Strengthening Our Response to Child Exploitation: Resources for Professionals

The Bath & North East Somerset Community Safety and Safeguarding Partnership (BCSSP) is reminding all partner agencies of key tools and resources available to support the identification, reporting and disruption of child exploitation.

Recent audits and safeguarding reviews have highlighted the importance of ensuring professionals understand how to effectively report concerns and take action to disrupt those who may be exploiting children and young people.

Reporting Concerns to Avon and Somerset Police

Professionals can report concerns relating to child sexual exploitation directly to Avon and Somerset Police via their dedicated professional reporting portal. The portal provides guidance on what information to include, how referrals are managed, and links to wider support resources.

Avon and Somerset Police Child Sexual Exploitation Reporting Portal

Disrupting Perpetrators and Reducing Harm

Professionals are also encouraged to familiarise themselves with the Child Exploitation Disruption Toolkit, developed to support agencies in identifying opportunities to disrupt those suspected of exploiting children and young people. The toolkit outlines a range of practical interventions that can be used by safeguarding, enforcement, licensing, housing, education and community safety partners.

Many professionals are unaware of the full range of disruption powers available, and increasing knowledge of these approaches is a key part of strengthening our collective response to exploitation.

Child Exploitation Home office disruption toolkit

BCSSP encourages all practitioners to review these resources and discuss them within their teams to ensure that children at risk of exploitation are identified early, safeguarded effectively, and that appropriate action is taken against those who seek to cause them harm.