Child exploitation criminalisation
Systemic failure to divert children and young people exploited by criminal gangs away from the criminal justice system.
38 items
6 sources
1 inquiry
Strongest theme matches
Mixed across source types and ranked by classifier confidence plus text match strength.
Committee recommendation
99match
#98 - Introduce a statutory definition of child criminal exploitation to protect victims and ensure justice.
We are disappointed that the Government does not currently agree that there is compelling evidence to introduce a statutory definition of child criminal exploitation. We urge the Government to read our evidence and to consider introducing a statutory definition to ensure a) that children who commit criminal offences as a consequence of their own exploitation receive appropriate support...
Matched on
terms: child, exploitation
Committee recommendation
91match
#97 - Lack of statutory definition for child criminal exploitation causes wrongful prosecutions and inconsistent treatment.
We are deeply concerned that the absence of a statutory definition of child criminal exploitation, and the consequent different interpretations of this crime, leads to children continuing to be prosecuted for crimes committed as a result of exploitation—for example, drug-related offences. There is also inconsistency in the treatment of children when a section 45 defence is raised. It...
Matched on
terms: child, exploitation
Committee recommendation
87match
#33 - Vital to keep exploited children and young people out of criminal justice system.
To tackle county lines, we believe it is vital that the children and young people exploited (or at risk of exploitation) by criminal gangs are kept out of the criminal justice system.
Matched on
terms: child, exploitation
Committee recommendation
87match
#36 - Adopt a statutory definition of Child Criminal Exploitation to ensure consistent application.
We recommend that the Government consider adopting a statutory definition on Child Criminal Exploitation.
Matched on
terms: child, exploitation
Committee recommendation
86match
#35 - Link children and young people's drug treatment services with exploitation services for holistic support.
We recommend that the Government work with local partners to link up drug treatment services for children and young people with exploitation services to ensure that they receive holistic support.
Matched on
terms: child, exploitation
Committee recommendation
85match
#32 - Drug strategy requires further action to prevent exploitation of children by county lines.
We welcome the 10-Year Drug Strategy’s commitment to rolling up county lines but increasing law enforcement efforts is only one part of the solution. We therefore welcome the strategy’s commitment to reducing demand for drugs and to re- building the drug treatment and recovery sector. We believe that these actions will play an important role in tackling county...
Matched on
terms: child, exploitation
Committee recommendation
71match
#9 - 12th Report: Children and Young People in Custody (Part 1): Entry into the youth justice system
The age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales is a contentious issue with substantial arguments in favour both of the status quo age of 10 and an increase in that age. We are not persuaded that it should be immediately increased, but given the arguments in favour of raising it and the fact that the age in...
Matched on
terms: child
Committee recommendation
68match
#7 - Embed a safeguarding approach to prosecute paramilitary activity as modern slavery and exploitation.
Low prosecution rates for those who commit violent crime can act as a barrier to reporting the crimes of paramilitary groups and serve to perpetuate the impunity with which these groups act. An effective criminal justice system able to identify perpetrators of paramilitary violence and bring them to justice is of paramount importance. The Government must set out...
Matched on
terms: child, exploitation
Committee recommendation
66match
#10 - 12th Report: Children and Young People in Custody (Part 1): Entry into the youth justice system
We recommend that the Ministry review the age of criminal responsibility, considering the data available from Scotland and from broadly comparable European and other jurisdictions in which the age is higher than 10 at which it stands in England and Wales. We recommend that the Ministry report on the implications of raising the age in England and Wales...
Matched on
terms: child
PFD report
65match
Dainton Gittos
The coroner questioned why charges under the Children and Young Persons Act were not brought against the parents, given the evidence presented.
Matched on
terms: child
PFD report
61match
Leonardo Machado
A lack of oversight regarding the 'rental' of food delivery licenses to children under 18 places them in vulnerable lone-working situations, increasing their risk of road traffic collisions and harm.
Matched on
terms: child
Committee recommendation
60match
#37 - Pilot inclusion of Prevention Officers within County Lines Taskforces to share good practice.
We welcome the British Transport Police’s efforts to improve responses to child exploitation through the secondment of two Prevention Officers from the Children’s Society. We recommend that the Government work with other police forces with a dedicated County Lines Taskforce to pilot the inclusion of Prevention Officers within those teams, and the sharing of good practice. (Paragraph 128)...
Matched on
terms: child, exploitation
Committee recommendation
57match
#21 - Thirty-Seventh Report - Support for vulnerable adolescents
Whilst the number of children in youth custody across all ethnicities has reduced (by 73%) between 2010–11 and 2020–21, the proportion from ethnic minority backgrounds has increased (from 32% to 53%).54 Furthermore, the Ministry of Justice drew our attention to a recent HMI Probation report found that young black boys, aged 10–17, are 2.8 times more likely to...
Matched on
terms: child
Committee recommendation
57match
#20 - Thirty-Seventh Report - Support for vulnerable adolescents
Between 2010–11 and 2020–21, the number of children cautioned or sentenced for an offence reduced from 85,300 to 15,751 (an 82% reduction) and the number of first- time entrants to the youth criminal justice system reduced from 46,012 to 8,848 (an 81% reduction).50 We asked the Ministry of Justice about the NAO finding that the government does not...
Matched on
terms: child
HMICFRS recommendation
56match
PEEL 2023-25 CoC Recommendations: West Midlands Police
Cause of concern: The force doesn’t manage the risk posed by online child abuse offenders effectively. Recommendation: Immediately, West Midlands Police should make sure that it addresses the backlog of cases awaiting assessment by the online child sexual exploitation team, in particular any cases that are overdue, ensuring that intelligence is reviewed regularly to help risks to be...
Matched on
terms: child, exploitation
Committee recommendation
55match
#6 - Thirty-Seventh Report - Support for vulnerable adolescents
The Ministry of Justice and Home Office seem to lack curiosity about the increase in the proportion of children from ethnic minority background in youth custody and appear to have no current plan to address the situation. While the number of children in youth custody across all ethnicities has reduced by 73% from 2010–11 to 2020–21, the proportion...
Matched on
terms: child
LGO / SPSO decision
47match
22-003-490 - Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a failure by the Council to take action to assist Ms X’s family when a child was being exploited. The complaint is late and there is no good reason to consider it now.
Matched on
terms: child
HMICFRS recommendation
44match
PEEL 2023-25 CoC Recommendations: Metropolitan Police Service
Cause of concern: The force doesn’t manage the risk posed by online child abuse offenders effectively Recommendation: The Metropolitan Police Service should immediately provide consistent access to victim identification officers.
Matched on
terms: child
Committee recommendation
39match
#1 - 7th Report – Combatting new forms of extremism
Extremism is evolving rapidly and becoming more complex. Long-standing terrorist threats remain but new forms of extremism are emerging and give rise to growing concern. The impact of geo-political events is likely to intensify in light of continuing conflict in the Middle East. There has been a marked rise in the prevalence of young people being drawn into...
Matched on
classifier match
IMB recommendation
39match
Feltham (2024)
What is the Government doing to address youth knife crime and gang culture, which leads young people to custody with very long sentences for crimes of extreme violence?
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classifier match
Committee recommendation
35match
#9 - 7th Report – Combatting new forms of extremism
Prevent is poorly adapted to deal with the digital world. We have outlined how online spaces are now central to the radicalisation process, particularly for young people, yet Prevent lacks the specialist knowledge or framework for identifying and assessing credible risk signals from online behaviour. Integration of Prevent into wider safeguarding systems is being hampered by poorly resourced,...
Matched on
classifier match
LGO / SPSO decision
30match
24-004-715 - Surrey County Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s involvement in Ms X’s child’s case. The law prevents us investigating complaints about what happened in court, and we have no power to overturn a court decision and return Ms X’s child to her care.
Matched on
terms: child
LGO / SPSO decision
30match
24-004-580 - London Borough of Havering
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s involvement in Mr X’s child’s case. The matter is being considered by the courts, and we are therefore prevented in law from investigating it.
Matched on
terms: child
LGO / SPSO decision
30match
24-021-015 - West Northamptonshire Council
Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the Council’s involvement with her children. The law prevents us from investigating anything that is the subject of court proceedings. We also cannot achieve the outcome Miss X wants.
Matched on
terms: child
LGO / SPSO decision
30match
24-020-426 - Kent County Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council failed to properly consider the complainant’s concerns about the placement of her children with their father. This is because the complaint concerns matters which have been considered and decided in court, or are closely related to such matters.
Matched on
terms: child
IMB recommendation
27match
Feltham (2025)
Address knife crime and gang conflict in London (Mayor of London).
Matched on
classifier match
LGO / SPSO decision
26match
24-021-357 - London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s involvement with her child. The law prevents us from investigating anything that has been the subject of court proceedings or could have reasonably been raised in court. We cannot achieve the outcome Ms X wants.
Matched on
terms: child
Inquiry recommendation
18match
R11 - Sexual offences intelligence retention
The Code of Practice should have particular regard to the factors to be considered when reviewing the retention or deletion of intelligence in cases of sexual offences.
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classifier match
IMB recommendation
18match
Wetherby (2020)
Increasing numbers of YP are charged with violent offences and are placed in custody, either sentenced or on remand. What is being done at a national level to reduce the levels of violence among YP?
Matched on
classifier match
LGO / SPSO decision
18match
24-005-324 - Lancashire County Council
Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint. This is because there is no sign of fault in the Council’s decision not to consider his complaint whilst there are ongoing court proceedings.
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classifier match
LGO / SPSO decision
18match
24-003-323 - Nottinghamshire County Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with matters concerning a safeguarding matter. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault.
Matched on
classifier match
LGO / SPSO decision
18match
24-011-580 - London Borough of Haringey
Summary: Miss X complained the Council has failed to properly investigate her complaints about the Council’s actions following the decision to place her grandson in her care. She also complained the Council has failed to address her concerns or provide an appropriate remedy. We found the Council’s failure to provide support and the use of an inappropriate contact...
Matched on
classifier match