Reading List

These official sources underpin the course material and offer practical follow-up for managers, safeguarding leads and staff needing local policy detail. The primary operational focus is England; separate signposting is provided for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

England and UK-wide exploitation sources

• Working Together to Safeguard Children
  Statutory England guidance on multi-agency working to help, support and protect children.
• Children's homes regulations, including quality standards: guide
  England guide for registered children's homes covering protection, leadership, recording and partnership expectations.
• Children who run away or go missing from home or care
  England statutory guidance on preventing children going missing and on safeguarding when they do.
• Criminal exploitation of children and vulnerable adults: county lines
  Home Office guidance for frontline professionals on county lines, indicators of vulnerability and the safeguarding response.
• Child exploitation disruption toolkit
  Home Office toolkit for safeguarding children and young people under 18 from sexual and criminal exploitation.
• Modern slavery: how to identify and support victims
  Statutory guidance for England and Wales and non-statutory guidance for Scotland and Northern Ireland, including information on the NRM.
• Tell Ofsted about a serious incident in a children's home or secure children's home
  Guidance on serious incident notifications where exploitation, harm or other serious safeguarding events may require reporting to Ofsted.
• Crime and Policing Bill: child criminal exploitation and cuckooing factsheet
  Current government policy context on proposed offences and prevention orders. Check legal updates and local policy before relying on Bill provisions.

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland signposting

• All Wales Practice Guide: Safeguarding children from child criminal exploitation
  Wales practice guide to use alongside the Wales Safeguarding Procedures.
• National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland 2021 - updated 2023
  Scotland's national framework for child protection responsibilities and responses, including exploitation and trafficking concerns.
• Co-operating to Safeguard Children and Young People in Northern Ireland
  Northern Ireland child safeguarding policy framework for statutory, private, independent, community, voluntary and faith sectors.

Use these sources to support local policy, but in live safeguarding work always follow the child's current plan, the placing authority's procedures and emergency routes.