnerable adults by force or coercion. This practice is called ‘cuckooing'.

Children and young people who are being exploited by organised crime networks or county lines gangs often run up drug debts. This traps the child or young person into exploitation.

Help for victims of child criminal exploitation

If you know a child or young person who is in debt but it is unclear why, this may be a sign that they are being exploited.

Adults safeguarding