Healthcare

Health practitioners have an important role in identifying and protecting young people from criminal exploitation.

Practitioners need to be curious about what has happened to the young person. Safeguarding should be embedded into routine practice across all health services, including general practice, dentists, opticians, and hospital departments.

Health practitioners may only have a few minutes where the child feels safe enough to ask or accept help. Practitioners should be aware that while most young people are criminally exploited by strangers or peers, some are exploited by family members, such as uncles, cousins, or siblings. Therefore, they should consider speaking with young people under 16 away from their relatives.

Where exploitation is suspected for young people over 16, practitioners should use private cubicles so they cannot be overheard.

Some young people may not be ready to ask for or accept help. However, a positive experience may make them more likely to ask for or accept help on subsequent health care visits.

Guidance for healthcare practitioners

For further guidance for healthcare practitioners, including warning signs for child criminal exploitation, see pages 52-56 of the Practitioner Toolkit.