Child sexual exploitation (CSE) is a type of child sexual abuse. It occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18 into sexual activity (Department for Education, 2017).
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Offers support and information for young people aged 8 to 25 across Devon and Cornwall who are experiencing or might experience sexual exploitation. Their service supports children and young people where there are concerns about CSE (Child Sexual Exploitation) in Devon, Cornwall, Plymouth and Torbay. They are independent and we make sure young people get the right support at the earliest opportunity.
Children as young as six are being forced to carry and sell drugs far away from their homes. They are made to skip school, sleep in drug dens, keep secrets from their loved ones. They are treated as criminals when they often feel trapped in a hopeless situation.
Fully Human is the research and development arm of the PSHE Association. It’s our place to think, stretch out and join the dots between this fast changing world and what might best support children and young people to navigate it.
Child sexual exploitation (CSE) is a type of child sexual abuse. It occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18 into sexual activity (Department for Education, 2017; NIdirect, 2021; Scottish Government, 2018; Wales Safeguarding Procedures Project Board, 2020a).
Documents
Author: NSPCC
Published: 28-01-2025
NSPCC Learning has published new research on Generative (Gen) Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its impact on children’s safety and wellbeing. Child safety risks highlighted around Gen AI include sexual grooming, sexual extortion and exposure to harmful content.
Author: Gov.UK
Published: 02-09-2024
This is statutory guidance from the Department for Education (‘the Department’) issued under Section 175 of the Education Act 2002 (as amended), the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, the Non-Maintained Special Schools (England) Regulations 2015 and the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 (as amended). Schools and colleges in England must have regard to it when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. For the purposes of this guidance children includes everyone under the age of 18.
Author: NSPCC
Published: 16-08-2024
This briefing uses insights from Childline counselling sessions and NSPCC Helpline contacts to share the types of responses children receive after they have told someone about their experiences of online harm or abuse.
Author: The Children’s Society
Published: 30-06-2024
This resource is designed to guide legal professionals, primarily defence solicitors, and others working in the criminal justice system to improve support for children and young people who have been exploited or where exploitation may have taken place.
Author: Action for Children
Published: 27-03-2024
The facts of criminal exploitation paint a stark picture: tens of thousands of children and young people across the country are controlled and manipulated by criminal gangs, while countless more are at risk. The toll on these young lives is immeasurable, leading to serious physical harm, long-term trauma and criminalisation. Children are paying with their freedom, their childhoods and their lives.
Author: Action For Childre
Published:
In March 2024 we published the findings of the Jay Review of Criminally Exploited Children. This is our first piece of follow-up research, which examines the harms caused to exploited children and makes recommendations to ensure that these children can be safeguarded effectively.
Classroom Resources
Catch On is a free educational resource about Child Exploitation aimed at pupils in Years 7 and 8 (aged 11-13), with additional activities for pupils with special educational needs.
Category: Exploitation
Audience: KS3, SEND
Developed by: Catch-22
Duration (minutes): <60
Keywords:
The Catch On resources support the Child Exploitation (CE) Lesson for KS3 with links to curriculum outcomes from the PSHE Association Programme of Study for PSHE Education (Key Stages 1–5). Catch On contains a suite of options for a single lesson or series of lessons exploring the topic of grooming and exploitation. (Parent’s pack also available)
Understanding healthy and mutually respectful relationships
Category: Exploitation, Healthy Relationships, Online Safety
Audience: KS3, KS4
Developed by: CEOP/NCA
Duration (minutes): 3 x 60
Keywords:
The Exploited film and accompanying lessons aim to help young people understand healthy and mutually respectful relationships; including what healthy and unhealthy features look like in both online and offline contexts and how to report concerns of abuse.
News
23/06/2025: IWF joins with partners to transform the global response for victims and survivors of online child sexual abuse
The Internet Watch Foundation has joined with a consortium of partners to develop the Artemis Survivor Hub (ASH) – a revolutionary, victim-focused response to online child sexual exploitation.
17/06/2025: Cooper backs national inquiry to ‘root out scourge of grooming gangs’
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has launched a new national inquiry as part of the “biggest programme of work ever pursued to root out the scourge of grooming gangs and child sexual exploitation”.
15/05/2025: ‘I thought the abuse was normal – he was my first proper boyfriend’
Lucy, not her real name, was just 13 years old when she met her ex-boyfriend online. The start of their relationship was “like something out of a rom-com or romance novel”.
22/04/2025: Modern Slavery Victims Imprisoned For Crimes They Were Forced To Commit
Hibiscus briefing shows how victims/survivors of Modern Slavery are being criminalised and imprisoned for crimes they were forced to commit.
02/04/2025: Peer39 joins with IWF to prevent offenders profiting from the promotion of child sexual abuse content
Peer39, a leading provider of contextual intelligence for digital advertising, has joined forces with the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) to help disrupt and demonetise the spread of harmful content online.
28/03/2025: AI giving offenders ‘DIY child sexual abuse’ tool, as dozens of child victims used in AI models, IWF warns MPs
The IWF has welcomed upcoming new legislation while giving evidence in Parliament this week.
20/03/2025: British teenage boys are being targeted on Snapchat and Instagram by Nigerian ‘sextortion’ gangs posing as young women
British teenage boys are being blackmailed by Nigerian crime gangs posing as young women on social media sites like Snapchat and Instagram.
20/03/2025: More than 110 child sextortion attempts reported each month to UK police forces
National Crime Agency launches awareness campaign, saying criminals are adapting methods and using AI
20/03/2025: Nigerian crime gangs are targeting young British boys in ‘sextortion’ scams
The National Crime Agency says boys as young as 14 are targeted into sextortion over social media platforms like Snapchat and Instagram. Once tricked into sending sexual images, they are blackmailed into sending payments of up to £100.
17/03/2025: Online Safety Act: UK Tech Companies must now Tackle Illegal Harms including Child Sexual Abuse Imagery
As Ofcom’s Illegal Harms Codes come into force, platforms are required to implement robust measures to protect users from CSAM and illegal content.