Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE)

Practitioner Guidance

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Child criminal exploitation is a form of child abuse that can cause serious and lasting harm to children and young people. It is often hidden, misunderstood, or misidentified, particularly where children and young people appear to be involved in criminal activity. 

This guidance is designed to support a consistent, child-centred safeguarding response across Northern Ireland.

Guidance at a glance

  • Published by
    Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland (SBNI)
  • Audience
    Practitioners and managers across all children's services in Northern Ireland
  • Development
    Co-designed with practitioners and informed by lived experience

  • Introduction

    There are multiple types of harm which constitute child exploitation (CE). The most common of which can be categorised as; sexual, criminal, and financial with an increasing incidence of terrorism and radicalisation.

  • Guidance

    This guidance aims to be an accessible, user-friendly resource for practitioners across sectors, bringing together the core elements of existing frameworks, legislation, policy, and guidance relevant to children and young people who are exploited in Northern Ireland.

  • Agency Roles

    While it is our collective responsibility, each agency involved in safeguarding has a clear role and distinct responsibilities, underpinned by statutory duties and legal frameworks including The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 and the Safeguarding Board Act (Northern Ireland) 2011.

  • Service Pathways

    Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE), requires a coordinated, preventative, and trauma-informed response. A Public Health Approach provides a strategic framework that addresses exploitation at multiple levels, and offers a practical and effective way to organise services and the pathway through them.

  • Annexes

    Additional information to support the guidance.

About this guidance

What this guidance brings together

This practitioner guidance brings together key legislation, policy, research, and practice guidance to help professionals recognise, prevent, and respond to child criminal exploitation. It reflects the understanding that exploitation rarely occurs in isolation and that children may experience multiple, overlapping harms within their families, peer groups, communities, and online environments.

Why this matters

Children who are exploited are victims, not perpetrators

Children and young people who are exploited are victims of abuse and coercion, not perpetrators. Failure to recognise exploitation early can result in significant physical, emotional, and psychological harm and can allow exploitation to continue unchecked.

A shared understanding and coordinated response are essential to protecting children and young people, disrupting exploitation, and supporting recovery.

Who this guidance is for

Practitioners and managers across all children's services

This guidance is primarily for practitioners and managers across all services that work with children and young people in Northern Ireland. It may also be useful for parents, carers, and others who wish to better understand child criminal exploitation.

How this guidance was developed

Co-designed with practitioners, shaped by lived experience

The guidance has been produced by the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland (SBNI), working closely with government departments, statutory agencies, and community and voluntary sector partners. It has been shaped by co-designed workshops with practitioners and informed by the views and lived experiences of children and young people, shared through trusted organisations.

How you can use this guidance

Supporting day-to-day safeguarding practice

The guidance is intended to support day-to-day safeguarding practice. It is designed to be practical, accessible, and relevant, supporting practitioners to act with confidence and consistency.

  • Recognise signs, risks, and vulnerabilities linked to child criminal exploitation
  • Apply trauma-informed, child-centred, and contextual safeguarding approaches
  • Understand roles, responsibilities, and service pathways
  • Support early intervention, information sharing, and multi-agency working
  • Promote language that avoids stigma and recognises children and young people as victims
  • Strengthen prevention, protection, disruption, and recovery responses