Child Exploitation (CE) Awareness Week takes place from Monday 22 to Friday 26 June 2026. The week brings together partners from across Essex to strengthen awareness, prevention and safeguarding activity to protect young people.
In Essex, this work is underpinned by the Risk in the Community (RIC) approach, which focuses on identifying and responding to exploitation in the places and contexts where harm occurs. By working together across agencies and communities, partners aim to prevent harm, disrupt exploitation and create safer environments for children and young people.
To mark CE Awareness Week, a range of activity will take place across the county, including:
- Monday 22 June - Safeguarding in leisure and hospitality - Operation Makesafe
Partners will visit hotels and other hospitality venues to raise awareness of child exploitation.
Staff will be supported to:
- Recognise potential signs of exploitation
- Understand how to respond safely
- Know how to report concerns
Everyone working in these environments has a role to play in helping to identify and disrupt exploitation.
Further resources can be found here
- Tuesday 23 June - Safeguarding in sport and community spaces
Partners will work with gyms and sports providers across Essex to strengthen safeguarding awareness.
Like many community settings, these environments can be vulnerable to misuse if safeguarding measures are not robust. The focus will be on:
- Raising awareness of exploitation risks
- Increasing confidence in spotting concerns
- Strengthening processes to help deter harm
The aim is to ensure young people can safely enjoy sport and physical activity.
Further resources can be found here.
Partners will be travelling on key public transport routes and visiting transport hubs to raise awareness.
Exploitation can happen in transit and in public spaces. People working across the transport network; including taxi and bus drivers, train station staff, cleaners and retail workers, play a vital role in helping to spot concerns.
If something doesn’t feel right, reporting it could help protect a young person.
Further information can be found here.
- Thursday 25 June - Parents and Carers
Exploitation can affect any family. We welcome input on this day from sexual health services to provide guidance to parents and carers about talking to their child about sex, relationships, influence and consent.
Parents and carers are encouraged to:
- Stay curious about their child’s life
- Keep having open, non-blaming conversations
- Trust their instincts and seek advice if something doesn’t feel right
Support and guidance are available, and early conversations can help prevent harm.
Further information can be found here.
- Friday 26 June - Schools and Education Providers
Schools and education settings are often the first to notice changes in a child’s behaviour.
This year, the campaign includes resources informed by young people’s lived experiences of exploitation in Essex, helping staff in education provisions to have safe and supportive conversations with students.
Young people tell us that it helps when:
- Adults listen without judgement
- They feel believed and not blamed
- Conversations are open and honest
Education resources will support professionals to build trust, encourage sharing of concerns and help young people feel safe to seek support.
Everyone has a role to play
Exploitation is not always obvious and can happen in places we use every day.
By working together, across communities, services and organisations, we can:
- Spot the signs earlier
- Report concerns
- Create safer environments for young people
If something doesn’t feel right, report it.
Call 101 (or 999 in an emergency)
Contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111
Visit https://www.escb.co.uk/safeguarding-topics/exploitation-risk-in-the-community/
If you are a professional, report suspicious activity here: https://www.essex.police.uk/partners/partner-services/community-partner-intelligence/v2/share-community-partnership-intelligence/share-community-partner-intelligence/