Gangs, County Lines, CSE and Peer-on-Peer Abuse

Keeping Children Safe in Education specifies that all staff should have the skills and knowledge to respond to all signs, reports and concerns of child on child sexual violence.

Child sexual exploitation (CSE) is a type of sexual abuse. When a child or young person is exploited they’re given things, like gifts, drugs, money, status and affection, in exchange for performing sexual activities.

Gangs, also called street gangs or youth gangs, a group of persons, usually youths, who share a common identity and who generally engage in criminal behaviour. In contrast to the criminal behaviour of other youths, the activities of gangs are characterised by some level of organization and continuity over time.

County Lines is where illegal drugs are transported from one area to another, often across police and local authority boundaries (although not exclusively), usually by children or vulnerable people who are coerced into it by gangs. The ‘County Line’ is the mobile phone line used to take the orders of drugs.

Peer on peer abuse occurs when a young person is exploited, bullied and / or harmed by their peers who are the same or similar age; everyone directly involved in peer on peer abuse is under the age of 18.

CSE, gangs, county line and peer on peer abuse are not mutually exclusive safeguarding concerns. It is important that those working with young people understand how one type of abuse can lead to another type of abuse.

Your understanding of the course is tested though multiple-choice questions and you will receive a CPD accredited certificate, on the successful completion of the course.

This course has been created and delivered by Milly Wildish, a child protection specialist who has worked in criminal and education settings. Milly was the chair of the Multi Agency Sexual Exploitation Panel (MASE) for Newham London. Milly is a national safeguarding panel member and is currently engaged in a large-scale independent investigation, into current and historical allegations of child abuse.