Businesses

BUSINESSES.

Business Responsibilities

Children can find themselves in unhealthy relationships through no fault of their own. In some cases, the relationships become exploitive in many ways, including sexually. The children may also be trafficked in a number of different ways.

Safeguarding children is everyone’s responsibility. Child sexual exploitation is a form of child sexual abuse and is never okay.

There are steps you can take to help keep children safe within your area of business, upskill your workforce in spotting signs those children may be at risk and building their confidence in steps to take if they are concerned.

It is your responsibility to make sure that you:

• Know and understand what child sexual exploitation is

• Recognise the warning signs

• Know who to contact and how to report concerns

Trafficking

Do you know what trafficking looks like?

Find out more through these leaflets

A5 Labour Car Single Eng

A5 Labour Nails Single Eng

A5 Sexual Exp Single Eng

Factsheet Modern Slavery Fishing v1

Guidance for Sex Work Operations

Seafarer Leaflet

A5 Countylines

A5 Domestic Servitude

A5 Forced Criminality

A5 Labour Agric Single Eng

Information for Taxi and Hotel industry

Anyone who works with children or in an area where children are present could spot sign of abuse, it’s important that your workforce is aware of what to do and who to contact if they become concerned.

Internal procedure or policy

Having an internal procedure or policy around safeguarding children will help your business ensure that you are doing all you can to keep children safe and are supporting your workforce in doing so; for support around developing a policy/procedure you can contact the local safeguarding children board. It’s important to reinforce that the term child refers to anyone under the age of 18, and that your staff should be equally alert to the safety of both younger and older children.

Some examples of areas where staff may notice signs of CSE include:

  • Shopping Centre Staff
  • Security guards or bouncers
  • Taxi or bus drivers and train staff
  • Fast food or takeaway workers
  • Hotel or hostel staff
  • Leisure centre or gym staff
  • Pub, bar or nightclub staff

What could this look like?

Example scenario 1

What the taxi driver notices

A takeaway driver notices that they are regularly delivering food to an address where there are a number of adult males and younger males and females; the driver notices that some of the younger people seem under the influence of alcohol and feels uneasy about the situation.

What could the driver do?

In this situation the driver can pass on their concerns by completing a Staffordshire Police CSE Information report; this allows the police to log to information and join up with any other associated concerns, plan disruption activity and make frontline officers and PCSO’s aware of what to look out for on duty.

Example scenario 2

What the hotel worker notices

A hotel worker notices that an adult checking into a room is reluctant to give personal details / contact information and pays in cash. Later the worker notices the adult return to the premises with a child who looks to be around 14, the child seems uneasy and the worker becomes concerned for their safety.

What could the hotel worker do?

If you ever think a child is at risk you should call 999 immediately.

Warning signs

Some signs to look out for include:

  • Children who appear uncomfortable with or under the control of an adult with them
  • Adults frequently seen in the company of children / with children in their car
  • Adults accessing adult venues (such as nightclubs or bars) with under 18s
  • Children appearing to be under the influence of alcohol or substances
  • Hotel guest who are secretive, reluctant to give details or checking into rooms not booked in their name
  • Children travelling alone / taxis being sent to collect children by an adult

Report any suspicions you have.

It’s everyone’s responsibility

TELL SOMEONE SPOT THE SIGNS STORIES
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