Schools coordinate early intervention efforts with social workers and youth workers. Schools engage in early preventative work by raising awareness and educating children and young people about CCE. They provide pastoral care and support to prevent issues from escalating. In particular, schools should be looking to maintain children and young people at risk in school and addressing underlying issues.

Schools play a key role in the early identification of children and young people at risk of CCE. They assess the needs of these children and young people and provide appropriate support.

Schools are involved in safeguarding structures and need to understand where CCE fits within these frameworks. They follow clear guidelines, policies and procedures for intervention and support. Training for teachers and safeguarding staff is essential.

Schools collaborate with social workers, youth workers, and other agencies to provide comprehensive support. This collaboration ensures that all relevant information is shared and responses are well-coordinated to ensure all parties are aware of the risks and signs of CCE. Schools contribute to the development of family support and protection plans. They work with social workers and other agencies to ensure that the needs of the child and young person and their family are addressed.

Schools work with the PSNI and other agencies to disrupt those exploiting children and young people

Schools collect and share information related to CCE with other agencies. They ensure that responses are well-coordinated and that the needs of the child and young person are addressed.

• Youth services engage in early preventative work by raising awareness and educating children, young people, parents, and carers about CCE. They provide support to the child or young person to prevent issues from escalating and have clear pathways for making referrals and delivering appropriate interventions to reduce risk and respond to need.

• Youth services play a key role in the early identification of children and young people who may be targeted by perpetrators of CCE. They assess the needs of the child or young person and provide appropriate support.

• Youth services are involved in safeguarding structures and need to understand where CCE fits within these frameworks. They follow clear guidelines, policies, and procedures for intervention and support. Training for youth workers and other staff is essential.

• Youth services collaborate with social workers, police officers, CVS and other agencies to provide comprehensive support. This collaboration ensures that all relevant information is shared and responses are well- coordinated to ensure all parties are aware of the risks and signs of CCE. Youth workers contribute to the development of family support and protection plans. They work with social workers and other agencies to ensure that the needs of the child and young person and their family are addressed.

• Youth services work with the PSNI and other agencies to disrupt those exploiting children and young people.

• Youth services collect and share information related to CCE with other agencies. They ensure that they coordinate with other agencies and that the needs of children and young people are addressed.

• The CVS engages in early preventative work by raising awareness and educating children and young people about CCE. They build trust and provide support to the families and the young person to prevent issues from escalating and have clear pathways for making referrals and delivering appropriate interventions to reduce risk. They ensure the voice of the child is central to all interventions and maintain clear pathways for referrals and appropriate support.

• The CVS plays a significant role in the early identification and assessment of children and young people at risk of CCE. They engage with children and young people and assess their needs to provide appropriate support. Identify signs of exploitation through community engagement and direct work with children and young people. May initiate or contribute to the completion of a UNOCINI. For example, through direct engagement and trusted relationships with children and young people, the CVS may identify early signs of exploitation or vulnerability and share concerns with safeguarding partners.

• The CVS collaborates with statutory services and other organisations to provide comprehensive support. They share information appropriately and use the correct escalation routes. They work with PSNI, social workers and other agencies to ensure that the needs of the child and young person and their family are addressed. The Independent Guardian works alongside statutory agencies to share information, attend strategy meetings, and support coordinated responses, contributing to care planning, and safeguarding reviews, ensuring the child’s voice is central.

• The CVS works within safeguarding structures to address CCE. They follow clear guidelines, policies, and procedures for intervention and ensure that their efforts are aligned with statutory services. They contribute to safeguarding discussions and support children through advocacy and practical assistance. Whilst the role of the Independent Guardian is mandated in statute under Section 21 of the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Criminal Justice and Support for Victims) Act (Northern Ireland) 2015, it is currently being undertaken by a CVS agency. The Independent Guardian plays a key role in representing children who have been victims of human trafficking and ensuring that their best interests are promoted. The CVS also ensures that children and young people’s voices are heard in safeguarding processes, advocating for trauma-informed responses and contributing to threshold discussions.

• The CVS plays a role in disrupting exploitation by identifying and supporting children and young people at risk. They work with social workers and the police to address the issues related to CCE. For example, the role of the Independent Guardian is to support children and young people who have been or have potentially been victims of human trafficking and/or exploitation. This is achieved through relationship-based work, practical support and an advocacy role as a bridge between the young person and statutory agencies, with support offered until the age of 21.

• The CVS collects and shares information related to CCE with statutory services. They ensure that responses are well-coordinated and that the needs of children and young people are addressed

• Provides support to children and young people to prevent issues from escalating and have clear pathways for making referrals and delivering appropriate interventions to reduce risk.

• Plays a key role in the early identification of children and young people at risk of child exploitation. They assess the needs of these children and young people and provide appropriate support. They ensure that children and young people are maintained in school and refer children and young people at risk of exploitation to appropriate agencies.

• Work within safeguarding structures to address CCE. They follow clear guidelines, policies, and procedures for intervention and ensure that their efforts are aligned with other statutory services.

• Should collect and share information related to CCE with other agencies. They ensure that they coordinate with other agencies and that the needs of the child and young person are addressed.

• Collaborate with statutory services, other organisations, and families to provide support. They share information appropriately and use the correct escalation routes. They work with social workers and other agencies to ensure that the needs of the child and young person and their family are addressed. They ensure that links between exploitation and school attendance and behaviour are identified.

• Play a role in disrupting exploitation by identifying and supporting children and young people at risk, particularly to remain in school.

• Designated Responsible Person from social work, social care, and primary care investigate the circumstances of any child who lives, or is found, in the authority’s area who is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm, and to take all necessary steps to address that harm. They evaluate current safeguarding structures to determine where CCE fits within them. They ensure that clear guidelines, policies (e.g. Threat to Life), and procedures are in place for intervention, reflecting the broad spectrum of CCE. They must adhere to the joint protocol procedures established between HSCTs and PSNI when responding to risk, ensuring timely information sharing, coordinated risk assessment, and appropriate safeguarding actions in line with statutory responsibilities.

• Designated Responsible Person from social work and/or social care, and primary care for example, Social Workers in partnership with PSNI lead the collaboration with other agencies to ensure that all relevant information is shared and responses are well-coordinated. This multi-agency approach ensures comprehensive support for the child or young person and their family. They develop comprehensive child in need, family support and protection plans. These plans address the specific needs of the child or young person and their family, providing tailored support to prevent exploitation. Designated Responsible Person from social work and/or social care, arrange for direct support to children and young people and their families where appropriate as part of these plans.

Designated Responsible Person from social work, social care, and primary care alongside other agencies engage in early preventative work with children, young people and their families. They collaborate with the CVS to support children, young people and their families under pressure, preventing issues from escalating to the point where statutory intervention is required. They have clear pathways for making referrals and delivering appropriate interventions to reduce risk and address need.

Designated Responsible Person from social work, social care, and primary care play a crucial role in the early identification and assessment of children and young people at risk of child exploitation. They recognise the signs of exploitation early and conduct thorough assessments to understand the risks and needs of the child or young person.

• Designated Responsible Person from social work and/or social care, work with the PSNI and other agencies to hold perpetrators to account alongside disrupting and deterring those exploiting children and young people.

• Designated Responsible Person from social work and/or social care, play a key role in working with police to collect, collate, and analyse information related to CCE. They ensure effective coordination of information and have a lead role in co- ordinating the multiagency response to address the needs of all children and young people involved.

Community Safety Wardens provide a visible presence in hotspot areas, help deter criminal activity, and act as a point of contact for reporting concerns. Other activities (midnight soccer schools to divert from anti- social behaviour/sport activities) facilitated by the Councils engage children and young people in early preventative work, creating safe spaces and also helps raise awareness about CCE. They engage parent/carers in support sessions and youth forums to promote safeguarding messages. Support is offered to children or young person to prevent issues from escalating and staff have clear pathways for making referrals and delivering appropriate interventions to reduce risk.

Detached youth workers engage directly with children and young people in their own environments e.g., streets, parks, and community spaces, rather than formal settings, creating opportunities to identify early signs of grooming or exploitation and offer support and diversionary activities. They assess the needs of these children and young people and provide appropriate support.

Community safety initiatives play a role in disrupting

exploitation by identifying and supporting children and young people at risk and by addressing issues and environments within communities that can lead to exploitation. They work closely with social workers and the police to identify risks and needs.

Community safety initiatives works within safeguarding structures to address CCE. They follow clear guidelines, policies, and procedures to report concerns, deliver interventions and ensure that their efforts are aligned with statutory services. Councils can strengthen safety by investing in trauma informed youth spaces, supporting multi-agency partnerships, and ensuring community settings where young people feel safe, heard, and protected from exploitation.

Community safety initiatives collaborate with statutory services and other organisations to provide support, ensuring that interventions are timely and culturally appropriate. They share information appropriately about emerging risks and use the correct escalation routes. They work with other agencies to ensure that the needs of the child and young person and their family are addressed.

Community safety initiatives should collect and share information related to CCE with other agencies. They ensure that they coordinate with other agencies and that the needs of the child and young person are addressed.

• YJA adopt a “Child First” approach, aiming to prevent offending and reoffending by identifying and supporting children and young people at risk before they enter the formal justice system. YJA facilitate Children’s Diversion Forums (CDFs) to identify and support children and young people vulnerable to offending, where there may be criminal exploitation. YJA assess the needs of these children and young people and provide appropriate support. They help create a cohesive and effective system to address CCE and protect children and young people.

• YJA collect and share information related to CCE with other agencies, contributing to the delivery of coordinated services to address the needs of the child They support children and parents involved in the Criminal Justice System to recognise and respond to CCE, in partnership with others.

YJA is involved in safeguarding structures and understand where CCE fits within these frameworks. They follow clear guidelines, policies, and procedures for intervention and support. Additionally, they contribute to family support and child protection plans in collaboration with other partner agencies.

YJA collaborate with social services, youth services, education, police and other agencies to provide support. This collaboration ensures that all relevant information is shared, the needs of children and families are met and that services are well-coordinated. YJA contribute to the development of family support and protection plans.

YJA helps disrupt CCE by proactively sharing information on grooming patterns, unsafe locations, and concerning associates, and by using supervision, diversion, and safety planning to limit perpetrator access. Through professional curiosity, regular monitoring, and strong relationships with children and families, YJA identifies emerging risks early and challenges the influence of exploiters. YJA contributes to multi‑agency disruption plans, supports police with contextual information for protective orders, addresses online and community‑based risks, and works with parents and partners to reduce opportunities for exploitation and strengthen protective networks around the child.

YJA engages in early preventative work by raising awareness and educating children and young people about CCE. They provide support to the child or young person and their families to prevent issues from escalating and have clear pathways for making referrals and delivering appropriate interventions to reduce risk of exploitation.

The PSNI coordinate disruption efforts, such as working with housing authorities (e.g., NIHE) and being aware of activities in the home and in the community. They play a key role in disrupting exploitation by enforcing laws and prosecuting perpetrators. They work with social workers and other agencies to address issues related to CCE. They manage any risk of harm or threat posed by an individual and gather evidence of potential offences.

The PSNI collect, collate, and analyse information related to CCE. They ensure effective coordination of information and response, working with other agencies to address the needs of all children and young person involved.

The PSNI engage in early preventative work by raising awareness and educating children and young people about CCE. The PSNI work with other agencies to provide tailored support and signposting for children and young people. The PSNI work with the Health and Social Care Trust and other agencies, including the Community and Voluntary Sector to identify children and young people and families to receive early intervention support.

The PSNI play a crucial role in the early identification and assessment of children and young people at risk of CCE. They work alongside the Health and Social Care Trust to investigate whether a child or young person is suffering or likely to suffer Significant Harm. PSNI recognise the signs of CCE and conduct assessments to understand the risks and needs of the child or young person.

The PSNI work within safeguarding structures to address CCE. They follow clear guidelines, policies, and procedures for intervention and ensure that their efforts are aligned with statutory services. Practitioners must adhere to the joint protocol established between Health and Social Care Trust services and PSNI when responding to threats to life, ensuring timely information sharing, coordinated risk assessment, and appropriate safeguarding actions in line with statutory responsibilities.

The PSNI collaborate with statutory agencies and the Community and Voluntary Sector, to share information appropriately and use the correct escalation routes. The PSNI contribute to the development of family support and protection plans. They work with Health and Social Care Trust and other agencies to ensure that the needs of the child and young person and their family are addressed.

PPS Provide pre-charge advice, apply the two-stage prosecution test and build strong prosecutions of perpetrators, which the PPS prosecute before the court. The PPS is central to disrupting exploitation networks and sends a clear message that child criminal exploitation will not be tolerated. Where necessary PPS build evidence led prosecutions when a victim cannot or is unable to support a prosecution and the evidential and public interest test are met.

While not a frontline agency for identification, the PPS contributes by recognising indicators of exploitation, provides pre-charge advice to police, applying the two-stage prosecution test, diverting matters where appropriate, and prosecuting before the courts. PPS support the use of the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) where relevant in identifying victims to ensure victims who have been exploited are not unnecessarily criminalised.

Plays a significant role in ensuring that the rights and welfare of child victims are considered throughout the process through trauma-informed and child-centred legal proceedings. Safeguarding considerations are an important consideration in all decisions and will be considered carefully when applying the two-stage prosecution test. The vulnerability of children and young people who have been exploited will in all cases be considered in line with the Best Interests of the Child Principle, as set out in Article 3(1) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Work closely with PSNI, and other investigative bodies, within the wider criminal justice system to build strong prosecutions against perpetrators and to ensure a coordinated approach to prosecution and safeguarding. This includes contributing to policy development, and providing signposting to victims and those at risk of CCE to the help available from other partners. Working with Young Witness Service, Victim and Witness Care Unit and Victim Support to ensure that victims are supported and informed and their needs within the criminal justice system addressed.

Ensures that legal responses are informed by the evidence, law and legal guidance and prosecutorial standards. The PPS works with other criminal justice partners to ensure that victims are supported throughout the criminal justice system. Victims are kept informed throughout consideration and prosecution of criminal offences arising from investigatory files. In all relevant communications the complexity of CCE is reflected and the need for a robust coordinated response emphasised.

PPS has a role to educate and raise awareness of its staff.

PBNI may identify signs of exploitation during pre-court assessments and supervision and refer concerns to safeguarding partners.

PBNI plays a key role in ensuring safeguarding is embedded in risk assessments and supervision case plans, and contributes to multi-agency safeguarding panel forums.

PBNI works closely with PSNI, Youth Justice Agency, Trusts, and others to share information, manage risk, and support safeguarding and disruption efforts (with both victims and perpetrators). They contribute to the formulation of risk management plans within the Public Protection Arrangements for Northern Ireland (PPANI).

Through supervision and risk management, PBNI helps disrupt exploitation by addressing offending linked to exploitation, supporting behavioural change and where necessary and proportionate, imposing external controls.

PBNI contributes by sharing relevant information and participating in strategy discussions and case reviews.

PBNI contributes through CSE awareness raising and staff training and development.