The focus of this conference is moving from understanding the criminal exploitation of children to taking action. Whilst there has been growing impetus on multi-agency safeguarding, there is still a lack of legislation on modern slavery and the criminal exploitation of children. It is a safeguarding issue that needs to be addressed with urgency, and the focus of these webinars is moving from understanding to action.

The conference will be introduced by Dawn Bowden MS in a video address, and the Welsh Gov will be launching their Anti Slavery Wales online learning tool shortly.

The conference also draws current research and the notable Jay Review of Criminally Exploited Children: Shattered Lives, Stolen Futures and a study undertaken by the Modern Slavery Network on trafficking and exploitation of children with special educational needs and disabilities.


Webinars

“They’re not seeing young people as victims of exploitation”: Multi-agency responses to the criminal exploitation of children in Wales

Join us for a discussion on the findings from an Action for Children funded study which examined professional perspectives about multi-agency approaches in Wales. The session will cover an overview of focus group findings and a Wales-wide survey regarding what works and what needs improving to enhance a multi-agency safeguarding approach to criminally exploited children.

Presenter: Dr Nina Maxwell, CASCADE, Cardiff University

Date: Wednesday 1st October
Time: 1-2pm
Location: Online

Strengthening the System for Criminally Exploited Children – From Awareness to Action

As awareness of child criminal exploitation grows, confusion remains over what truly helps. This webinar dives into the policy shifts, ethical dilemmas, and insights from the Jay Review to uncover what’s working and what still needs fixing.

Presenter: Sharon Maciver, Criminal Exploitation Director (UK), Action for Children 

Date: Monday 13th October
Time: 1-2pm
Location: Online

Missing and Lost: Missing Children, Social Harm and Structural Violence

Dr Paul Andell will discuss the phenomenon of children going missing from care, situating these experiences within wider frameworks of structural violence, social harm, and institutional neglect. Drawing on personal reflections, policy analysis, case studies, and recent qualitative research, the presenter suggests that episodes of missing children are not isolated events but symptoms of systemic failure.

Presenter: Dr Paul Andell

Date: Wednesday 22nd October
Time: 1-2pm
Location: Online

Falling through the net – Prevention and Protection

The exploitation of learning disabled and neurodivergent children and young people is a concern given the higher rates of abuse and exploitation experienced by children with special educational needs and disabilities. This presentation will consider the needs of these children and their parents for help and support.

Presenter: Sarah Goff and Anita Franklin, Manchester Metropolitan University

Date: Tuesday 4th November
Time: 12-1pm
Location: Online


Introduction

Dawn Bowden MS:

Minister for Children and Social Care

1st October 2025 – 10:00am


Podcast

Coming soon…

In the meantime, check out the new season, and previous episodes of the ExChange Wales podcast:


Video

Hot Chicks – a powerful tale of exploitation and lost innocence 

This is a hard hitting play about child criminal exploitation, in which writer Rebecca Jade Hammond has cleverly demonstrated the chilling charms of the groomer and the trap that the children fall into.  The audience is helpless and harrowed as the story unfolds and Ruby and Kyla become pawns under Sadie’s compelling and often brutal rule.

Interview with Michelle McTernan a Richard Mylan o Grand Ambitions

Coming soon….


Resources