South Lanarkshire Child Protection Committee is an inter-agency group with responsibility for ensuring effective child protection services across South Lanarkshire. The committee ensures arrangements are in place to bring about good outcomes for children and aims to see all children and young people are kept safe and protected from abuse, neglect, harm and exploitation at home and in their community.

The National Child Exploitation Awareness Day aims to highlight the issues surrounding Child Exploitation; encouraging everyone to think, spot and speak out against abuse and adopt a zero tolerance to adults developing inappropriate relationships with children or children exploiting and abusing their peers.

What about Child Sexual Exploitation? Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) is a form of child sexual abuse involving someone in a position of power forcing or enticing a young person under the age of 18 to take part in sexual activity in return for something – this could be money, gifts, accommodation, affection or status. Like other forms of abuse, a child or young person could be unaware of what’s happening. Sexual exploitation can take place in many different ways. It could be in person, online or a combination of both and can include children who are trafficked from within the UK or abroad.

How can I find out more? South Lanarkshire Child Protection Committee have published a suite of leaflets whether you are a child, young person, parent, family or community member, or even a local business, we all have a part to play in preventing CSE. You can help by knowing what to look out for and by sharing your concerns about a child or young person.

For further information

STOP CE – National Child Exploitation Awareness Day (stop-ce.org)