Gender-conscious approach

Gender-conscious approaches are vital in safeguarding efforts, as they recognise and respond to the distinct experiences and vulnerabilities of children and young people based on their gender identity. This includes challenging harmful gender norms and ensuring that interventions are inclusive, equitable, and responsive to the specific needs of boys, girls, and non-binary children and young people. By adopting a gender-transformative lens, practitioners can move beyond simply acknowledging gender differences to actively addressing the structural inequalities that contribute to exploitation and harm. This approach helps create protective environments where all children and young people can feel seen, heard, and supported, regardless of gender identity.

CCE is child abuse, not a lifestyle choice. Children and young people coerced into criminal activity are victims, not perpetrators. While some children and young people may commit offences as a direct result of exploitation, this does not negate their status as victims. Responses must prioritise protection over punishment, challenge stigma, and recognise the impact of coercion, ensuring that safeguarding remains central even when criminal behaviour is present.

While boys and girls may be exploited in different ways, it is critical that practitioners recognise the full spectrum of gender identities and experiences. Gender should never be assumed, and responses must be inclusive, respectful, and tailored to the individual needs of each child or young person. LGBTQ+ youth acknowledge intersectional vulnerabilities.

Gendered experiences of CCE are shaped by:

  • Community pressures
  • Cultural attitudes toward gender and identity
  • Paramilitary influence

It is important that practitioners ensure responses are inclusive, respectful, and tailored to individual needs, including those of LGBTQ+ youth.

Boys and young men are often overrepresented in criminal justice responses, particularly in relation to gang-related activity, drug trafficking and violence. They are often visible in street-level offending or public disorder, particularly in areas with known paramilitary activity. Their exploitation is frequently misinterpreted as criminality rather than child abuse. The Jay Review – Action for Children highlights that boys are frequently criminalised instead of protected, and their experiences of coercion and trauma are often overlooked. Boys are:

  • Misidentified as perpetrators rather than victims resulting in a reluctance to engage with professionals, for fear of being labelled
  • Reluctant to disclose due to fear, stigma, or threats
  • Influenced by older peers
  • Discouraged to seek help due to societal expectations around masculinity.

It is important that practitioners recognise trauma and coercion, not assume resilience or complicity.

Girls and young women are often exploited in more hidden or complex ways, including:

  • Dual criminal and sexual exploitation, sometimes simultaneously.
  • The Barnardo’s NI report Not a World Away identifies that girls in care or those who go missing are particularly vulnerable to sexual exploitation, which may be linked to wider patterns of criminal abuse
  • Grooming or exploited by paramilitary groups into criminal activity under the guise of relationships, social media or protection.
  • Coerced into storing drugs or weapons.

They may also face victim-blaming attitudes or be perceived as making “choices” rather than being coerced. Gender-conscious practice should challenge these narratives and ensure girls receive the same recognition and protection as boys.

LGBTQ+ young people may face vulnerabilities such as social isolation or rejection by family or peers, targeted grooming by perpetrators under the guise of acceptance or protection. These young people may be fearful of disclosing abuse due to fear of discrimination or lack of trust in services. Perpetrators may target LGBTQ+ youth through social media or dating apps, using affirming language or shared identity to build trust before manipulating or coercing them. Barriers to disclosure include fear of being “outed”, previous negative experiences with services, or concerns about confidentiality. Facilitating access to LGBTQ+ peer support groups or advocacy services can help reduce isolation and empower young people to engage with protective networks.

Effective gender-conscious safeguarding requires:

  • Awareness of gendered risks and dynamics
  • Inclusive, non-stereotyped assessments
  • Sensitivity to identity, trauma, and coercion
  • Multi-agency collaboration using consistent, child-centred approaches.

The SBNI and member agencies are committed to changing perceptions and ensuring that children and young people are protected, not punished. This requires challenging stigma and victim-blaming, recognising coercion and control and responding with care, not criminalisation. Responses must also take account of intersecting vulnerabilities, including disability, race, ethnicity, gender identity, and socio-economic disadvantage, which can compound risk and impact access to support.