Grooming Gangs Task Force Arrests

Grooming is the process where an individual builds trust with a child or vulnerable person to exploit them. Groomers use tactics like flattery and gifts to manipulate their targets.

Groomers target vulnerable individuals by establishing trust through attention and support, isolating them from their support networks, gradually introducing inappropriate behaviours to desensitise them, and encouraging secrecy to keep the relationship hidden.

Over the past 12 months, a specialised team of investigators and analysts has assisted police forces in arresting over 550 suspects, identifying and protecting more than 4,000 victims, and building strong cases to achieve justice for these crimes.

Safeguarding measures aim to protect individuals from grooming through education and awareness, informing children, parents, and professionals about the signs and tactics of grooming. Policies and procedures, including staff background checks and reporting protocols, are implemented to prevent grooming. Professional training ensures that those working with vulnerable individuals can recognise and respond to grooming. Additionally, online safety education and monitoring online activities are crucial to prevent grooming in digital spaces.

Professionals have a duty of careto recognise signs of grooming, report concerns to authorities or safeguarding leads, ensure affected individuals receive the necessary support, and create an environment where individuals feel safe to report their concerns. Therefore, collaboration among educators, healthcare providers, social workers, law enforcement, and the community is essential to effectively safeguard against grooming.

Formation and Mission

Launched in April 2023, the Grooming Gangs Taskforce collaborates with all 43 police forces in England and Wales to tackle child sexual exploitation and grooming. Managed by the National Police Chiefs’ Council and supported by the National Crime Agency, this full-time operational unit is funded by the Home Office and comprises seasoned officers and data analysts with extensive experience in investigating grooming gangs.

Significant Achievements

Essex Police Child Sexual Exploitation teams report their investigations have benefited from task force support. To date, over 400 police officers nationwide have received specialised training from the task force, with additional personnel set to be mobilised in the coming months.

Enhanced Tools and Training

A pivotal element of the task force’s strategy is the Complex and Organised Child Abuse Database, which offers a comprehensive overview of group-based child sexual exploitation, aiding police in resource deployment and investigation.

The task force also works closely with the Crown Prosecution Service to build strong prosecution cases and collaborates with the Tackling Organised Exploitation Programme (TOEX) to identify and disrupt grooming gang networks through advanced data analysis.

Operation Makesafe

Operation Makesafe, a partnership initiative with hotels, aims to raise awareness of the early warning signs of child sexual exploitation.

Leadership Statements

Ian Critchley, NPCC National Police Lead for Child Protection and Abuse, highlighted the progress made by enhancing the policing response to child sexual exploitation investigation and coordinating best practices to protect victims and disrupt perpetrators. Gabrielle Shaw, Chief Executive for the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC), stressed the importance of integrating victims' voices into national policing efforts to create authentic, practical change that improves victims' and survivors’ engagement with the justice system.

Government Initiatives

The government's commitment to protecting children is further evidenced by new measures in the Criminal Justice Bill, requiring professionals to report suspected child abuse and preventing sex offenders from changing their names to evade justice. Additionally, the Home Office has allocated £1.6 million to the whistleblowing helpline, which has handled nearly 76,000 contacts in the past year, resulting in over 40,000 referrals to partner agencies.

Future Plans

The Support for Victims and Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse (SVSCSA) Fund (2022-2025) provides up to £4.5 million in grants to voluntary sector organisations in England and Wales, ensuring nationwide support for victims and survivors.

There is an ongoing commitment to implementing the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) report, aiming to ensure that authorities never again overlook child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Sara Spinks

SSS Author & Former Headteacher