Child criminal exploitation and serious violence: staff factsheet

Outline the key factors around child criminal exploitation (CCE) and make sure your staff understand:

• What CCE is
• That children who are criminally exploited and commit crimes themselves are still victims
• Who's more at risk of CCE and involvement in serious violence
• What potential indicators to look out for
• What to do if they have concerns

Use this resource as a basis for talking about the issue at a staff meeting, or send it around for staff to have as a resource and read themselves.

Make the discussion interactive

Use these questions to start a discussion at your next staff meeting:

• What effect does CCE and serious violence have on a child?
• What can we do, as a school, to help children stay safe in the community as they become more independent?
• How might these issues overlap with online safety?
• Gangs will often target children you might not 'expect' to be involved in criminal activity. How might this apply to our context? How can we make sure we're alert to the vulnerability of all children?

Test your knowledge

Follow up with our safeguarding scenario on CCE and serious violent crime to check whether staff can spot potential signs and know how to follow your procedures.