About
SPACE is a self-funded specialist organisation founded in January 2018 in response to the national prevalence of Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE - a form of Slavery and Trafficking) in the County Lines phenomenon which has entrenched thousands of children and young adults into serious violence and organised crime.
Its primary mission is to keep all children and young people safe from serious criminal, violent and emotional harm by
Campaigning for change in the current multi-agency response to (C)CE
We are founder and co-lead of NPIES (National Parents as Partners in Exploitation Safeguarding) Advisory Group which seeks to highlight and remedy the holes in the (C)CE safety net.
We also brought to wider attention County Lines as a UK child trafficking epidemic , and the disparity in statutory recognition of domestically exploited UK victims and the absence of victim support within a Modern Slavery framework designed for foreign national victims. This has continued to be the case despite British victims being the most-commonly referred slavery nationals since 2017, falling second in 2022 and first half of 2023. The increase in British slavery and CCE remaining most-common form of child slavery in the UK is largely driven by County Lines.
Provision of SPACE Steps, a national, free and dynamic advocacy and advice service for families directly affected by County Lines exploitation and trafficking
Expert witness services and consultancy on all aspects of Countylines slavery and its overlaps
Awareness and Education through unique perspectives and expertise including Modern Slavery and Trafficking
Recommendations to improve inadequate or harmful professional responses to County Lines slavery
Collaboration with selected partners to drive changes to better safeguard County Lines affected children and young people, and tackle their needs
Training and equipping public, private and third-sector professionals to recognise signs of County Lines and CCE through rare and unparalleled insights, and facilitating understanding of the wider context of this exploitation
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Law Enforcement
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Local Authorities / Social Care Placements
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Health
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Education / OFSTED
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Judiciary / CJS
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Legal Practitioners
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Faith / Community Groups
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Taxi / Private Hire Firms
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Parents / Carers
Educating and empowering parents, carers and young people through awareness and prevention sessions, including steps to take if affected
SPACE - National Advisory Groups & Collectives
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NPIES (Parents as Partners in Exploitation Safeguarding) Advisory Group - Founder & Co-Lead
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OFSTED Knife Crime Expert Advisory Group
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NCLCC (National County Lines Coordination Centre) Advisory Group
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Contextual Safeguarding Scale Up Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) Collective
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National Missing People Policing Group
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Missing People Expert Reference Group
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Home Office Modern Slavery Children's Task and Finish Group
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Youth Endowment Fund Change Champion