Events

Disrupting Grooming Gangs and Ending Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation through a 'Whole-System' Approach

Date:     Thursday 24th April 2025

Time:     10:00am - 3:45pm

Venue:  ONLINE Live Conference - Check Your System / Device Compatibility


  • Event Abstract
  • Programme
  • Key Speakers
  • Who Should Attend?
  • Marketing Opportunities

Child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE) is a deeply complex issue, with many children and young people falling victim to grooming, coercion and control. The National Police Chiefs’ Council estimated that of the 115,000 child sexual abuse offences recorded by police in 2023, approximately 4,000 involved multiple perpetrators. Among these, around 1,100 cases involved abuse within families, over 300 occurred in institutions, and 717 were linked to group or gang-related child sexual exploitation, as identified by the Child Sexual Exploitation Taskforce. Disturbingly, the vast majority of abuse remains unreported or unaddressed.

In January, the Home Secretary reaffirmed the government’s commitment to tackling this horrific crime by announcing a £10m action plan targeting grooming gangs and CSAE. Simultaneously, the government launched a rapid national audit, led by Baroness Louise Casey, to assess the nature and scale of group-based offending in the UK. This audit aims to inform future policy decisions and advance the recommendations of the final Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) report. While increased funding and initiatives are welcome, tackling CSAE effectively requires a 'whole-system' approach underpinned by a consistent, multi-agency response.

This timely Policy Foresight online live conference offers a vital opportunity for key stakeholders—including local authorities, police, health, housing, social care, criminal justice, education, and the third sector—to examine the findings of Baroness Louise Casey’s Rapid Audit into Grooming Gangs and the implementation timeline for the IICSA report recommendations. Participants will hear from leading experts and policymakers, explore innovative best practices, and collaborate on strategies to strengthen early intervention and enhance multi-agency partnerships to better protect vulnerable young people from sexual abuse and exploitation.

Why Attend?

  • Live webinar featuring presentations and panel discussions with a wide range of policymakers, experts and key officials
  • Interactive Question Time sessions with opportunities to engage with all speakers
  • Understand the scale and nature of CSAE – Examine emerging threats, online exploitation, and the intersection of CSAE with other forms of harm
  • Examine the findings from Baroness Louise Casey’s Rapid Audit into Grooming Gangs and receive the latest updates on the implementation of the IICSA report recommendations
  • Analyse the impact of the Crime and Policing Bill proposals, including the introduction of the Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) Offence and CCE Prevention Orders on both victims and perpetrators of multi-exploitation
  • Learn best practice from experts working to safeguard and support victims of CSAE and bring perpetrators to justice
  • Explore how to embed a ‘whole-system’ approach in every area through improved local multi-agency collaboration
  • Share ideas with fellow participants from local authorities, education, social care, the police, housing, health, criminal justice, third sector and other key statutory agencies
  • On demand – Exclusive access to speaker presentations and post-event resources

    • Resource - Child exploitation disruption toolkit

    Resource - The Children's Society Look Closer Campaign

    News - 30 January 2024: Experts demand accelerated change in multi-agency safeguarding practice

    News - 9 September 2024: Government to launch new coalition to tackle knife crime

    News - 10 October 2024: First UK-US online safety agreement pledges closer co-operation to keep children safe online

    News - 26 November 2024: Safeguarding experts demand national action plan to tackle child sexual abuse

    Guidance - 16 December 2024: Government County Lines Programme

    News - 8 January 2025: Children’s bill to keep children safe from exploitation

    News - 16 January 2025: Oral statement to Parliament: Next steps to tackle child sexual exploitation

    News - 22 February 2025: Child criminal exploitation and cuckooing to be criminal offences

    9:30am

    Delegate Online Login

    10:00am

    Introduction by Webinar Organiser

    10:05am

    Chair's Welcome and Opening Remarks

    10:10am

    Keynote Address:

    Understanding the National Picture of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation

  • Understanding the true nature and scale of child sexual abuse and exploitation
  • Current challenges and trends – Analysing the link between child criminal exploitation and sexual exploitation
  • Exploring the findings from Baroness Louise Casey’s Rapid Audit into Grooming Gangs in the UK
  • Examine the latest updates on the implementation of the recommendations from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) report and the potential impact on frontline responses

    • 10:30am

    Keynote Address: Questions and Discussion

    10:50am

    Comfort Break

    11:00am

    Panel Session One:

    Driving Prevention through Early Identification and Intervention

  • Upskilling staff to understand how to spot the signs of child sexual exploitation including the use of gifts, coercion, intimidation or violence
  • Exploring the growing role of technology in facilitating exploitation, including AI, indecent image abuse and its connection to offline harm
  • Embedding tailored, trauma-informed support for vulnerable young people with a focus from marginalised and minoritised communities
  • Implementing a whole-school approach to proactively safeguard pupils from exploitation

    • Claire Alldis, National Programme Manager - Disrupting Exploitation, The Children's Society

    Sheila Taylor MBE, Chief Executive, NWG Exploitation Network

    11:50am

    Panel Session One: Questions and Discussion

    12:20pm

    Comfort Break

    1:00pm

    Panel Session Two:

    Breaking Silos – Embedding a ‘Whole-System’ Approach to Disrupt Abuse and Safeguard Victims

  • Driving multi-agency collaboration between the police, local authorities, social care, education, health, housing, and the third sector to deliver a ‘whole-system’ response for victims
  • Reducing barriers to partnership working and data-sharing between the police and key partners to build a clearer picture of local abuse and improve intervention strategies
  • Enhancing local reporting procedures and accountability mechanisms to ensure victims receive the support and protection they need
  • Utilising the Clear, Hold, Build framework to disrupt exploitation

    • Detective Superintendent Andy Farrell, Programme Lead - Clear, Hold, Build (CHB), National Police Chiefs’ Council

    Andy Turvey, Exploitation Manager, Sandwell Children’s Trust

    1:50pm

    Panel Session Two: Questions and Discussion

    2:15pm

    Comfort Break

    2:30pm

    Panel Session Three:

    Pursuing Offenders and Delivering Justice for Victims

  • Exploring the role of the Hydrant Programme in enhancing the police response and targeting of perpetrators of CSAE
  • Embedding Operation Makesafe in every area – Strengthening partnerships with local hotels, shops, and taxi companies to raise awareness and disrupt CSAE cases
  • Delivering comprehensive support for victims throughout the criminal justice process to improve outcomes and encourage reporting
  • Evaluating the impact of the Crime and Policing Bill proposals, including the introduction of the Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) Offence and CCE Prevention Orders, on both victims and perpetrators of multi-exploitation
  • Establishing new frameworks for victim-centred, locally-led inquiries, particularly in areas with historic and unresolved exploitation cases

    • Phil Ashford, CSE Development Coordinator, Hydrant Programme & the Child Sexual Exploitation Taskforce, National Police Chiefs' Council

    Patricia Durr, Chief Executive, ECPAT UK

    Kate Ellis, Solicitor and Joint Litigation Lead, Centre for Women’s Justice

    Emma Lane, Children Abused Through Exploitation (CATE) Team, Telford and Wrekin Council

    3:20pm

    Panel Session Three: Questions and Discussion

    3:40pm

    Final Questions and Chair's Summary & Closing Comments

    3:45pm

    End of Online Conference

    *Please note the programme and timings are subject to slight alteration without notice
    Hydrant Programme

    Phil Ashford, National CSE Development Coordinator, Hydrant Programme & the Child Sexual Exploitation Taskforce, National Police Chiefs' Council

    NPCC

    Detective Superintendent Andy Farrell, Programme Lead - Clear, Hold, Build (CHB), National Police Chiefs’ Council

    Chidrens Society

    Claire Alldis, National Programme Manager - Disrupting Exploitation, The Children's Society

    ECPAT UK

    Patricia Durr, Chief Executive, ECPAT UK

    CWJ

    Kate Ellis, Solicitor and Joint Litigation Lead, Centre for Women’s Justice

    NWG Exploitation Network

    Sheila Taylor MBE, Chief Executive, NWG Exploitation Network

    Sandwell Children’s Trust

    Andy Turvey, Exploitation Manager, Sandwell Children’s Trust

    Telford Council

    Emma Lane, Children Abused Through Exploitation (CATE) Team, Telford and Wrekin Council

    TONIC

    Matthew Scott (Chair & Moderator), Managing Director, TONIC

    Policy Foresight

    More Speakers Coming Soon...

    • Local Authority Officers & Councillors
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