Table of Contents
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.
Introduction
Dawn Bowden MS:
Minister for Children and Social Care
1st October 2025 – 10:00am
Video
Interview with Michelle McTernan and Richard Mylan from Grand Ambition
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.
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
Podcast
PODCAST: ‘Improving Transitional Safeguarding’ with Steve Baguley and Finn Madell
Dr Martin Elliott interviews Finn Madell and Steve Baguley about how to improve transitional safeguarding to help prevent criminal exploitation of children and young people.
They discuss its application in Wales, Newport Multi-Agency Child Exploitation (MACEs) meetings, and reflect on the future of safeguarding, changing legislation and improving communication between child and adult services.
Resources
- Complex Safeguarding website – https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/complex-safeguarding-wales
- Link to NWG website – https://nwgnetwork.org/
- Youth Justice Board resource hub – https://yjresourcehub.uk/
- Jay Review of Criminally Exploited Children: Shattered Lives, Stolen Futures – https://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/our-work-and-impact/policy-work-campaigns-and-research/policy-reports/the-jay-review-of-criminally-exploited-children/
- Modern Slavery Network study: Trafficking and exploitation of children with special educational needs and disability – https://www.modernslaverypec.org/resources/children-special-needs-disabilities
- ‘Hot Chicks’ review – a powerful tale of exploitation and lost innocence – https://cascadewales.org/hot-chicks-review-a-powerful-tale-of-exploitation-and-lost-innocence/
- Police in Schools research (CASCADE) – https://cascadewales.org/research/police-in-schools/
- Social Care Wales Research Roadshows
- In spring 2025 Social Care Wales ran two research roadshows on the theme of Transitional Safeguarding. After further interest from regional safeguarding boards, Social Care Wales is running two more sessions this Autumn:
- 9 October at Bryngarw House, Bridgend.
- 10 October at the Gorseinon Institute, Gorseinon, Swansea.
- There are limited spaces left but if you would be interested in joining them for the day, please contact researchroadshows@socialcare.wales
- In spring 2025 Social Care Wales ran two research roadshows on the theme of Transitional Safeguarding. After further interest from regional safeguarding boards, Social Care Wales is running two more sessions this Autumn:
- Anti-Slavery Wales Online Learning: These resources are designed to improve knowledge and awareness of modern slavery and effective ways to tackle it.
- For further details: Written Statement: New online learning on Modern Slavery
- The training modules are available at Course: Anti-Slavery Wales
- Vulnerability & Policing Futures Research Centre: https://vulnerabilitypolicing.org.uk
