Let the young people lead the dance: Building trust with young people affected by criminal exploitation
This blog is published in support of AYJ’s latest briefing, From exploited to exploiter? Preventing the unjust criminalisation of victims of child criminal exploitation in the transition to adulthood. The blog shares insights from a practitioner at The Children’s Society working in Nottinghamshire, and highlights how systems often fail to recognise coercion, complexity, and trauma — especially during the transition to adulthood. The practitioner reflects on the value of trauma-informed, flexible responses and the importance of trust-building and understanding the wider contexts of harm around a person.
Exploited to exploiter? is part of a larger project funded by Barrow Cadbury Trust that explores the experiences of children transitioning to adulthood while in the criminal justice system.
What does criminal exploitation look like in the young people you support? Are there signs or patterns that get overlooked — especially in younger children or in girls?
By the time we start working with a young person, there’s already a lot of upheaval in their life. Children are passed from one professional to another – through referrals, assessments, new social workers, then the police or CPS, and trust is lost. We focus on rebuilding that trust and making the young person feel seen. Girls, in particular, tend to be overlooked. Their trauma responses are often misread as behaviour problems, especially when grooming for offending takes less visible forms. While criminal and sexual exploitation can overlap, the system still struggles to respond holistically when harm doesn’t follow familiar patterns.
“By the time we start working with a young person, there’s already a lot of upheaval in their life. Children are passed from one professional to another – through referrals, assessments, new social workers, then the police or CPS, and trust is lost.”
How do gender, race, neurodiversity or care status influence how young people are judged or supported?
Gender, race, neurodiversity and care status all shape how young people are judged and supported. For example, boys may feel more shame and are less likely to reach out for help. Girls may be judged differently, with their resulting behaviour seen as them ‘acting up’. With neurodivergent children, many are undiagnosed or misunderstood, and professionals often don't know how best to engage them. That leads to repeated referrals or missed opportunities to help. Services available to young people tend to focus on whether a young person is opening up quickly enough, rather than questioning whether the approach is right for them. One of the key strengths of The Children’s Society is that we don’t rely on a short timescale to build trust. We take a trauma-informed approach and work at the child’s pace. For some services, though, it’s very much a “three strikes and you're out” approach, but that doesn't work with young people affected by exploitation.
We can’t ignore the part race plays either. In Nottinghamshire, for example, most children we see come from predominantly white schools where racism can go unchallenged. So staff may not recognise the impact of racism or understand how exploitation can show up differently in different groups of people. So think of that as extra layer of complication in a county like this: these communities that aren’t white already feel failed by the system — that trust takes even longer to build.
“One of the key strengths of The Children’s Society is that we don’t rely on a short timescale to build trust. We take a trauma-informed approach and work at the child’s pace. For some services, though, it’s very much a “three strikes and you’re out” approach, but that doesn’t work with young people affected by exploitation.”
What happens to support and safeguarding when a young person affected by CCE turns 18? Are there clear transition pathways — and what gets missed?
There’s a big drop-off. If a young person is care-experienced, there may still be some monitoring, but the support can feel more like case-holding than meaningful engagement. And if they weren’t in care before 18, it’s even harder to find. The system treats turning 18 as a clean break, but exploitation doesn’t stop because someone becomes an adult. Too often, young people shift from being seen as victims to being seen as responsible — or even as perpetrators. We should be treating criminal exploitation more like domestic abuse, with a joined-up response that targets the source of harm and doesn’t leave young people to manage the fallout alone. We should be treating criminal exploitation more like domestic abuse: when an adult is in a coercive relationship, there’s usually a clear multi-agency response focused on the perpetrator, not just the victim. That kind of safeguarding should exist for 18-year-olds affected by CCE, too, but it doesn't. Too often, services just ask once or twice if a young person wants support, and if they say no, that’s the end of it. So you’ll see people falling through the cracks. City and county teams don’t always coordinate well, either. In Nottinghamshire, we’ve seen better use of voluntary sector organisations that aren’t associated with fear or punishment in the county. That model isn’t always mirrored in the city, where things are more ‘in-house’.
“Too often, young people shift from being seen as victims to being seen as responsible — or even as perpetrators. We should be treating criminal exploitation more like domestic abuse, with a joined-up response that targets the source of harm and doesn’t leave young people to manage the fallout alone.”
The Children’s Society works across early intervention, disruption, and recovery. You’ve mentioned trust-building: how do you create those conditions across those three areas?
One of the things that matters most in our work is how we show up; not just once, but consistently. When we meet a young person who’s been affected by exploitation, especially if they’ve been through the criminal justice system, we start by acknowledging their bravery. Just talking to us is a huge step. We also work hard to involve families. We make it clear to parents and carers that they’re our partners in safeguarding; they’re the people who know the child best, and their love and support can make all the difference. Even if the young person is in a secure setting, for example, that relationship still matters. Importantly, we don’t ‘label’ ourselves as a team. It’s a bit like a dance: we let the young person take the lead. If they’re unsure, we guide them. If they know what they want, we step back. That flexibility, and that refusal to create labels, makes it more likely that they’ll speak to us when they’re ready.
“It’s a bit like a dance: we let the young person take the lead. If they’re unsure, we guide them. If they know what they want, we step back. That flexibility, and that refusal to create labels, makes it more likely that they’ll speak to us when they’re ready.”
What changes are needed to improve support for young people affected by exploitation across the UK?
We need much more consistency. A dedicated transitions team supporting young people from 16 to 24 would help bridge that gap. Adult and children’s services should work together, sharing information and recognising that the nature of harm doesn’t change overnight. In my ten years of experience, there’s been a reduction in dedicated exploitation services. At the same time, we’re seeing younger children being targeted — including children as young as eight — and the number of 16–18-year-olds referred is increasing. That means we need better primary-age engagement, better sharing of that expertise, and better support for those just over 18 who are still vulnerable to harm.
“Adult and children’s services should work together, sharing information and recognising that the nature of harm doesn’t change overnight. In my ten years of experience, there’s been a reduction in dedicated exploitation services.”
What does good practice look like in your work with young people affected by exploitation?
It starts with patience. Many young people we work with have been let down by professionals before, so they need time to build trust. We don’t push for immediate disclosures — we give them space to talk when they’re ready. That kind of consistency and calm presence is essential. We also centre the young person’s voice. If they say they’re not ready, we don’t close the door; we keep checking in, gently, and look for other trusted adults around them who might help re-open that conversation. That’s where voluntary sector support is crucial. We’re not linked to statutory systems in the same way, so young people often feel more able to speak freely. Another key part of good practice is involving families where it’s safe to do so. Parents are often feel excluded or judged, but in many cases, they’re the best safeguarding partner. We try to build on that to help restore some of the relationships that exploitation can damage. Finally, good practice means looking beyond the individual young person and considering the environment around them. Through understanding that, you can truly begin to support their needs.
“Good practice means looking beyond the individual young person and considering the environment around them. Through understanding that, you can truly begin to support their needs.”