Plea from Police Chief for concerns over child safety to be raised
Last year, a child in Wiltshire was exploited by criminals every nine days
Wiltshire's Police Chief is urging us to share any concerns we have of a child being exploited by criminals.
Chief Constable Catherine Roper, who is the national policing lead for improving the service to children and young people, says that she is "truly worried" about how vulnerable children and young people can be.
Wiltshire Police has revealed that a child in the county was criminally exploited every nine days last year.
"Sometimes they don't even realise that they are being preyed upon," Chief Roper said. "People can prey upon children and young persons to exploit them criminally, to exploit them sexually. And ultimately, children and young persons are coming to harm."
There are some indicators that we can look out for, that could suggest a child or young person is being exploited criminally or sexually.
Chief Roper explained that a young person's spending power may have increased and that they may be coming home with clothes or shoes that they might not have had before.
She warns that someone using drugs or drinking alcohol when they didn't before could be sign too, while a young person withdrawing from social groups could also point to exploitation.
The Chief insists that she and her officers are fully committed to protecting children and young people, but she admitted there are times when a young person is taken into custody after committing an offence.
Forces attempt to hold children to account in a different way to adults, in a bid to help them learn and improve their behaviours, aiming to keep them out of the criminal justice system.
Chief Roper said part of her responsibility is ensuring time spent in custody for a young person is "as child-centred as possible".
She adds that this is not an issue Police can hope to battle alone, relying on working alongside partners, such as schools and local authorities. The Chief is calling on us to help in the effort to keep children safe in Wiltshire.
"My ask is, if you are worried about somebody, please, please pick up the phone and tell a school or police or a local authority, police don't sit there and worry alone. We are here to help and we are here to make sure that together we are keeping children and young persons safe."
Anyone with concerns can contact police, call CrimeStoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000.
If a child is danger we must dial 999.