Knowsley’s Shield team is working with partners across the borough to mark National Child Exploitation Awareness Day on 18 March, which also includes a Week of Action starting on Monday 16 March.
Throughout the week, the Shield team will be raising awareness of child sexual and criminal exploitation as well as encouraging everyone to think, identify and speak out to help to keep children and young people safe from exploitation.
The council and partners in Knowsley, including Merseyside Police, are continuing to raise awareness of this sensitive issue by informing, educating, and ultimately preventing this form of child abuse which can have devastating effects on the lives of victims and their families.
Knowsley’s multi-agency Shield team celebrated its 10th anniversary in September 2025. Over the past decade, Shield has brought partners together to safeguard children and young people from exploitation.
During the Week of Action, Shield will be out and about in communities across the borough, linking in with businesses, youth clubs, health services and other community spaces where children and young people spend time including community hubs, leisure centres and sports clubs.
The team will be sharing their learning over the last 10 years, helping others to better understand how exploitation can affect young people and how they can play a role in keeping them safe.
Shield will also be holding awareness sessions for professionals and partner organisations, focussing on harm outside of the home and what works when supporting children and families. A key part of the sessions will focus on the power of language, using words that empower children and avoid victim-blaming. The sessions will also highlight the strength, resilience and achievements of children and families, showing the positive outcomes that partnership working across Knowsley can help support.
Sometimes young people can become vulnerable to exploitation because of “push and pull factors” in their lives.
Push factors are things that may make a young person feel vulnerable or push them away from support, such as:
- feeling lonely or like they do not belong
- difficulties at home or family conflict
- being bullied or struggling at school
- going missing from home or staying out late
- feeling anxious, low or struggling with their mental health
- previous experiences of harm, neglect or abuse
Pull factors are things someone might use to tempt or persuade a young person, such as:-
- offering gifts, money, clothes or mobile phones
- giving drugs or alcohol
- promising friendship, attention or affection
- making a young person feel special or valued
- offering a sense of belonging, protection or excitement
Cllr David Lonergan, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said
“A key priority for the council is to raise awareness of child exploitation – it’s an issue that impacts on many people, their families and the wider community and it’s everyone’s responsibility to understand what child exploitation is and know the signs to look out for.
“By knowing about the push and pull factors, it will help families, professionals and communities recognise when a young person may need help and support.”
Anyone with concerns about a child or young person in Knowsley should contact Knowsley’s Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub on 0151 443 2600.
Alternatively, contact Merseyside Police on 101 or 999 in an emergency, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Support for young people
Childline – www.childline.org.uk or call 0800 1111 (24/7)
Information and advice for young people on topics like bullying, body image and relationships. Childline offers a phone helpline, 1-to-1 online chats with counsellors, online message boards, Counsellors and British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters
On My Mind – www.annafreud.org/on-my-mind
Information, support and resources about mental health and wellbeing.
PAPYRUS – www.papyrus-uk.org or call 0800 0684141 (24/7) or 88247 textline
Support and advice for people under 35 experiencing suicidal thoughts or finding it hard to cope. Also supports people who are concerned about someone else.
Child Exploitation Online Protection (CEOP) – https://www.ceopeducation.co.uk