by Simon Phetter
Last week the All Party Parliamentary Committee released the Missing Children report which highlighted that children are being groomed by gongs to sell drugs.
The latter part of the report highlights ‘County Lines’, areas where gangs are spreading out of London, using young people and vulnerable adults to sell drugs in different counties.
The report highlights, Thames Valley, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire as police force areas where this occurs using Islington gangs as a case study.
An NSPCC spokesperson for the East of England said: “This report rightly recognises the need to offer support to vulnerable children who’ve become embroiled in gangs and used in drug dealing.
“It’s vital that as a society we recognise the signs of grooming, and that young people can be groomed for a variety of sinister motives – whether for sex, radicalisation or by gangs.
“Children who have been groomed are victims and need help to get their lives back on track. Anyone concerned that a child is involved in a gang can call our Helpline on 0808 800 5000, and young people seeking support or advice can call Childline on 0800 11 11.”
