Practitioners working with children and young people in Northern Ireland must follow established procedures when reporting safeguarding concerns. The primary source of guidance is Co-operating to Safeguard Children and Young People in Northern Ireland This framework outlines the responsibilities of individuals and organisations across statutory, voluntary, and community sectors in identifying and responding to child protection issues.

For operational detail, practitioners should refer to the Regional Core Child Protection Policies and Procedures for Northern Ireland (SBNI, 2017). This manual provides step-by-step guidance on responding to abuse and neglect, making referrals, and managing child protection case conferences.

In assessing the needs of children and young people, determining whether a referral to children’s services is required, professionals should use the “Understanding the Needs of Children in Northern Ireland (UNOCINI) framework”. The completion or part completion of the UNOCINI documentation is NOT a prerequisite to make a referral to Children’s Social Care Services. If there is a concern that a child or young person may be a potential victim of CCE it is important that that concern is shared as early as possible and arrangements followed for sharing of information.

The UNOCINI framework offers a structured approach to assessing a child or young person’s developmental needs, parental capacity, and environmental factors. It also includes thresholds of need and guidance on when and how to refer a child to the Health and Social Care Trust Gateway Services. Further guidance documents are referred to in the section “Legal and Policy Context.”

If someone or something is making a child feel scared, threatened or distressed, report it to the police by calling 101 or 999 in an emergency

If you are concerned about the welfare of a child or young person, contact the relevant Health and Social Care Trust Children’s Services Gateway Single Point of Entry Team (Mon-Fri: 9.00am-5.00pm). See SBNI Child Protection Policies and Procedures for more info.

Engaging parents and carers where they are not the perpetrator is a critical component in safeguarding children and young people who may be at risk of CCE. Families often serve as the first line of protection, and often with the right support, they can play a vital role in identifying concerns early and safeguard children and young people from exploitative situations.

Practitioners must recognise that parents and carers may face significant barriers when trying to protect their child or when seeking help.

These barriers can include:

• Fear of being blamed or judged for their child’s involvement in criminal activity or exploitation.
• Concerns that their reports will not be taken seriously by professionals or agencies.
• Worries that their child will be criminalised rather than supported, particularly if the child has been coerced into illegal behaviour.
• Anxiety about school exclusion, which can increase vulnerability by removing the child from a protective environment.
• Fear of retaliation or recriminations from those exploiting their child, which may prevent them from speaking out or engaging with services.
• To address these concerns, services working with children, young people, their families and carers should:
• Adopt a non-judgmental and trauma-informed approach, ensuring that parents and carers feel heard, respected, and supported.
• Provide clear information about the nature of CCE, including how coercion and control are used by perpetrators.
• Offer practical support and guidance, including referrals to specialist services, community organisations, and peer support networks.
• Ensure confidentiality and safety planning, particularly when there is a risk of retaliation from perpetrators.
• Work collaboratively across agencies to provide coordinated and consistent support.

By building trust and offering meaningful support, practitioners can empower parents and carers to take protective action and contribute to safeguarding their child from further harm.

Effective risk assessment is a cornerstone of safeguarding practice when responding to children and young people at risk of or experiencing, exploitation. This form of harm often involves serious organised crime, coercion, and hidden dynamics that require a sensitive and structured response.

The UNOCINI Framework, provides a statutory, multi-agency tool for assessing a child or young person’s needs in context. It supports practitioners in identifying concerns related to exploitation, whether criminal, sexual, or both, and guides appropriate safeguarding action.

UNOCINI should be used:

• When indicators of exploitation are identified (e.g. unexplained injuries, missing episodes, possession of items without means);
• Alongside child protection procedures, including Inter-agency Referral Discussions (IRDs), and consideration of referral to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM);
• When a child or young person is suspected to have been coerced into criminal activity under duress or manipulation;
• When concerns arise about grooming, trafficking, or coercion by other children and/or adults;
• When a child or young person is living under threat. The joint protocol (PSNI and HSCT) in relation to Threats to Life policy should be instigated.

Threats to life whether from paramilitary groups, organised crime, or other sources are a serious safeguarding concern and must be addressed under statutory obligations, including Article 2 of the Human Rights Act. These threats often arise in contexts such as Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE), Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE), drug-related coercion, and organised crime.

Where an immediate risk to life is identified, practitioners must activate emergency safeguarding procedures: refer to police, initiate multi-agency risk assessment, and involve social care as appropriate. Early identification, trauma-informed engagement, and robust information-sharing are essential. Exploitation frequently involves grooming, coercion, and violence, and victims may present as individuals involved in offending behaviour, prompt action is critical to prevent harm.

The flowchart below taken from the UNOCINI Framework, outlines the key steps in the Preliminary Assessment Process under UNOCINI, guiding practitioners through the decision-making process to ensure decisions made are defensible and take cognisance of safeguarding concerns, to enable an effective response.

No single agency can fully understand or respond to the complexities of CCE in isolation. Effective risk assessment depends on robust collaboration and timely information sharing across all agencies. Local safeguarding partnerships should have clear protocols in place to facilitate joint assessments and decision-making.

This flowchart, embedded in the UNOCINI Framework, provides a structured decision-making guide for practitioners who are considering sharing information in the context of safeguarding concerns. It outlines a step-by-step process to help determine whether information can be lawfully and appropriately shared, balancing the need for confidentiality with the imperative to protect individuals from harm. By following the flowchart, practitioners can ensure that their actions are informed by legal, ethical, and organisational standards, and that any information shared is justified, proportionate, and in the best interest of the child or young person concerned.

Annex B outlines key tools and strategies to disrupt the activity of suspected perpetrators of child exploitation. These strategies are essential for safeguarding victims and preventing re-offending. While PSNI lead enforcement, other services play a vital role and should understand the legal powers available to support disruption efforts.

Disruption can be both proactive (e.g. applying for orders) and reactive (e.g. pursuing offences). Strategic use of prosecution powers plays a central role in disrupting exploitation networks and sends a clear message that such abuse will not be tolerated. Equally important is the role of practitioners in ensuring that children and young people coerced into criminal activity are diverted from prosecution where appropriate.

Timely, coordinated action is key. Practitioners should record and share any orders or actions taken, and check for existing measures to ensure a joined-up approach to disrupting perpetrator activity.