Child exploitatation crackdown
● CHILD exploitation is being targeted across Cheshire with the rollout of a service with a track record of working with at-risk youths in Halton.
Young Addaction has been commissioned to support the county-wide Know And See campaign, which aims to educate the public about the signs that crooks may be preying on a young person for sexual or other criminal purposes.
Among those attending the launch of the service’s work across Cheshire was David Parr, Halton Borough Council chief executive, and strategic lead for tackling child exploitation in Cheshire.
He was joined by Superintendent Myra Ball, of Cheshire police’s public protection directorate, and Mike Dixon, Addaction chief executive, for the event.
Four youngsters met with the project chiefs to mark the launch of the service, which will now work across Halton, Warrington, Cheshire East and Cheshire West And Chester council areas in tackling exploitation.
A Cheshire police spokeswoman said the Know And See campaign has been running in Cheshire since 2013 but has now been relaunched with an expanded remit to include wider criminal exploitation.
Previously it was focused on sexual abuse.
The campaign’s website has also been revamped.
Know And See encourages parents and professionals to know and understand the signs of when a young per- son is being manipulated for criminal ends and what to do.
She said child exploitation is a ‘hidden crime’ and can take place in person or online, where young people are coerced into taking part in sexual activity or organised crime groups exert their power.
Concern has mounted in recent years also over increasing exploitation by drug gangs along ‘county lines’.
Mr Parr said: “Child exploitation is a risk to all our young people and our aim is to protect all our young people and help them protect themselves.
“With Young Addaction we are investing in a support service that will help vulnerable young people and their families to understand and tackle exploitation.
“Young people are not always aware that they are being abused or are too scared to tell anyone. This is why it is so important that parents and professional practitioners understand the signs and know what to do and where to go to seek help.”
Mike Dixon, Addaction chief executive, said: “If you’re worried about someone in Cheshire, then there are some simple, practical steps you can take.
“It can be hard to know how to approach these difficult subjects or what to do. This new website is great. It gives you the information and confidence to take action.”
Superintendent Ball said: “We welcome this initiative to give vulnerable young people and children the access to early intervention, empowering them to make the right choices in life and steer them away from the possibility of a life of crime.”