In March, Action for Children published the findings of the Jay Review of Criminally Exploited Children, an extensive UK-wide review of exploitation, led by Alexis Jay CBE. Here is our first follow-up report to the Review, ‘I don’t want to go down that road’.
This report examines the shocking extent of the harms caused to exploited children across the country and the response of local agencies.
We make three recommendations for immediate change at a government level to ensure criminally exploited young people are effectively safeguarded and supported:
- Investment in targeted exploitation prevention and support services for exploited young people.
- Exploitation recognised as a distinct form of child abuse.
- A welfare-first approach in the management of offences committed by exploited children.
The report was featured in Channel 4 news on Thursday, 31 October. You can watch the feature here.