CLOSED: Violence, Vulnerability and Exploitation strategy

This consultation is now closed - thank you for your interest. Read the final strategy here.

The Mayor of Tower Hamlets, his administration and partner organisations want to make sure that Tower Hamlets is a place where every child and young person is healthy, safe and successful.

Even though most children and young people are safe in our borough, some are affected by serious violence and criminal and sexual exploitation. Violence and exploitation have devastating consequences for young people and their families.

The aim of our strategy is that every child and young person in Tower Hamlets is kept safe from violence and exploitation and supported to achieve their aspirations.

The strategy has three priorities:

1. Prevention and early intervention. We will protect children and young people from serious harm by making sure that children and young people at risk are identified early and that they and their family get the support they need at the right time.
2. Protection and ongoing support for children and young people at the highest risk of harm and those who are survivors. For children and young people who are being exploited or are at risk of serious violence, we will work hard to keep them safe, and help them recover and get their lives back on track.
3. Disrupting and pursuing those who pose a risk to children and young people. We will use the powers we have to keep children and young people safe from people who exploit them or are responsible for serious violence.

The strategy will focus on protecting children but also explore opportunities to work with and support 18 to 24-year-olds where possible. Young adults are among those at the highest risk of harm. Organisations will also take a ‘contextual safeguarding’ approach - working together to make different places in the borough safer for young people.

In all of their work on this issue, services will take an approach guided by the following three principles:

1. A shared positive approach focused on children and young peoples rights and potential.
2. Working together through a ‘whole-systems’ approach to meet young peoples needs.
3. Focused on evidence about the issues and interventions that work.

Violence and exploitation are complex problems, and all organisations need to work together alongside children and young people, their families, and the adults they trust.

How this will all work:

• The Tower Hamlets Community Safety Partnership will take responsibility for this strategy.
• The Tower Hamlets Safeguarding Children Partnership will play a key role through its Vulnerable Young People and Exploitation sub-group which will oversee delivery.
• There will be a detailed action plan which takes into account the impact of Covid-19, and builds on engagement with children and young people, families, residents, and community and voluntary sector organisations.

What next?

• Read our strategy or download it from the right of this page under 'Documents'
• Continue scrolling down and select 'Take Survey' to make yourself heard.