Child Sexual Exploitation
(CSE) Taskforce
The Child Sexual Exploitation Taskforce
The Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) Taskforce has been established to enhance the policing response to group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse, and with partners will improve:
• How we prepare our response to threat
• How we protect children from exploitation and abuse
• How we prevent group-based child sexual exploitation
• How we pursue those that perpetrate crimes and bring more offenders to justice.
In doing so we will increase the confidence of both victims and survivors, and the wider public in the policing approach to tackling child sexual exploitation and abuse.
The Hydrant Programme lead the CSE Taskforce and are supported by two other national policing programmes, the Tackling Organised Exploitation (TOEX) Programme and the Vulnerability Knowledge and Practice Programme (VKPP). All are uniquely placed to offer support, advice and guidance to police forces, partners and stakeholders working in child protection and abuse investigation.
Following the announcement that a CSE Taskforce aligned to the Hydrant Programme will be launched, Ian Critchley, National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Child Abuse, said:
“We have made significant improvements in how we respond to child sexual exploitation in the past decade. The Government’s formation of a new taskforce will help enhance our action against offenders acting in groups and protect children from these appalling crimes.
“Child abusers come from all parts of our society and sadly most abuse happens in the home; police forces target all offenders – no matter who they are or where they come from.
“Our police action needs to be supported by individuals acting on and reporting concerns and organisations treating their duties to protect children with the utmost seriousness. It should also be supported by a rigorous legal duty on tech companies to keep children safe online and report more offenders. The Online Safety Bill is a critical opportunity to achieve this and make our society safer for children.
“To victims of abuse, please speak out. Whether you speak to our dedicated and trained police specialists or brilliant support services, you will be listened to, taken seriously and supported.”
