The Community Safety Partnership meeting on Tuesday 26 March 2024 focused on the critical issue of child exploitation, with discussions covering police response, safeguarding measures, and awareness campaigns. The partnership also addressed concerns around modern slavery, cuckooing, and the rise of hate crime, particularly in relation to far-right ideologies and transphobia.

Exploitation and Child Safeguarding

The meeting extensively discussed the multifaceted issue of exploitation, particularly concerning young people. It was noted that when a young person is arrested, standard investigations are supplemented by safeguarding checks to ensure appropriate processes are followed. The potential for a section 45 defence during interviews was also highlighted. While Haringey does not have specific hotspots for youth exploitation, referrals frequently come from social workers. There's an observed increase in young people being identified through the national referral mechanism, attributed to greater opportunities for identification during case management. Training is being provided to staff, especially in Adult Social Care, to enhance their ability to spot potential cases.

Discussions also touched upon the vulnerability of undocumented adult migrants who fear revealing their status, making them susceptible to modern slavery. For younger individuals, there's a recognised need for increased engagement with schools and the dissemination of positive news stories to build trust with the police and council. Social workers are providing intensive support to young people at high risk of exploitation, often working overtime to ensure maximum attention. The use of social media to share crime-related information and the potential for CCTV to monitor young people's movements were also considered.

A significant concern raised was cuckooing, where individuals take over a person's home for exploitative purposes. Leaflets co-designed with the police have been distributed in high-reporting areas, and a poster format is also in use. Training for professionals on this issue was deemed beneficial. The lettings process was also identified as an area for improvement, with suggestions for operative links with the police or Antisocial Behaviour teams before offers are made, though limited placement options for vulnerable residents were acknowledged. Victim Support could play a role in assisting these individuals.

The meeting also addressed the rise of far-right ideology and its impact. Workshops are being conducted to raise awareness of the Prevent strategy, and training on incel culture and misogyny has been delivered in collaboration with the Violence Against Women team. The council participated in the 16 Days of Action in November, and Prevent training is available through the Haringey Children Safeguarding Partnership. A Community Champions event focused on the far-right was positively received.

A quarterly Community Tensions monitoring group and hate crime delivery groups are in place, with partners encouraged to contribute to agenda items. The council aims to showcase its partnership activities and mitigate community tension. The Antisocial Behaviour team is considering hate when examining cuckooing cases, and police involvement in these discussions is encouraged. Incorporating the victim's perspective has been valuable in shaping management and community communication strategies.

Regarding hate crime in schools, close collaboration with schools and the Learning team ensures regular contact with Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs). Guidance from the Department for Education helps in early identification of radicalisation concerns. Community members are supporting schools to foster tolerance and acceptance. Projects funded by the Mayor of London are running in various schools to promote understanding of different forms of hate and mutual respect. While support is available, continuous monitoring of safeguarding situations is crucial. The installation of cameras on some bus stops and the deployment of teams in areas with hate crime concerns were also mentioned.

The meeting noted the item on exploitation and the police response to child exploitation.

Future Meetings

The next Community Safety Partnership meeting is scheduled for June 2024.