CYP Now - Lockdowns left thousands of children at risk of exploitation, new figures show

Nearly 13,000 children identified as being at risk of criminal exploitation during lockdown could just be the “tip of the iceberg”, an independent commission set up to prevent children becoming involved in gangs has warned.

Anne Longfield's Commission for Young Lives will run for a year. Picture: Alex Deveril

The Commission for Young Lives says the new Department for Education figures that also show a 31 per cent drop in school referrals to children’s social services between 2019/20 to 2020/21, were “very concerning” for the many children that could now be out of reach.

Former children’s commissioner for England Anne Longfield, who launched the commission in September with a particular focus on preventing young people falling victim to county lines activity, said the “very sharp” drop in referrals to social services occurred during two school closures caused by Covid-19.

Longfield said the impact of these enforced school closures was still benefiting those that targeted vulnerable young people for criminal or sexual exploitation.

Register Now to Continue Reading

Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's Included