The Home Office has recently updated its County Lines guidance booklet, which is aimed at frontline staff including police officers, particularly those who work with children, young people and vulnerable adults. It is designed to help police officers (and staff in statutory partner organisations) identify potential victims of this type of criminal exploitation. It sets out the signs to look for in potential victims, and what action staff should take so that potential victims get the support and help they need. The document supplements an organisation’s existing safeguarding policies. To complement the guidance, there are resources which set out the signs to look out for, that could indicate that someone is a victim of county lines gangs.
To complement police forces’ and local authorities’ own local awareness-raising work, the Home Office is running a national campaign to raise awareness of county lines and how staff can report concerns. This campaign is currently targeting the following sectors and the Home Office has created bespoke materials for each audience:
