Overview

• Police and social workers say the model has flipped in some areas, with children acting as kingpins while older adults operate behind the scenes.
• Referrals for criminal exploitation were reported to have risen by about 50% in two years, from 10,140 to 15,700.
• Official data show 10,900 permanent exclusions and 955,000 suspensions in 2022/23, with exclusion described as a direct pipeline to exploitation.
• The Education Policy Institute estimates 300,000 children aged 5–15 were missing from education in 2023, with up to 400,000 not in school overall.
• The Home Office cites more than £43m for the County Lines Programme, new offences and prevention orders, and a pledge for 50 support hubs, while the Commission on Young Lives urges a 'Sure Start Plus' for teens and an end to exclusion culture.