Summer campaign in partnership to keep children safe

The Police and Crime Commissioner, Donna Jones, has relaunched the annual Is Your Child Safe? campaign to raise awareness of child exploitation throughout Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

The drive to help parents, guardians and care givers spot the warning signs is being highlighted in conjunction with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Violence Reduction Unit, Hampshire County Council, Isle of Wight Council, Portsmouth City Council and Southampton City Council.

The campaign runs throughout the summer holidays offering advice on how to spot the signs of child exploitation, what to do and where to get help.

PCC Donna Jones said: “Child exploitation is happening now across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The signs are subtle but they are clear indicators for when a child is being groomed for criminal or sexual exploitation.

“We all need to understand what exploitation looks like, how to prevent it from happening, how to get advice and how to support children who become the victims of criminalisation and abuse.”

Child exploitation is when individuals or groups coerce, manipulate or deceive a child into doing what they want in return for something the child wants or needs. This can include the child being coerced into having sex or committing crimes such as carrying and delivering cash or drugs for a gang.

These people, normally older children or young adults, offer money, drugs, gifts, protection, friendship, love or affection to gain the child’s trust. They may also use physical violence and threats. This is often called Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) or Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) and involves grooming.

Children who go missing are much more vulnerable to exploitation and it is often the most common sign that something is wrong. In the last 12 months, from July 2023 to June 2024, 3013 children were reported missing to Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary. Many of these children went missing several times.

PCC Donna Jones added: “I’m really pleased to be launching this child safety campaign in partnership again this summer. There is an undercurrent of child exploitation across our two counties. Children often don’t see that these people aren’t their friends so we all have a collective responsibility to protect them.”

Director of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Violence Reduction Unit, Jim Pegler, said: “There is strong evidence that shows children who have positive and trusted adult role models are less likely to be exploited into criminality or violence. Most local authorities have online resources that list activities available over the summer to ensure those who care for children have options that can help keep their child safe.”

See the signs

• Regularly going missing/coming home late

• Increasingly secretive
• Suddenly having an older boyfriend/girlfriend or friendship group
• Sudden change in friendships
• Returning home under the influence of drugs/alcohol
• Unexplained injuries
• STDs or pregnancy/terminations
• Getting into trouble at school/in the community
• Suddenly having expensive clothes, trainers, money and valuable items
• Asking for money for often excessive need for money
• Receiving a lot of texts/phone calls
• Burner phones/multiple phones
• Sudden interest in gang culture/drill music or other types of music you are not familiar with
• Change in language – use of urban slang or phrases related to drug dealing
• Carrying items linked to criminal activity like weapons, balaclavas, tools, stash bags or small weighing scales

What can I do?

• Ask questions and listen without judgement. Children need to know they can talk without fear of their parents getting cross and upset.
• Pay attention to their behaviour. Many children cannot voice their worries but will show them in how they act.
• Know their friends. Question new friendships and be aware of any secrecy around these.
• If your child is picked up by someone in a car, make you know who they are and where they are going, and record as much detail as possible.
• If your child takes a journey on a train or bus on their own, check their ticket, know the route and their destination.
• Take an active interest in their online life by checking their phone and internet history.
• Use online security settings and talk about the sites they are visiting and why.

Get help
Visit www.isyourchildsafe.org to see the support available in your area.