3 things we discovered in our latest research on child 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:

1. During the school holidays, evidence suggests that the risk of a child being criminally or sexually exploited increases 
2. The risk of criminal or sexual exploitation not being noticed also increases during school holidays 
3. Whatever time of year children who are criminally and sexually exploited don’t get the support they need

1. During the school holidays, evidence suggests that the risk of a child being criminally or sexually exploited increases.

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.  

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.

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.

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.