Children and young people may experience risk factors out of and beyond their family home.  Relationships formed within school, neighbourhoods and online can involve violence, abuse and exploitation. Parents and carers often have little influence over the wider environment within which their children move around but it is important that ‘contextual’ safeguarding issues are recognised. 

If you are worried about something which is happening out of the family home, you can speak to a trusted adult for advice.  These are some of the issues which the term ‘contextual safeguarding’ refers to:

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Child Criminal Exploitation, Gangs and County Lines

Sometimes it can be exciting being part of a gang and feeling that you belong to something.  However, some gangs may be associated with criminal and anti-social behaviour and you might be drawn into this without realising what is happening.  Sometimes children and young people are pressured and coerced into activities which might involve the movement of drugs with threats of violence to themselves or their families if they do not comply.  If you are worried that the people you are associating with are acting illegally and you feel unsafe, please talk to a trusted adult.

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Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) and online grooming

Child Sexual Exploitation is a form of sexual abuse. When a child or young person is exploited they might be given things like gifts, drugs, money in exchange for sexual favours.

Children and young people are often tricked into believing they are in a loving relationship. This is called GROOMING; they may trust their abuser and not understand that they are being abused.

CSE can happen in person and online. An abuser will gain a child or young person’s trust and control them through violence and blackmail before moving onto sexually abusing them.

If a child is sexually exploited online they may be persuaded or forced to;

• Send or post sexually explicit images of themselves,
• Film or stream sexual activities,
• Have sexual conversations.

Once an abuser has images, videos or copies of conversations, they may use threats and blackmail to force a young person to take part in sexual activities.

If you are worried that you or a friend is at risk of being sexually exploited, speak to a trusted adult or a member of the safeguarding team.

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Knife Crime and Serious Violence

Gun and knife crime doesn’t just relate to instances when someone is stabbed or short.  It is also illegal to:

• carry a knife
• threaten someone with a knife or gun
• commit a crime with the use of a weapon - like a robbery
• commit a crime by pretending you have a real knife or gun.

Sometimes, children and young people carry weapons because they think they are protecting themselves.  However, just carrying a weapon brings a risk to self and others, and also makes a person more likely to be targeted. No child or young person should ever be in a position where they feel so scared, they feel it is necessary to have a weapon in their possession.  If you have any concerns, talk to a trusted adult or a member of the safeguarding team.

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Child Trafficking, Exploitation and Modern Slavery

Child trafficking occurs when young people are tricked, forced or persuaded to leave their homes. They might be then moved, sometimes to other areas or countries, and exploited, forced to work or sold. Child trafficking and exploitation are types of child abuse.

Some of the things a child or young person could be tricked or forced into doing for someone else’s benefit include:

• Made to have sex or perform sexual acts (sexual exploitation
• Work (for example in a factory, restaurant or someone’s house)
• Beg, steal or commit crime
• Grow, carry or deal drugs
• Sell bodily organs
• Forced into a marriage

If you have any concerns, talk to a trusted adult or a member of the safeguarding team.

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