CYP Now - Moving children away from gangs fails to protect them, say experts

Moving teenage victims of criminal exploitation away from their local area is not an effective way of protecting them from gangs, according to expert analysis.

Intensive follow-up meetings are needed to ensure a child's safety, the report says. Picture: Adobe Stock

The Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel’s It Was Hard To Escape report looked at how teenagers can be better protected from criminal exploitation.

It found that moving children and families affected by gang crime “works for a short period but is not effective as a long-term strategy”.

“Moving children or whole families out of the area provides a breathing space and immediate safety but was not effective as a medium or longer term strategy,” states the report, which calls for a “clear and consistent plan for supporting the child and managing risk in the new location”.

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