Agenda item - Presentation - Young People at Risk of Exploitation

84.1    The Head of Service (Adolescents and YOS), Exploitation Coordinator and Team Manager, Adolescent Services who provided a presentation on Young People at Risk of Exploitation.

84.2    The presentation provided an overview of child exploitation in the city and the wider Sussex area.

84.3    Cllr Lloyd noted that work was being done with the police to ensure youths did not get criminal records and asked if there had been much success with that.  Officers advised that it was a work in progress, but it was proving to be successful. The Council had a good relationship with the police which helped. It was important to look at what had triggered the behaviour and why it was felt that the young people were vulnerable.

84.4    Cllr Lloyd asked if using children as ‘runners’ was a recent thing. Officers said that children had been involved for many years, but there had been a change of language used, and it appeared that this activity was much more organised than it had been previously.

84.5    Cllr O’Quinn agreed that it was important not to criminalise young people, and asked what happened with those who were not identified as being vulnerable? Officers advised that they worked with all the children not just their families. Sometimes the young people get involved in the distribution of drugs thinking it was a good thing to do and they can make money, but staff were there to support them when they realised that what they were doing was wrong.

84.6    Cllr Grimshaw asked where parents should go if they felt that their children were being exploited. Officers advised that ‘Front Door for Families’, which was on the Council’s website, should be the first point on contact and could be accessed via the following link: https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/frontdoorforfamilies. Cllr Grimshaw suggested that information be publicised, maybe on bus stops etc. Officers said that was something they would look into.

84.7    Ms Boyd asked how the officers were working with other teams to ensure that there was a solid understanding of those with neurodiversity, and those with speech and language issues, and what training were staff receiving and was there preventative work with schools around exclusions and keeping children in schools to keep them safe. Officers there was an Adolescent Service and they had education workers who worked alongside professional to put together the best package to support young people. Speech and language was important and some young people had undiagnosed issues, particularly those who had missed some of their education, and that could impact on their behaviour. There was funding available for speech and language therapists but there was currently a national shortage and the council had not been able to recruit to those posts. With regard to preventative steps, staff did link in with the Early Help Strategy and worked closely with colleagues in the voluntary sector and offered consultancy and guidance where appropriate.

84.8    RESOLVED: That the Committee noted the presentation.