Child Criminal Exploitation

Our key call for change:

All children who have been criminally exploited are treated as children first and their rights and needs are taken into account.

Background information and introduction to our work

CLCW welcomes that children in the youth justice system in Wales are entitled to a Child First and safeguarding response under the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 and the Wales Safeguarding Procedures. These entitlements are set out in the Part 11 Code of Practice issued under the Act.

We also welcome that Wales has its own specific Practice Guide for Safeguarding children from Criminal Exploitation, to be read together with Wales Safeguarding Procedures.

The Guide states, ‘Child Criminal Exploitation is a safeguarding issue. Children who are abused through Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) should be considered as children first and their care and support needs should be considered in the same way as for any child. CCE can and does cause significant harm to children.’

The Wales Safeguarding Procedures are designed to support people and agencies across Wales to understand their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe. It is important that practitioners are also fully aware of the statutory Duty to Report Children at Risk on relevant partners under Section 130 of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014.

We also welcome that professionals working in public bodies in Wales are advised in guidance on CCE that they ‘should adopt A Children’s Rights Approach (CRA), as outlined in the Children’s Commissioner for Children’s, The Right Way, and in line with the duty of due regard to the (UNCRC) and follow the National Participation Standards.’

Our concerns and recommendations in relation to Child Criminal Exploitation can be found in a response written by Dr Croke for the Senedd Children and Young People and Education Committee Inquiry Missing on the Margins Inquiry.

For detailed research and evidence on Child Criminal Exploitation, please go to our partners CASCADE and Action for Children.