Help for young people

Help for young people worried about weapons, gangs, going country and similar issues

Pressure can take many forms. Pressure to pay the bills. Pressure to play the part. Pressure to be places you shouldn't and do things you don't want to do. Pressure to take things you don't want to take.

If friends are pressuring you to get involved with their criminal activities, the reality is you have choices. We have worked with many young people in that same place, and many of us have been there ourselves. Although the journey might be tough, leaving that life behind is easier than it may seem.

Here are tips and advice on how you can gradually start to get your life back to normal. However, it is very important to remember that if you or anyone else is facing an immediate threat you should dial 999. If things are complex and you are having difficulty managing the situation by yourself, or if the safety of you and your family is at risk, there is specialist help available to support you.

Important things to remember

No-one has the right to control your life or pressure you into doing things you know aren’t right or don’t feel comfortable with.
Reach out to other people you trust for help. This could be your parent, a teacher, a pastor or someone from an organisation like St Giles.
It's never too late. It doesn't matter who you are or what you have done. Changing direction is a matter of taking different steps.

What is Child Criminal Exploitation?

I carry a weapon to protect myself - not because I am involved in anything

Many young people feel under threat. However, if you carry a weapon you statistically have more chance of it being used against you rather than it protecting you. If you are caught you could end up with a prison sentence. This will affect the rest of your whole life and could make it more difficult for you to gain a job, go to University, travel and access things such as insurance.

I need the money

Money made from crime a bit is like fake money. It can be taken away at any point – confiscated by the authorities if you are caught or robbed from you by a group of rivals. You cannot use it to save up for any of the most life changing purchases such as a home. However, any money you make legitimately is yours to keep, spend and save up for the future as you choose to. If your family are short of money you should never feel under pressure to commit crime to help sort out this issue – speak to a professional such as a teacher, social worker or another trusted adult who can help your family get the support they need.

I'm just hanging out with my friends - we're not in a gang

If your friends aren’t doing anything illegal this is fine – enjoy your time with your friends who will be an important part of your whole life. However, if your friends are involved in activities such as drug dealing, weapons or any other form of criminal activity, remember that this could also have consequences for you if they are ever caught and you are also present. Even if you aren’t doing anything yourself there is still the possibility that you could face criminal changes.

I'm being bullied and the gang are protecting me

No one should be bullied so speak to your parent/caregiver, a teacher or other trusted adult in your life if you are experiencing this. You may also find it helpful to talk to hotlines such as Young Minds But remember, although the elders might be protecting you now they may expect something in return which might lead to them exploiting you in serious ways. It is best to look for help somewhere else.

I don't fit in and feel pressure to be 'cool'

I've been excluded from school and feel like a failure

I'm already involved in stuff and I'm scared - what can I do?

If you recognise this and know that you need to ask for help to make changes, you are facing up to things and already some way forward. There are steps you can take yourself to help remove yourself from the situation but you may need some support and advice to do this. However, remember you should always dial 999 if you or anyone around you such as your family is in immediate danger.

Be unavailable to negative influences - spend time with your family, caregivers and any other positive influence such as a mentor or pastor if you can
Turn your phone off or change the SIM if it is your own phone
Concentrate on your studies and things you like such as music, sports, art – this is an excellent way to send a signal that you are progressing your life on your own terms.
Get good at making excuses – do they want you to go out and do stuff? Say you are grounded, have a family commitment or that you need to keep an appointment with a professional such as a social worker or YOT worker.

Most importantly, don’t keep things bottled up and reach out for help. This can be from someone you trust in your life already such as your parent or teacher or it can be from someone who is a professional in helping young people with these issues. At St Giles, we realise how difficult life is for young people in these types of situations so we train people who have been in similar ones to help other young people. They’ve walked in your shoes, come from similar communities and really understand what’s going on for you.

Worried about the police getting involved if you ask for help?

You may be reluctant to seek help because you are worried that the police may become involved. Whilst the police have a duty to investigate where crimes may have been committed it does not necessarily mean you will be arrested.

Organisations like St Giles have been training the police in issues around child criminal exploitation and raising awareness of the way in which young people are unwittingly exploited and should be treated as victims rather than perpetrators. If you are ever in a situation where the police have got involved, contact a trusted adult so they can support and advise you through this.

Where can I find more help?

St Giles runs a range of services designed to help young people involved in or at risk of child criminal exploitation, including county lines.

To find out what support might be available to you, email us at info@stgilestrust.org.uk

There are a number of other organisations out there who also offer specialist support:

Missing People’s Safecall service – this is a scheduled telephone call supporting young people, professionals and families affected by criminal exploitation including county lines: https://www.missingpeople.org.uk/get-help/help-services

Safer London supports young Londoners, their families and communities affected by violence and exploitation: https://saferlondon.org.uk/about-us/

The Children’s Society have a section of online material and resources specifically aimed at parents, caregivers and professionals who are supporting young people involved in county lines: https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/what-we-do/our-work/tackling-criminal-exploitation-and-county-lines/county-lines-resources

Child Criminal Exploitation

In Summer 2021 our staff members put together a short mini-series highlighting five different vulnerabilities to Child Criminal Exploitation.

The videos draw on their professional expertise and lived experience. They are intended to highlight awareness of CCE and the grooming line.

View the mini series