Council finds exploitation risk for 204 children

Within a year, 204 children in Walsall were deemed as being at risk of exploitation

A council has identified 204 children who were at risk of being exploited in the last year.

From 1 April last year to 15 March the children, as well as 54 adults, were assessed in the Walsall borough and deemed to be at risk.

A report which will go before a Walsall Council committee on Tuesday identified that criminal and sexual exploitation were the two main risks.

Other assessments found cases of modern day slavery, online grooming and financial exploitation.

Walsall's Exploitation Hub identifies, screens and shares intelligence as well as provides support for people affected.

The hub carried out 416 assessments in the year, 95 of which found no exploitation. The remaining 321 assessments were carried out relating to 258 children and adults.

Of those 258, 67 were identified as victims who had been exploited resulting in harm, 92 were deemed vulnerable to exploitation and 99 had been targeted for potential exploitation.

A total of 131 were affected by criminal exploitation, 69 were sexually exploited and 25 experienced both.

The report added adults were mainly vulnerable to modern day slavery and cuckooing, which involves local dealers taking over homes and selling drugs from them.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.