Contextual safeguarding and extra-familial harm

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. Importing areas (areas where the drugs are taken to) are reporting increased levels of violence and weapons-related crimes as a result of this trend.

You can speak to your local police by dialling 101, or in an emergency 999. If you would rather remain anonymous, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. If you notice something linked to the railways, you can report concerns to the British Transport Police by texting 61016 from your mobile. In an emergency dial 999.

Cuckooing is a practice where people take over a person’s home and use the property to facilitate exploitation. It takes the name from cuckoos who take over the nests of other birds. People who choose to exploit will often target the most vulnerable in society. They establish a relationship with the vulnerable person to access their home.

Once they gain control over the victim, usually with threats to control the person - whether through drug dependency, debt or as part of their relationship – larger groups will sometimes move in. It is common for the drug dealers to have access to several cuckooed addresses at once, and to move quickly between them to evade detection.

The victims of cuckooing are often people who misuse substances such as drugs or alcohol, but there are cases of victims with learning difficulties, mental health issues, physical disabilities or socially isolated.

The most common form of cuckooing is where drug dealers take over a person’s home and use it to store or distribute drugs but there are different types of cuckooing:

• Using the property to deal, store or take drugs
• Using the property to sex work
• Taking over the property as a place for them to live
• Taking over the property to financially abuse the tenant

Hate crimes are crimes that are motivated by prejudice of some kind. These are crimes where the victim is targeted because they are a member of a particular social group or have a particular characteristic, which the perpetrator has negative views or beliefs about. The legal definition is:

“Any crime which is understood by the victim or any other person as being motivated (wholly or partly) by malice or ill will towards a social group.”

With the introduction of the Hate Crime and Public Order Act (2021) in April 2024, the law recognises crimes motivated by prejudice based on someone’s:

• Age
• Disability, including physical disability, learning disability and mental health difficulty
• Race (including nationality, ethnicity and skin colour)
• Religion
• Sexual Orientation
• Transgender Identity
• Variations in Sex Characteristics

These groups suffer disproportionately as victims of harassment and crime and much of this is motivated by prejudice. In addition to the effect on the individuals experiencing the hostility, these incidents create mistrust and suspicion between communities. This makes hate crime an issue for every service and every community.

Everyone has a role to play in stopping hate crime. If an incident is perceived by the victim – or any other person – as being motivated by prejudice or hate, it should be reported as a hate crime.

Stop Hate UK Reporting Hate Crime short video

Home Office Hate Crime Awareness video

Help and support reporting hate crime

Many hate crimes go unreported for a number of reasons. For many people, exposure to abuse is a life-long experience and not perceived as crime.

Some people may know the perpetrators and be frightened of the consequences of reporting. They may even be suffering at the hands of people claiming to be their friends.

Some people may have a fear or mistrust of the police. Others may have previously reporting a hate crime but feel it wasn’t taken seriously.

If you are in a position to talk to people who may be at risk of hate crime, ask the question. Many people will want to be asked but are never given the opportunity to disclose.

If someone discloses a hate crime to you there are steps you can take to support that person to make a formal report even if they don’t want to be identified.

If you witness a hate crime you can contact the police and report it. This can also be done anonymously

How to report a hate crime

Any NHS Cheshire and Merseyside staff member that is a victim of hate crime or witness hate crime in the workplace should please speak to their line manager or the safeguarding team without delay. If the hate crime is by another member of staff, HR procedures will be followed alongside the Managing Allegations Against Staff Policy.

Hate crime is a crime and can be reported to the relevant police force:

How to report hate crime - Merseyside Police

How to report hate crime - Cheshire Police

If it’s not an emergency (there is no immediate risk to the wellbeing of the individual) you can call 101 and make a verbal report to the police. If you feel there is a threat to life, please call 999

Third-party reporting centres

Some people who are a victim of hate crime or witness hate crime do not want to report their concerns to the police. Both police websites above provide contacts for third party reporting centres (local charities, groups and organisations) that can offer support, advice and ways to report the incident without having to talk directly to the police.

There are third party reporting centres across Cheshire and Merseyside. At each centre, staff are trained to help victims get advice and support in a safe and secure environment. They can help you to contact the police or Stop Hate UK and report any incidents of hate or abuse.

Find your nearest hate crime reporting centre by browsing the full list.

There is also the national Stop Hate UK website where patients can report hate crime and get more information.

Modern Slavery is a term used within the UK and is defined within the Modern Slavery Act 2015. The Act categorises offences of Slavery, Servitude or Compulsory Labour and Human Trafficking. These crimes include holding a person or persons in a position of slavery, servitude, forced or compulsory labour or facilitating their travel with the intention of exploiting them soon after. Although human trafficking commonly involves an international cross-border element it is also possible to be a victim of slavery or trafficking within your own country. Furthermore, it is also possible to be a victim even if consent has been given to be moved or travel.

With regard to children, it is important to note that they cannot give consent to being exploited and as such, the element of coercion or deception does not necessarily need to be present to prove an offence.

Types of Human Trafficking:

• Sexual exploitation
• Forced labour
• Domestic servitude
• Organ harvesting
• Child related crimes such as child sexual exploitation, forced begging, illegal drug cultivation, organised theft and benefit fraud
• Forced marriage

Crimestoppers and the GLAA (Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority) have released nine common signs that victims of modern-day slavery share. These signs are intended to raise public awareness and encourage people to report their suspicions

Nine Signs to Spot

Victims of modern slavery may:

1. Show signs of injury, abuse and malnourishment
2. Look unkempt, often in the same clothing and have poor hygiene
3. Be under the control and influence of others
4. They may have inappropriate clothing for the work they are performing, and/or a lack of safety equipment
5. Be collected very early and/or returned late at night on a regular basis
6. May be isolated from the local community and their family
7. Live in cramped, dirty, overcrowded accommodation
8. Have no access or control of their passport or identity documents
9. Appear scared, avoid eye contact, seem untrusting

If you have suspicions of modern slavery then please contact the Police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.

NHS England have produced a video to explain Modern Slavery and its relevance and impact on healthcare. NHS England Modern Slavery Video

Below are some additional links with useful information:

Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Trust urgent mental health crisis line: 0800 145 6485. The phone line is open 24/7 to people of all ages. More information at: www.cwp.nhs.uk/crisis/

Merseycare NHS Foundation Trust urgent mental health crisis line: 0800 051 1508. The phone line is open 24/7 to people of all ages. More information at Help in a crisis (merseycare.nhs.uk)
You should still call 999 or go to A&E if you have an immediate, life-threatening emergency requiring mental or physical health assistance.

Help, advice and access to self-support services are available for anyone worried about domestic abuse. This could be a relationship you are in or you may be concerned about someone you know: https://www.openthedoorcheshire.org.uk/ or Home - Merseyside Domestic Violence Service [MDVS] 0151 709 8770
If there is an immediate risk to someone’s safety please call 999.

Prevent is about safeguarding and supporting those who may be vulnerable to radicalisation. Prevent is 1 of the 4 elements of CONTEST, the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy. It aims to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.

Radicalisation is when someone starts to believe and support extreme aspirations around terrorism, political, social or religious ideals. Radicalisation is when someone starts to believe and support extreme aspirations. This can lead to participation in extremist groups, vocally or actively.

Anyone who is referred to Prevent is assessed by the local authority and other partners, including the police, to see if they’re suitable for Channel, Prevents specialist support scheme. Channel is a voluntary, confidential, early intervention programme that supports people who may be at risk of being drawn into terrorism.

Channel support includes things like theological or ideological mentoring, help with mental health, drug or alcohol abuse issues, as well as education and career advice. Taking part in Channel doesn’t go on someone’s criminal record and won’t negatively impact their future education or career prospects. It means getting the right kind of help for the person who needs support to move away from extremism.

To find out more about how to help someone close to you visit actearly.uk which is a helpful resource with advice, practical tips on how to start a conversation with someone you’re worried about, online safety advice and real stories.

If you have concerns about any of your friends, neighbours or relatives, you can tell Cheshire or Merseyside Police about them by completing a quick and simple online form on the Cheshire Police Prevent Referral Page or Merseyside Police Prevent Referral Page

In an emergency, please call 999  or you can call anonymously on 0800 789 321. You can also call the national police Prevent advice line 0800 011 3764, in confidence, to share your concerns with specially trained officers.

If you see online material promoting terrorism or extremism, you can report it online.

Further info can be found at Let’s Talk about it - What is Prevent

Professionals should also access information from their local Prevent Lead; please refer to your local safeguarding procedures for what to do next.

Sexual Exploitation is a type of sexual abuse. When a child, young person or adult at risk is exploited they're given things, like gifts, drugs, money, status and affection, in exchange for performing sexual activities. Children, young people and adults at risk are often tricked into believing they're in a loving and consensual relationship. This is called grooming. They may trust their abuser and not understand that they're being abused.

Children, young people and adults at risk can be trafficked into or within the UK to be sexually exploited. They're moved around the country and abused by being forced to take part in sexual activities, often with more than one person. Children, young people and adults at risks in gangs can also be sexually exploited.

If you have concerns that a child, young person is being abused or exploited then please contact 999 in an emergency.