Helping Keep Young People Safe from Gang Influence

Thoughts from a Care Visions Family Talk with Baroness Anne Longfield

A picture of County Lines Gangs

On the culture of county lines gangs, she shared, “They manage their business with an eye on ever-increasing profits, with no regard at all for the risks or the violence or the consequences for the children. And that means they will be targeting kids to be part of this all the time.”

County lines gangs don’t just use children to run drugs – they’re increasingly recruiting them to manage entire operations. Baroness Longfield shared a chilling example of boys as young as 13 and 14 leading a line for a drug gang.

“They were wearing balaclavas, they’d set a school on fire three times. They would steal scooters from Deliveroo drivers and then torch them. Families were finding new ways to walk around the estate because they didn’t want to get their houses torched. This was 13 and 14-year-olds. They were running the line.”

Starting with Grooming

This kind of exploitation, she says, follows a common pattern of grooming that begins with attention and gifts, but quickly shifts to coercion and debt.

“They’re showered with attention. They’re told they’re great. They’re offered some chips. They’re offered a lift. Then suddenly they owe them. A debt bond is created. And once they’re in, they’ve lost their agency.”

Who’s Most at Risk?

Baroness Longfield emphasised that children with additional vulnerabilities – such as mental health needs, special educational support needs and disabilities, trauma histories or unstable care placements – are at greatest risk.

Looking for Signs – The Link to School Absence

Baroness Longfield highlighted that school absence is one of the biggest warning signs of a child at risk of criminal exploitation.

“When you’re not in school, you’re just much more exposed. And, you know, it’s a complete straight line from children who are absent from school or excluded from school to them.”

She described the post-lockdown rise in persistent absence and “ghost children” as a national crisis. These are children who are either missing school regularly or have vanished from education altogether.

Speaking on the UK as a whole, she stated, “Now, there’s 140,000 kids that are severely absent from school. That means they’re out of school more than they’re in. And about 1.8 million children who are persistently absent. That’s a fifth of kids who are not going to school regularly.”

Carers and parents, she said, must be alert to any changes in attendance – particularly when schools fail to follow up or escalate.

A Mother’s Intervention: Buying Her Son Out

In one of the hardest hitting parts of the podcast, Baroness Longfield shared the story of a mother who discovered her 15-year-old son was being groomed. Rather than wait for services, she confronted the gang herself.

“She found out that her 15-year-old was being groomed and was involved. And she said she went and paid them £300 and said, ‘That’s it. He doesn’t owe you anymore. Don’t ever speak to him again.’ And they didn’t.”

What Carers and Parents Should Look For

Baroness Longfield urged families to act fast and trust their instincts. Spotting the signs early and speaking up – even if you feel you’re not being heard – can make all the difference.

“If you’re worried, ring the police. Ring social services. Talk to the school. But above all, persist, persist, persist. You’re a warrior for your child. And, you know, don’t feel embarrassed or ashamed that you’re doing that. You’re doing the right thing.”

Common signs of grooming or exploitation may include:

• Sudden behaviour changes or secrecy
• Staying out late or going missing overnight
• Possession of new clothes, phones, or unexplained cash
• Talking about older friends, “debts,” or lifts from strangers

Baroness Longfield says it’s vital to stay close and never let suspicion slide.

“Be around them a lot. Have that urgency around it. These things can escalate quickly.”

“We don’t want to live in fear. But if children are spending time unsupervised, we need to know where they are and who they’re with. Don’t ignore the signs. Don’t wait. If you don’t act, the gangs will.”