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Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Child Criminal Exploitation

Delivering bespoke interventions with children and young people who are at risk of Child Criminal Exploitation, supporting them to recover and stay safe.

Child exploitation

Our approach

We work with children and young people who are at risk of Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE). We deliver bespoke support and interventions, empowering them to build resilience and aspiration, take control of their lives, and stay safe.

We also work with the parents and siblings of young people who are at risk of child criminal exploitation, and conduct awareness building workshops with professionals where required.

A young boy reads a message on his phone, while his father works on a laptop on the sofa in the background.

Catch22’s Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Child Criminal Exploitation service is an independent service. Our team are not part of social care or the police.

Frequently asked questions

What support does Catch22 provide to those who are referred into its CCE services?

We have two main approaches to working with young people who are referred into our service:

Direct work: One of our experienced case workers will work with the child or young person on a one-to-one basis, helping them to find solutions and build awareness around issues related to Child Criminal Exploitation, gangs and/or County Lines. Families are also included in this type of intervention (where appropriate), with support extending to parents and/or siblings.
Bespoke work: We understand that, where children are at risk, they may already have several professionals involved in their life. Bespoke works involves us upskilling another professional with whom the child or young person has an existing and meaningful relationship, and walking alongside them whilst they deliver the intervention to the young person.

Catch22 have been contacted because adults believe I am at risk of exploitation. What happens next?

If you are at risk of exploitation, our case worker will contact you and arrange to see you at a time and place you prefer and in the way you feel most comfortable. They will work with you to understand what’s been going on in your life and to explain how people can exploit you for their own benefit.

You’re not in trouble; if you’ve been groomed or exploited, it’s not your fault.

The case worker will meet with you regularly until both of you feel you are safe and happy, and you have good people around you who want the best for you. There is no set programme and no set amount of time the support will last. You are an individual and our support is tailored to your individual needs.

Does Catch22 work with any other professional networks?

Yes. We have robust relationships with the Acute Trust (Accident and Emergency department) and Staffordshire Police’s Northern Area Custody Facility.

This allows us to ensure that children who are involved in youth violence, and/or those who are at risk of child criminal exploitation, are identified and supported within these environments. By providing support at these “reachable moments”, we are better able to ensure that these young people access the most appropriate services.

Does Catch22 offer any workshops or training for professionals?

Yes! We deliver targeted workshops and training in professional settings – both in person or virtually.

These sessions aim to build awareness around the signs and indicators of exploitation, youth violence, knife crime, and County Lines.

For more information, please contact the team using the form below.

What support can Catch22 offer within education settings?

Catch22 can provide targeted group workshops to children across the city and county.

These sessions can cover topics relating to:

exploitation and grooming,
online safety,
criminal activity and consequences,
knife crime,
gang affiliation,
health relationships, and
safety and protective factors.

We also work closely with the Pan-Staffordshire PSHE Education service to ensure collaboration on a wider landscape related to CCE prevention education (PSHE) and the interventions delivered in local education establishments.

Sessions can be tailored to the individual needs identified within the school. All sessions are adapted to suit the needs and age range of the children. We also ensure that staff are able to manage any disclosures that may arise.

For more information, please contact the team using the form below.

I was expecting someone to come in and say “Listen, you’ve done this, that, the other wrong and this is how we’re gonna fix it.” But honestly, it was far from what I thought. From our first conversation, I started to feel more comfortable. Catch22 has really helped and supported me. I feel loads more positive about things now.

Sam, service user

I am really pleased with the support both me and Leila have received. It has been really good for us and has made our relationship stronger and more open. [Catch22’s support] has been massive in rebuilding our relationship and keeping her safe. Thank you so much for working with us. I have my daughter back!

Isaac, parent of a service user

Catch22 have been amazing- they have worked with a true partnership approach and supported the young person brilliantly.

Amara, social worker

News and resources

Resources are listed chronologically.
Please use these arrows to see more.

Child exploitation

20 Sep 2024

What do we mean by “child criminal exploitation”? The need for a clear rights-based legal definition

Publications,

Child exploitation

1 May 2025

The new Catch22 Youth Brand

Announcements,

Child exploitation

24 Feb 2025

Legislation to criminalise child criminal exploitation welcome – but must go further

background image of hands writing on paper

Announcements,

Child exploitation

17 Jan 2025

Catch22 response to Youth Select Committee Social Media and Youth Violence Inquiry

The Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, taken from across the River Thames. Overlaid is text that reads: "Consultation Response".

Consultations,

Child exploitation

30 Sep 2024

Young People and Families: Annual report 2023-2024

Publications,

Child exploitation

20 Sep 2024

Catch22 publishes a new paper calling for Child Criminal Exploitation to be defined in law.

Announcements,

Child exploitation

12 Aug 2024

Redthread set to merge with Catch22

A group of young people gather around a table having a conversation, casually.

Announcements,

Child exploitation

21 Jun 2024

What is sextortion?

A teenage boy wearing headphones completes online work in the school library. Overlaid is text that reads: "Staying Safe Online Poster Hub".

Posters and downloads,

Child exploitation

13 Jun 2024

Missing services: product card

Young woman sitting on the floor in an empty room, looking thoughtful.

Posters and downloads,

Child exploitation

12 Jun 2024

Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Child Criminal Exploitation: Annual report 2023-2024

A teenage girl sits on her bed, looking at something on her laptop. She is surrounded by posters on the walls.

Publications,

Child exploitation

9 Apr 2024

Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Child Criminal Exploitation: Referral forms

A person filled out a form on a clipboard. Overlaid is text that reads: "Referral Forms".

Policies,

Child exploitation

13 Mar 2024

The urgent need for training to safeguard vulnerable youth from exploitation

Pupil raises hand to ask a question while the teacher is presenting.

Blogs,

Child exploitation

23 Feb 2024

Child financial exploitation: a guide

Close up of a young teenage boy standing next to an older boy who is giving him money.

Posters and downloads,

Child exploitation

6 Feb 2024

Is someone asking you for a nude picture?

Posters and downloads,

17 Nov 2023

Catch22 responds to call for evidence on reducing the harm from illegal drugs

Consultations,

25 Oct 2023

Why early action holds the key to breaking the prison/reoffending cycle

A young woman stands with her back to the camera, with a long winding road in front of her.

Blogs,

Child exploitation

20 Sep 2023

Why frontline voices are critical to the policy making process

Four people in suits meet. Two of them shake hands in a greeting, while the others look at them. Overlaid is text that reads "22 ways to build resilience and aspiration".

Blogs,

18 Sep 2023

Catch22 Manifesto: Reimagining public services

Publications,

Child exploitation

7 Jun 2023

Illegal Migration Bill: more harm than good?

A young girl sits alone on a set of outdoor steps. She wraps her hands around her knees and looks into the distance.

Blogs,

Child exploitation

19 Apr 2023

How do you recognise a victim of child exploitation?

A young girl, sitting at a school desk, looks thoughtfully out of the window, holding a pencil in their hand as they rest their head on their hand. Other students can be seen in the background.

Blogs,

Child exploitation

16 Feb 2023

Inequity in safeguarding

Header image for the Catch22 Minutes podcast which reads "Season 3: Risk and Resilience"

Podcasts,

Child exploitation

19 Jan 2023

Online harms and online helps

Podcasts,

Child exploitation

1 Dec 2022

Missing children and child exploitation

Podcasts,

Child exploitation

6 Jun 2022

Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire: Volunteer mentor service report 2021-2022

A woman wearing glasses sits at a table, listening to an anonymous figure sat opposite her. She rests her head on both her hands which are clasped beneath her chin.

Publications,

Child exploitation

17 Mar 2022

Catch22 responds to introduction of the Online Safety Bill

Close-up of hands using a touchscreen mobile phone.

Responses,

Child exploitation

17 Mar 2022

Young carers and child exploitation in Staffordshire

Publications,

Child exploitation

17 Mar 2022

Young carers and child exploitation

Publications,

Child exploitation

17 Mar 2022

What makes a child vulnerable to exploitation?

Close-up of a young woman, taken from waist-height, as she looks at her phone. Her face is not visible. Overlaid is text that says: "Spot the Signs Poster Hub".

Posters and downloads,

Child exploitation

2 Mar 2022

Catch22 responds to Commission on Young Lives report

A hooded figure browses content on their phone.

Responses,

23 Feb 2022

Improving victims’ experience of the criminal justice system

Blogs,

Child exploitation

2 Feb 2022

Catch22 responds to IICSA report

Consultations,

Child exploitation

21 Dec 2021

Reflecting on a decade of Return Home Interviews

Close-up of hands unlocking and opening a door using a key.

Blogs,

Child exploitation

16 Dec 2021

Unrealistic sexpectations: online porn and young people

A young man flexes his arm muscles in the mirror whilst taking a photograph on his smartphone.

Consultations,

Child exploitation

13 Dec 2021

Catch22 releases Missing and Emotional Wellbeing report

A young person sits alone on a wall outside, listening to music on their headphones.

Publications,

Child exploitation

22 Oct 2021

County Lines slang

Posters and downloads,

Child exploitation

27 May 2021

Risk and Resilience Services: Supporting young people at risk of exploitation

A young person wearing a padded coat stands with their back to the camera and their hands in their pockets. Underneath the coat, they are wearing a hoodie, and they have their hood up.

Publications,

Child exploitation

26 May 2021

SPACE talks Missing Incidents

Blogs,

Child exploitation

25 May 2021

Exploitation risk to missing and runaway children too often ignored

A young person stands in front of a wall holding a piece of paper in front of their face. The piece of paper has a question mark drawn on it.

Blogs,

Child exploitation

1 Apr 2021

Transforming the lives of victims of crime and exploitation

Consultations,

23 Mar 2021

The four key principles of a “Good” Web

Overhead view of a woman browsing an online shop on her laptop. She is sat on the sofa cross-legged with a notebook and television remote next to her.

Blogs,

Child exploitation

18 Mar 2021

“Are you listening?”

Case studies,

Child exploitation

17 Mar 2021

Child exploitation and criminal behaviour

Blogs,

Child exploitation

16 Mar 2021

What makes a good relationship?

Posters and downloads,

4 Feb 2021

Support helplines, apps and websites for young people

A young woman sits on a step outside, looking at a tablet computer.

Posters and downloads,

Child exploitation

22 Jan 2021

Catch22 responds to Home Office “Tackling Child Sexual Abuse” strategy

A group of young people browse their phones whilst sitting on a wall. Overlaid is text that reads "Online Harms Research Hub".

Responses,

Child exploitation

13 Jan 2021

Young People and Families: Annual Review 2019-2020

Close-up portrait of a a mother, father, and young son smiling at the camera.

Publications,

29 Jun 2020

Catch22 responds to call for evidence on "Public Services: Lessons from coronavirus"

Consultations,

Child exploitation

2 Jun 2020

How volunteering can offer us a way to connect

A person wearing a "Volunteer" t-shirt holds out a clipboard to someone who is signing up to offer their time.

Blogs,

Child exploitation

26 Mar 2020

Good practice guidance for Return Home Interviews delivered remotely

A woman, working at a desktop computer, takes a phone call on her mobile.

Posters and downloads,

29 Nov 2019

Catch22 joins call to put young people at the heart of General Election

Close-up of a group of children laying on the floor thinking.

Responses,

Child exploitation

17 Sep 2019

Catch22 responds to No Place at Home APPG Report

Close up of stacked adult and child hands, holding a wooden model of a home.

Responses,

Child exploitation

30 Apr 2019

Myths about male sexual assault victims

Portrait of a young man wearing a gilet, looking down against the frames of a glass wall.

Posters and downloads,

Child exploitation

18 Mar 2019

Youth participation – it’s win, win, win

A young woman smiles at the camera. In the background, a group of young people work together on a project.

Blogs,

Child exploitation

28 Feb 2019

Why exploited children must be treated as victims

Teenage girl sits in the library at school looking at a project with bookshelves in the background.

Responses,

Child exploitation

11 Oct 2018

Spotting a runaway child

Posters and downloads,

Child exploitation

15 Aug 2018

Keeping children safe during the holidays

Posters and downloads,

Child exploitation

3 Jul 2018

Child criminal exploitation: how do gangs recruit and coerce young people?

Posters and downloads,

Child exploitation

1 Jun 2018

Harnessing the commitment, energy and creativity of volunteers

Close-up portrait of a woman smiling directly at the camera.

Case studies,

Child exploitation

24 May 2018

Push and pull factors: what causes a child to go missing?

Posters and downloads,

Child exploitation

1 May 2018

Different dangers, same signs

Posters and downloads,

Child exploitation

15 Mar 2018

Positive relationships break the CSE cycle

Posters and downloads,

Child exploitation

5 Feb 2018

Prevent a young person going missing

Posters and downloads,

Child exploitation

1 Feb 2018

Child sexual exploitation – think boys

Posters and downloads,

Child exploitation

21 Nov 2017

New service in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire

A young girl sits on the floor in a small space next to a cupboard. She rests her head on her knees and wraps her arms around her legs which are drawn up to her chest.

Announcements,

Child exploitation

20 Nov 2017

Five ways that parents can protect their children

Posters and downloads,

27 Mar 2017

Catch22 responds to the MOPAC Police and Crime Plan

Responses,

23 Jul 2015

Running the risks: the links between gang involvement and missing

A teenage boy and a teenage girl stand in a graffiti-covered underpass. He shows her something on his phone.

Publications,

Our partners

Contact Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Child Criminal Exploitation

Nigel Sergeant

Service Manager

Referrals are available via an internal referral. The forms required to initiate this can be found here.

Where possible, this should be via the Local Safeguarding Board / Partnership Child Exploitation safeguarding pathways.

For further information, please reach out using our contact form, and a member of the team will get back to you as soon as possible.

Address

Suite 3, Sutherland Works, Beaufort Road, Stoke On Trent, ST3 1RH

Telephone Number

07834 341 602

Email Address

catch22cce@catch-22.org.uk

Privacy notice

How we manage your data

Catch22 Charity Ltd. manages the data you provide in accordance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The Data Controller (the organisation that determines how your data is managed) is Catch22. Contact us if you have a query about how your data is managed.
The Data Processor (the organisation that does data processing on behalf of Catch22) is Totally.Tech.
We are committed to giving you (the Data Subject in legal terms) an easy way to exercise your eight rights under the GDPR.
We retain your data for as long as you allow us to do so. You can exercise your right to erasure at any time however, there may be some instances where we need to retain your information for a longer duration for legal reasons, such as when applying for a job with Catch22.
Catch22 uses Click4Asistance as an online chat tool. By providing information, you consent to Click4Assistance collecting and processing this information according to their privacy policy.

What information do we collect?

Catch22 may collect, store and use the following kinds of personal data:

information about your computer and your visits to and use of this website, including your IP address, geographical location, browser type, referral source, length of visit and number of page views (cookies),
information that you provide to us for the purpose of applying for a job or receiving job alerts (job applications / job alerts),
subscribing to email newsletters including your name and email address (email newsletter),
If using our online chat service Click4Assistance, information such as IP addresses, and chat transcripts will be collected. If you choose to provide them, personal data such as names, email addresses will be collected, or
information that you submit that relates to a complaint, service feedback or enquiry (complaints / feedback and enquiries).

Specific detail of each processing activity is provided below.

Cookies

Cookies are text files that are stored on your web browser by a website’s server. Each cookie is unique to your browser, and will contain some anonymous information such as a unique identifier and the website domain name. This information is sent back to the server each time your browser requests a page from it. This enables the website server to identify and track your web browser via your unique, anonymous, identifier.

Catch22 only uses cookies on its website where they will support the functioning of its website and to improve the experience of its website visitors. These cookies may be created by Catch22’s website, or by third-party services that Catch22 uses, to enable its website to be run effectively.

Some, ‘necessary’ cookies are essential to the running of our website and are exempt from the requirement of consent as per the GDPR and PECR. Functional, analytical and advertising cookies are all optional, and we will only store these cookies on your browser where we have received your freely-given, specific, informed, and unambiguous consent.

Any information that is collected by Catch22 via cookies is processed in a way which does not, and cannot, identify an individual person. We do not make any attempt to find out the identities of those visiting the Catch22 website.

You can find out more about Catch22’s use of cookies, and how to opt-out of or delete cookies from your browser via our Cookies Statement.

Job applications

If you apply for a job with Catch22 using our hosted online job application system, this service will be provided by a data processor on our behalf (SmartRecruiters).

To process your application, we ask for your personal details including name and contact details. We will ask you about your previous experience, education, referees and for answers to questions relevant to the role you have applied for. The hiring managers for the role, along with our Recruitment and HR teams will have access to all of this information.

Catch22 processes your job application data for the purpose of its legitimate interest to process your HR information.

If you are successful, the information you provide during the application process will be retained by us as part of your employee file for the duration of your employment plus six years following the end of your employment.
If you are unsuccessful at any stage of the process, the information you have provided until that point will be retained for six months from the closure of the campaign.
Equal opportunities information is retained for six months following the closure of the campaign whether you are successful or not.

For more information, please see the SmartRecruiters privacy notice.

Job alerts

Through the SmartRecruiters job application system, it is also possible to sign up for job alerts, which will let you know when new jobs that meet your criteria have been posted.

These alerts are managed by the data processor (SmartRecruiters) on our behalf, and will only be processed using your freely-given, specific, informed and unambiguous consent.

If at any point you wish to unsubscribe from SmartRecruiters job alerts, this can be done by clicking the unsubscribe link on the latest email. You can also log into your SmartRecruiters candidate profile to modify or withdraw your details.

For more information, please see the SmartRecruiters privacy notice.

If you subscribe to Catch22’s newsletter and/or event mailing lists, you will receive regular communications relating to our work. These mailings will be facilitated by a third-party provider, such as Mailchimp or Salesforce (marketing platforms), and your data will be processed by a third-party client relationship management platform, Salesforce.

Catch22 will only process your contact details and send you newsletters following your freely-given, specific, informed and unambiguous consent.

You have the right to unsubscribe from any of our email mailing lists at any time. If you wish to unsubscribe from a Catch22 mailing list please click the unsubscribe link on the latest email or contact dpo@catch-22.org.uk to ensure that you do not continue to receive email newsletters from us. We will need to continue to hold your details after you have unsubscribed to ensure that we do not send you further communications.

For more information, please see the Mailchimp or Salesforce privacy notices as appropriate.

Feedback and enquiries

Catch22 processes the data submitted through any of our website contact forms for the purpose of receiving your message and responding to it under the lawful basis of consent, which you give when submitting the form.

We will only use the information supplied to us to deal with the enquiry and any subsequent issues, and to check on the level of service we provide.

These contact forms are processed using the WordPress plugin, Gravity Forms. When these forms are submitted to us, notification emails are automatically generated to send your enquiry to the appropriate team within Catch22 who will store your email for as long as is required to deal with your enquiry and any subsequent issues.

Form submissions are also stored within the Catch22 WordPress database for a period of 90 days. This allows us to identify if there are any issues with forms being received by our teams. After this time, forms and all accompanying personal data are automatically deleted from the system. Gravity Forms does not receive copies of any of forms, or any accompanying personal data, that are submitted via the Catch22 website.

If using our online chat service, Click4Assitance, data collected through the chat service may be shared internally within Catch22  to provide support and improve services.

You have the right to withdraw consent for us to contact you at any time by contacting dpo@catch-22.org.uk. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, which in the United Kingdom is the Information Commissioner’s Office.

For more information, please see the Gravity Forms privacy notice.

Complaints

Complaints can be submitted using our online feedback form, by emailing feedback@catch-22.org.uk, or by post. Catch22 undertakes the processing of your complaints data as part of its legitimate interests.

When we receive a complaint from a person we make up a file containing the details of the complaint. This normally contains the identity of the complainant and any other individuals involved in the complaint.

We will only use the personal information we collect to process the complaint and to check on the level of service we provide.

We usually have to disclose the complainant’s identity to whoever the complaint is about. This is inevitable where, for example, the accuracy of a person’s record is in dispute. If a complainant doesn’t want information identifying him or her to be disclosed, we will try to respect that. However, it may not be possible to handle a complaint on an anonymous basis.

We will keep personal information contained in complaint files in line with our retention policy. This means that information relating to a complaint will be retained for six years from closure. It will be retained in a secure environment and access to it will be restricted according to the ‘data minimisation’ principle.

For more information, please see the Complaints, Compliments and Feedback policy.

Use of data processors

The Data Processor (the organisation that does data processing on behalf of Catch22) is Totally.Tech.

Catch22 also works with third-party data processors to provide our:

content management system (WordPress),
website analytics (Google Analytics),
marketing platform (Mailchimp),
client relationship management platform (Salesforce),
social media advertising campaigns (Meta Pixel, Twitter Pixel, LinkedIn Insight Tag, TikTok Pixel),
online chat service (Click4Assitance), and
recruitment service (SmartRecruiters).

We have contracts in place with our data processors. This means that they cannot do anything with your personal information unless we have instructed them to do it. They will not share your personal information with any organisation apart from us. They will hold it and retain it for the period we instruct.

Individual Catch22 services may work with additional third-party data processors in line with their contractual requirements. For more information, please see the relevant Service Privacy Notice, which can be downloaded from their service page on this website, or found by searching for the service by name in our Policy Library.

Disclosures

Catch22 may disclose information about you to any of our employees, officers, agents, suppliers or data processors insofar as reasonably necessary for the purposes as set out in this privacy notice.

In addition, we may disclose information about you:

to the extent that we are required to do so by law,
in connection with any legal proceedings or prospective legal proceedings, or
in order to establish, exercise or defend our legal rights (including providing information to others for the purposes of fraud prevention and reducing credit risk).

Except as provided in this privacy notice, Catch22 will not provide your information to third parties without your consent.

Security of your personal data

Catch22 will take reasonable technical and organisational precautions to prevent the loss, misuse or alteration of your personal information.

We will store all the personal information you provide on our secure, encrypted password and firewall protected servers. As data transmission over the internet is inherently insecure, we cannot guarantee the security of data sent over the internet.

Where information is held on our behalf by data processors, we will ensure, to the best of our ability, that they hold your information securely and in line with data protection legislation. We hold contracts with all data processors to make sure that they cannot do anything with your data unless we have instructed them to do so.

Notice amendments

We may update this privacy notice from time-to-time. Check this page occasionally to ensure you are happy with any changes.

Your rights

Please contact the Data Protection Officer if you have any queries regarding this Privacy Notice or if you would like to exercise or query any of the following rights afforded to you under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

right to access

right to erasure

right to object

right to rectification

right to be informed

right to restrict processing

right to data portability

rights in relation to automated decision making and profiling

right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) – via the Complaints page on the ICO website or by calling 0303 123 1113

For further information on your rights, please visit the Individual Rights page on the ICO website.

Contact

If you have any questions about this privacy notice or of our treatment of your personal data, please email dpo@catch-22.org.uk or write to:

Data Protection Officer

Catch22
27 Pear Tree Street
London
EC1V 3AG

Data controller

Catch22’s data protection registration number is Z1473239

Related services

Child exploitation

We provide support for young people, professionals, parents, and carers, with the aim of preventing or stopping child exploitation and missing incidents.