Safeguarding children who are using public transport

Police officer and Southend community safety officer talk to two teenagers at Southend V

Essex Police officers have been working to raise awareness of child exploitation on public transport. They’ve been visiting rail and bus stations in Southend and across the county with staff from partner agencies and charities to talk to passengers, transport staff and businesses about the signs of exploitation and how to report concerns.

Operation Henderson is a joint initiative being run by the Essex Safeguarding Children Board, Southend Safeguarding Children Partnership and Thurrock Safeguarding Children Partnership, British Transport Police, Essex Police, the Violence and Vulnerability Unit, Greater Anglia, C2C, TfL, The Railway Children, The Children’s Society, Social Care and local councils. Young people often gravitate towards stations because they are anonymous places that also provide some form of shelter and access to food and drink. A young person may use a station or form of public transport in an attempt to disappear.

Bus and rail networks can also be used by offenders to traffic young people for the purpose of sexual and criminal exploitation.

Detective Chief Inspector Dan Morrissey is the Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Lead for Essex Police.

He said: “Child exploitation can have a terrible effect on children and young people who are targeted and abused by adults seeking to groom and take advantage of them for criminal gain.

“Public transport is frequently used by children and young people travelling on their own, but this leaves them vulnerable to people who want to exploit them for sexual and criminal purposes.

“So, our officers work with colleagues from many agencies to raise awareness of this awful criminal activity because we want people who use or work in public transport to able to spot the signs of vulnerability and exploitation and identify children and young people who are at risk so they can be safeguarded.

Signs of potential exploitation:

 Children who are alone and look frightened and maybe have no tickets or money to pay the fare

 Children who look frightened in the company of other children or adults

 Children travelling alone at night

 Allowing others to speak for them when addressed directly

 Being under the influence of alcohol or drugs

 Physical appearance may show signs of injury, malnourishment and maybe unkempt

 They might seem unfamiliar with the local area, or not have a local accent

 They could be travelling during school hours or unusual hours (early in the morning, late at night)

“We all need to play our part and help stop child exploitation in our communities. If you see something which is suspicious, I urge you to report it to us.” If

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