The Children’s Society has launched it’s Look Closer child exploitation campaign across England and Wales in partnership with The County Lines Coordination Centre and the British Transport Police.

The campaign focuses on improving public awareness of child exploitation outside the family home and the role everyone can play in safeguarding children by reporting their concerns. It focuses in particular on public spaces where exploitation may be most visible such as transport hubs and shopping centres.

The campaign also seeks to influence and inform policing colleagues through challenging the notion of the ‘perfect victim’, asking them to recognise victims may not always appear vulnerable and that anger and aggression are common trauma responses. It also seeks to encourage the police to use the NRM effectively and includes an NRM myth-busting guide.

The Prevention team is supporting police forces across England and Wales to engage with the public utilising the campaign messaging from the 14^th to the 20^th of September. We will also be delivering training sessions to the private sector including transport security industry and retail staff. The campaign will also be visible on screens in a range of shopping centres and train stations around the country.

Some of our industry colleagues have already signed up to adopt the campaign nationally including Uber and National Express.

The full Look Closer electronic resource pack can be accessed on the NWG resources section (search Look Closer). It includes a poster, leaflet, intranet slides for police and other statutory partners, social media assets and a signature template. We would greatly appreciate your support in sharing the campaign both within your organisations and with external partners across the public, private and charity sectors from the 14^thonwards