Find out what Barnardo’s latest research has uncovered about how the school holidays and cost-of-living crisis may affect the number of children who are at risk of criminal and sexual exploitation.
Jess Edwards, Senior Policy Adviser – Childhood Harms who wrote our report, Invisible children: Understanding the risk of the cost-of-living crisis and school holidays on child sexual and criminal exploitation, shares what she thinks are the three most important findings.
We know from research we did earlier this year that the cost-of-living crisis is having an unprecedented impact on children, young people, and families, with many struggling to access food, fuel, clothing and safe and warm housing (Barnardo’s, 2023.) In past crises, organised criminal gangs capitalised on financial pressures, leaving children more exposed to criminal and sexual exploitation. On top of this, already-limited services to protect and safeguard victims of exploitation are being stretched, meaning many children are going without critically needed support.
We wanted to find out about the potential scale of this issue and what we, as the UK’s largest children’s charity, can do to tackle the issue. We collected information from police forces, local authorities and Police and Crime Commissioners. On our behalf YouGov surveyed children aged 11-17, and parents and carers from across Great Britain. We also listened to children and young people supported by Barnardo’s child sexual exploitation and child criminal exploitation services and interviewed our staff who work with them. Finally, we interviewed interns from Leaders Unlocked, an organisation that works with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, including those who have previously been exploited.
Through this research we found three things:
- During the school holidays, evidence suggests that the risk of a child being criminally or sexually exploited increases
- The risk of criminal or sexual exploitation not being noticed also increases during school holidays
- Whatever time of year children who are criminally and sexually exploited don’t get the support they need
Three key findings from Invisible Children
The summer months are bad. There’s two sides to it – not having the money, and having more time on their hands.
Barnardo’s project worker
Child sexual exploitation and child criminal exploitation service in Devon.
Over the school holidays children and young people often spend more time without close adult supervision. With the cost-of-living crisis, it is likely that many parents may need to work more and longer hours to help make ends meet. Rising costs will also mean many parents won't have money to pay for activities or for children to attend holiday programmes, meaning that they are unoccupied and unsupervised. This doesn’t always lead to exploitation, but it does create unmet needs which organised crime gangs or individuals could target and exploit.
2. The risk of criminal or sexual exploitation not being noticed also increases during school holidays
When children are out of school during holidays, they can become ‘invisible’ to professionals and services, particularly when they are not in contact with trusted adults such as youth workers or other professionals. We know that schools play a key role in helping protect children, given their close relationships and their knowledge of the signs of exploitation. A Barnardo’s project worker described schools as the “eyes and ears” of safeguarding and said that there is “less oversight” of exploitation issues during the school holidays.
Our research into police forces’ data found that in months when there are school holidays of two weeks or longer (for example Easter holidays in April or summer holidays in August), the number of incidents of child sexual exploitation recorded drops. We know from our frontline work with children who have been exploited that this abuse doesn't stop when schools are closed. This suggests that, when children are out of school during holiday periods, their exploitation is less likely to be identified and reported to the police – meaning that child victims are going unidentified and unsupported when they are not in school.
During summer, when they’re going to be at home… because parents can’t afford to take them anywhere because it’s too expensive, they will be on their phone in their bedroom, online. So, the exploitation online is just going to go through the roof.
Barnardo’s project worker
Child sexual exploitation and child criminal exploitation service in Tees Valley.
3. Whatever the time of year children who are criminally and sexually exploited don’t get the support they need
Children who have been criminally or sexually exploited benefit from having access to specialist support services who understand their experiences. This can include therapeutic and counselling, mental health and advocacy services.
These services help to support and safeguard children who have faced exploitation, harm and abuse, and help them to try to understand their experiences and work through their trauma (Centre of expertise on child sexual abuse, 2017).
Despite the clear benefits that specialist support services provide, they are often few and far between, and whether a child can have specialist support can be a postcode lottery.
Something I always remember, on my first home visit, the first thing I asked is how long is this service for? Because I don't want to go to another worker in a couple of weeks’ time. And you told me there was no end date. And I said good.
Young person supported by Barnardo’s
However, for most children who have experienced exploitation, the vital specialist support services they need to safeguard and support them are not there.
Our research found that out of those local authorities who provided information, two thirds (68%) had not commissioned any child sexual exploitation or child criminal exploitation specialist support services, in the past 12 months. For Police and Crime Commissioners, the figure was four in 10 (39%). Investment and large-scale expansion in specialist support services for child victims of exploitation is crucially needed.
During those dark moments, the only people I had in my corner were my mum, my nan and Barnardo’s. It’s just so sad to think of all the other children who are made to feel the same way [I was] and don’t have anyone there.
Savannah
Young person supported by Barnardo’s
Following the research, we have made recommendations to governments across the UK to help protect children and young people and ensure all victims of child sexual and criminal exploitation get the specialist support they need.
In September 2023 we submitted an open letter to the Secretary of State for Justice with over 20,000 signatures. The letter called on the Government to take action through the Victims and Prisoners Bill to ensure all children who experience criminal and sexual exploitation are able to access specific support services to safeguard and support them.
Invisible Children report
Read the full Invisible children report to learn more details about how the cost-of-living crisis and school holidays impact on child sexual and criminal exploitation.
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