Tackling criminal exploitation and trafficking of children with SEND

Research funded by the Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre has highlighted the increased risk of exploitation and trafficking faced by children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in England and Wales.

The study, led by Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) Institute for Children's Futures in partnership with the University of Portsmouth and Portsmouth City Council, revealed critical vulnerabilities stemming from the absence of national strategies to protect this group – however, the new Policing and Crime Bill may offer safeguards against criminal exploitation and cuckooing (see box).

The report Trafficking and exploitation of children with special educational needs and disability recommends that the government should adopt more joined-up approaches to tackle the issue and provide resources so that schools and youth groups can intervene before harm happens, rather than during or after exploitation.

Many children with SEND are on long waiting lists for referrals and diagnoses. Latest Department for Education figures show that just a quarter of children in England with SEND have an education, health and care plan (EHCP) which enables them to access specialist support.

The most common type of need for those with an EHCP is autistic spectrum disorder and speech, language and communication for those with SEN support status. These children and those with social, emotional and mental health difficulties, are most susceptible to criminal and sexual exploitation, says Liz Williams, policy impact manager at the Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre, which commissioned the research.

“Children who have special educational needs face disproportionate levels of exclusion and therefore may be more vulnerable to being targeted, groomed and exploited,” she says. “This research shows how important it is to implement a well-resourced systemic response that includes schools, social care, mental health and other services to prevent exploitation and respond swiftly if such abuse happens.”

As part of their investigation, researchers interviewed staff working with children and gathered first-hand accounts during workshops with young people aged 16-25 who identified as having SEND and/or experience of exploitation.

Systemic weaknesses

The MMU study identifies six main problems with how agencies and policymakers safeguard vulnerable groups of SEND children and young people.

1 Inadequate recognition

There is anecdotal evidence that children and young people with SEND are at increased risk of exploitation and trafficking. Yet there is little mention of their specific needs in national safeguarding or modern slavery policy. There has been no clear single definition of criminal exploitation across the police, social care, health and criminal justice sectors. Agencies are working with different definitions, paperwork, and data collection methods. This fragmented approach means vulnerable children are sometimes seen as criminals, not victims.

2 Lack of robust training

Many practitioners lack knowledge of how children with SEND react and express themselves, misinterpreting communication difficulties as challenging behaviour or failing to recognise stress, anxiety, and fear as indicators of exploitation.

While mandatory training is widely available, there are inconsistencies in definitions of SEND. The research report states: “Some practitioners reported misconceptions amongst colleagues that physical impairments were disabilities, but learning needs were not, and that autism and neurodiversity were not counted as a disability.”

3 Gaps in data and policies

Practitioners overlook the impact and connections between SEND and modern slavery. The Home Office lists 17 types of modern slavery offences but the data collected focuses predominantly on child sexual exploitation (CSE) and child criminal exploitation (CCE). The National Referral Mechanism (NRM) has long been used as a framework for identifying and referring potential victims of modern slavery. In 2024, 5,999 children were referred to the NRM, 2,891 (48%) for reasons related to CCE. However, the NRM does not require the referrer to indicate whether a person has a diagnosed or suspected SEND and there are no guarantees of enhanced protection for young victims with SEND.

4 Missed opportunities

Research shows children who are excluded from school, isolated and have unmet needs are more vulnerable to exploitation. Early interventions include finding ways to keep children in education and quicker access to key services when they are first identified as being at risk. The report recommends that out-of-authority care placements should be kept to a minimum for children with SEND and they should not be allocated unregulated accommodation with inadequate support and monitoring as this makes them more vulnerable to cuckooing.

5 Education engagement

Practitioners and parents strongly believe that an inclusive education system that meets their SEND needs is paramount for keeping children and young people safe from modern slavery. Many support a renewed focus on vocational skills and experiences for young people, and call for schools to create a more nurturing environment.

6 Earlier response

Ensuring that parents’ concerns are listened to is crucial for safeguarding agencies providing a timely response, states the report. This requires more immediate action when children first go missing coupled with training, resources and multi-agency support for families.

Recommendations

The report recommends the DfE and Home Office update guidance on safeguarding disabled children and young people and implements national mandatory training to address the lack of understanding of modern slavery and SEND across education, health, social care and the voluntary sectors.

Implementing policy and practice that actively involves parents as important safeguarding partners is recommended, as illustrated by the approach taken in Portsmouth which has involved a wide range of agencies (see box). However, this is an all-too-rare example of good practice, the report notes: “Children and young people with SEND have specific needs, but these can often become invisible to agencies, and signs and indicators of trafficking/harm can be missed or misattributed to an impairment.”

CRIME AND POLICING BILL AIMS TO IMPROVE PROTECTIONS

The Crime and Policing Bill launched in February, introduced two new criminal offences which will help vulnerable young people.

It defines child criminal exploitation as someone who “engages in conduct towards or in respect of a child, with the intention of causing the child to engage in criminal conduct (at any time)”. This targets adults who use a child to commit criminal activity, such as involvement in county lines gangs, carrying weapons, and organised robbery. Conviction could lead to a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment.

Courts will also be able to issue “preventative orders” preventing those suspected of committing criminal exploitation from contacting victims either personally or by any electronic means; or going to a specific place. Breach of an order will be a criminal offence with a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.

The bill also defines cuckooing as, “to exercise control over another person's dwelling without their consent for the purpose of enabling the dwelling to be used in connection with the commission of specified criminal activity” for example, drugs, weapons and sexual offences.

This carries a penalty of up to five years’ imprisonment. The bill includes specific protections for under-18s, vulnerable individuals lacking capacity to consent, and those whose consent was not freely given.

Lucy Rylatt, Safeguarding Children Partnerships manager at Portsmouth City Council, welcomes the new legislation. She says: “We put in interventions and do prevention work to recognise children being affected by exploitation, but we need more effective measures to disrupt and deter those who involve children in criminal activity. That's why we needed the Crime and Policing Bill. Now child criminal exploitation is defined in law.”

The Policing and Crime Bill will be debated by MPs in May.  

SOUTH COAST INITIATIVE IMPROVES SUPPORT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH SEND

The lack of recognition in national legislation, policy and guidance of the raised risk of exploitation posed to children with additional needs prompted safeguarding agencies on the south coast to take action.

The Safeguarding Children Partnership of Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton (HIPS) has recently updated its Child Exploitation Risk Assessment Framework to improve the identification and protection of vulnerable children. This updated version incorporates local learning and places greater emphasis on crucial information and evidence to help protect children from exploitation and ensure their safety and wellbeing. HIPS has also developed resources, including a Community Partnership Information Sharing Form for professionals to share non-urgent information with police.

HIPS is supporting schools to build their knowledge about modern slavery and child criminal exploitation with teaching resources.

The Teachers Guide is a joint collaboration with the Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner and the Hampshire Violence Reduction Unit. It has also developed short educational films and teaching materials to use with young people across all four authorities.

Each film can be used as a standalone teaching aid but the materials can be used more systematically to tell the full story of the dangers of being groomed into child criminal exploitation. The creators have taken care to provide differentiated activities to meet the needs of young people with SEND, including non-text formats.

Lucy Rylatt, Safeguarding Children Partnerships manager at Portsmouth City Council, says: “We work with experts in adolescent services across police, health, social care and draw on all our local knowledge.

“We review and update our practice regularly, based on research findings such as the MMU report, practitioner feedback and what young people and their parents are telling us. We always want to know what we could have done differently so that we noticed what was going on earlier.”