The eight Practice Principles are grounded in research and informed by practical learning and expertise from multi-agency professionals and the lived experiences of children, young people, parents and carers. These principles – and six supporting resources – provide a way for professionals and agencies to navigate the complexities of these types of harm and work together to protect and support children and young people.

Commissioned by the Department for Education with support from the Home Office, Ministry of Justice and Department of Health & Social Care, the Practice Principles have been developed by a consortium led by Research in Practice in partnership with The Children’s Society and researchers from the University of Bedfordshire’s Safer Young Lives Research Centre.

The Practice Principles are:  

• Behavioural, focusing on ways of working, rather than a prescribed pathway that must be followed for anyone involved in responding to child exploitation and extra-familial harm
• High-level so they can be used by different groups and applied in different settings. 
• Designed to allow multi-agency professionals to connect and collaborate effectively.  
• Interlinked and inter-dependent, so that by using them together the Principles provide a coherent approach.  

Dr Helen Beckett, Director of Bedfordshire’s Safer Young Lives Research Centre, said: “We’re delighted to share these Practice Principles with the sector. Grounded in existing research and direct learnings from professionals, children, young people, parents and carers, we hope they prove a useful guide for supporting their ongoing work in tackling child exploitation and extra-familial harm.”

Dez Holmes, Director of Research in Practice, said: “Exploitation and extra-familial harm can have a devastating impact on people’s lives, and present complex challenges to professionals. By focusing on key ingredients such as relationships, equality and partnership working, we hope these collaboratively-developed Principles can support colleagues at all levels to provide the best possible support to children, young people and those who care about them.”

The Practice Principles were showcased at a series of virtual events held throughout March in 2023, allowing safeguarding professionals to explore how they can be best used within individual roles and multi-agency partnerships. The events also provided a platform for children, young people, parents and carers to voice their feedback.

A young person who took part in the consultation said: “[The Practice Principles] are not difficult things, that’s what I like about them. It’s just like – respect me, see me, validate me, please don’t treat me like a chore and don’t de-humanise me. It’s very simple – they are such a good thing.”

Nerys Anthony, Executive Director for Youth Impact at The Children’s Society, added: “We are proud to have led the consultation with 242 children, young people, parents and carers and are extremely grateful to all of those who generously gave their time and expertise to make the Practice Principles relevant and accessible.”

The Practice Principles and supporting resources are now available to download for free from the Tackling Child Exploitation (TCE) microsite.