Hundreds of Walsall children identified as experiencing or being at risk of exploitation in just one year

Shocking figures show 258 individuals – including 204 children – assessed in the borough between April 1 2023 and March 15 this year, were deemed at risk of being exploited.

A report going to next Tuesday’s Children’s Services overview and scrutiny committee said the majority of the types of exploitation were criminal and sexual.

Other assessments found cases of modern-day slavery, online grooming and financial exploitation.

Committee members will be updated on work being carried out by Walsall’s ‘Exploitation Hub’ which looks at identifying, screening and sharing intelligence as well as providing support for people affected.

The hub carried out 416 assessments in the year, 95 of which found no exploitation to be found. The remaining 321 assessments were carried out related to 258 children and adults.

Of those 258, 67 were identified as victims who had been exploited resulting in harm, 92 were deemed vulnerable to exploitation and 99 had been targeted for potential exploitation.

A total of 131 were affected by criminal exploitation, 69 were affected by sexual exploitation and 25 were affected by both types.

The report added adults were mainly vulnerable to modern-day slavery and ‘cuckooing’, which involves local dealers taking over homes and selling drugs from them.

The report said: “We continue to operate an ‘Exploitation Hub’ which is a multi-agency approach to identifying, screening, and sharing of intelligence around those at risk of exploitation and ensure that children and young people receive the right help and support at the earliest opportunity and are protected from harm.

“The hub performance data continues to be shared at the monthly all-age exploitation delivery group and monthly exploitation panel, where any emerging themes or trends identified through the hub are reviewed with all partner agencies.

“We are continuing to strengthen our exploitation panel by enhancing the partnership data and assurance activity that is shared.

“This supports us as a partnership in understanding the current exploitation

landscape in Walsall, demographics of victims and survivors, additional vulnerabilities they may experience, locations where exploitation is taking place and perpetrators of concern.

“This enables us to take a tactical approach in responding to and disrupting

exploitation in Walsall, focusing on the four P approach of Prepare, Prevent, Protect and Pursue, ensuring the voice and lived experience of children and young people is at the heart of our intervention to ensure the best outcomes.

“Walsall’s All-Age Exploitation Pathway has been in place since September 2020 and this is well embedded.

“Exploitation remains a priority area for the Safeguarding Partnership and the pathway was reviewed in May 2023 through consultation with partners to ensure our approach to tackling exploitation in the borough remained effective and to support in identifying key areas of focus and development over the coming year.”