Greater Manchester Police and other agencies across the region joined forces to to learn best practice approaches to tackling child exploitation.

The event - which was co-ordinated by Greater Manchester’s Complex Safeguarding Hub in partnership with GMP, Programme Challenger, and the Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit - provided an opportunity to equip multi-agency frontline professionals with the skills needed to support complex safeguarding teams.

Key areas of focus included early identification, information sharing, safeguarding, and coordinated multi-agency disruption.

The event was one of four arranged to launch the Greater Manchester Complex Safeguarding Strategy, with further events scheduled next.

A wide range of exploitation-related topics were addressed, such as neurodiversity, trauma, child-centred approaches, lived experiences, online harms, identity issues, and the intersection of child criminal and sexual exploitation, including the role of girls in county lines.

Detective Superintendent Joseph Harrop, Head of Serious and Organised Crime, Greater Manchester Police, said: “The event aimed to enhance collaboration across Greater Manchester in addressing child exploitation, raising awareness of the associated risks, challenging conventional approaches, and identifying best practices and opportunities for mutual learning.

“By bringing together experts who are committed to protecting children, we are developing solutions that will strengthen the collective efforts in preventing, disrupting, and prosecuting those responsible for the most heinous crimes.

“I have no doubt the learnings from the event will be disruptive to criminal networks operating both within Greater Manchester and beyond, and our work to tackle those responsible and protect those being exploited will not stop here.

"Protecting children and young people in GM is our top priority, and the partnership work being carried out is to be commended. I thank everyone for their dedication and determination in the fight against crimes targeting children.

“Finally, I would like to stress that support is available to anyone who feels threatened, knows they are being exploited, or has concerns about the way they are being treated.

"I would also encourage members of the public to make themselves aware of the signs of child exploitation. We rely on intel being submitted to help us drive our operations forward, so it really is imperative that no matter how big or small, anyone with concerns should come forward. You could be the difference for a victim, and we all have a responsibility to protect young and vulnerable members of our communities, so it is important we all know what to look out for.”

Kate Green, Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester for Safer and Stronger Communities, said: “Child exploitation is an abhorrent crime and there’s no place for it in society. Tackling it, keeping children safe, and bringing perpetrators to justice is a top priority for us and we will leave no stone unturned in our relentless pursuit of this.

“Tackling child exploitation and extra-familial harm requires everyone to play their part and to work together."

If you have information, please call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or contact GMP via 101. Always dial 999 in an emergency.