Local picture

1. County Lines – The local pictureDet Insp. Ben Newman Specialist InvestigationsDS Lynda Lynch Youth Safety Intervention Team

2. Local picture • Key Sussex areas: Worthing, Eastbourne, Bognor and Brighton • Exploitation of adults is common feature: Cuckooing • Exploitation of children is common feature: Youngest 13 years old, 10% of Sussex lines utilise children, 3% use children for sexual purposes, 17% of lines use trafficked children i.e. out of force area children

3. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-manchester-45840115/i-regret-grooming-young-drug-dealershttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-manchester-45840115/i-regret-grooming-young-drug-dealers

4. Risk Indicators What behaviours or signs of exploitation are there?

5. Looked after / In care or… • “Cleanskin” • Violent behaviour/ Anti Social Behaviour • Found by police with Gang members or adult drug users • Secretive about friends / new friends • Family conflict • Unexplainable cash • Risk taking behaviour • Unexplained bruises or injuries

6. Going Missing • Drug / alcohol misuse • Being arrested in possession of drugs • Lack of school interest / truancy • Unexplainable new clothing • Additional mobile phones • Rail Tickets • Vulnerability factors: • Mental health • Learning difficulties • Exposure to domestic abuse • Excluded

7. Advanced Search How are Sussex Police tackling county lines? • Removal of “absent” category – county lines/sexual exploitation considered as part of risk assessment – High risk? • Markers on Police Systems • Response plans for children and young people identified • Use of legislation eg:- Drug Dealing Telecoms Restriction orders • Pro-actively working with Cuckoo’ed victims/cuckoo’ed addresses • Scoping meetings with partners • Referrals to the National Referral Mechanism

8. Cont’d • Use of Modern Slavery legislation • Use of Child Abduction Warning Notices • 3rd Party Intelligence Forms • Drive to increase referrals to Children’s Services • Regular discussion around county lines at weekly Police intelligence Meetings and command meetings (TTCG) • Targeting of Hotspots • Operations (covert, Op Sceptre, County Lines Intensification week) • Co-ordinated Regional Approach

10. MACE (multi agency child exploitation) process • Referrals into panel • Regular meetings with agencies to discuss most at risk children, partners include: • Children’s Services – incl. Child’s social worker • CAMHS • YOT/YOS • ESBAS • School Nurse • Prevention Youth Officers • Missing Person and CE teams • Substance misuse services • WiSE • Sexual health nurse

11. Challenges Lack of disclosure or willingness to provide information to Police Impact of arrest – drugs debt- loss of drugs Loyalty to exploiters Lack of realisation/acceptance by child that they are being exploited Money Out of County placements Arrests of children from other Counties/London Boroughs Lack of intelligence – NEED more from partners Fast moving area of criminality Lack of Early Intervention **REBOOT**

12. SPOA,999,101 or intelligence?

13. 15year old pupil on the MACE panel for exploitation concerns leaves school at lunchtime, having been picked up by an unknown adult male and others in his car down the road from school. Parents are contacted and do not know who this is and advise that pupil shouldn’t have left school • SPOA, 999, 101 or intelligence? • A year 11 pupil has told another pupil that he has a cousin in London who has asked him to go up to London in a couple of weeks to “make some money” by selling weed. No previous concerns around this young person. • SPOA, 999,101 or intelligence? • Rumours are going around the school about 2 pupils in year 10 who have both got two mobile phones each. The rumours are that the children are dealing pills. Both children’s attendance has dropped off recently. Their bags have been searched but no phones or illegal substances have been found. • SPOA, 999, 101 or intelligence.