Deep dive exploration of safeguarding partnership responses to county lines and serious youth violence

Product Description

This report was commissioned to evaluate how multi-agency safeguarding partnerships across England respond to serious youth violence and county lines exploitation, particularly in the context of heightened vulnerabilities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The evaluation aimed to identify promising practice, learning and recommendations by engaging 164 professionals across statutory and voluntary sectors. A rapid review of 108 policy documents informed the literature base, while safeguarding partnerships were selected based on risk rankings and geographical spread. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, thematically analysed using both inductive and deductive approaches, and triangulated across strategic, operational and voluntary perspectives.

• re-structuring and tripartite ownership
• the role of universal services
• policy, guidance, and risk tools
• cross-boundary working
• best practice examples
• county lines typology
• risk factors and unmet needs
• critical safeguarding moments
• contextual safeguarding
• National Referral Mechanism (NRM)
• child-centred theory vs practice
• the impact of COVID-19
• national improvement strategies

Key findings highlighted fragmented strategies, gaps in legislation, and inconsistent safeguarding responses, particularly around the National Referral Mechanism (NRM). Recommendations call for a unified child exploitation strategy, improved integration of health and education sectors, a national youth drug response, and investment in universal services. The report advocates for a whole-systems approach, recognising that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and must be underpinned by collaborative, well-resourced, and trauma-informed practice.