Children 'as young as 10 years old' exploited by criminal gangs in Wales, says support worker

Criminal gangs in Wales are recruiting vulnerable young people and "it is getting worse", according to frontline staff.

ITV Wales has heard how ‘Child Criminal Exploitation’ is far more common than people think. “It can happen to anyone”, we’ve been told. “It can happen to somebody who doesn't feel a part of their family, doesn't have any friends or has loads of friends, but gets coerced into it.”

It comes as a Senedd committee investigating the issue published a report calling on the Welsh Government to do more to protect vulnerable children from exploitation. 

The report says it is now a bigger problem now than it has ever been, with criminals using more sophisticated techniques.

The Welsh Government says it is working with the UK Government to make sure no young person falls victim to exploitation and abuse.

‘It can happen to anyone’

The charity Action for Children works with young people who criminal gangs have exploited. 

One of their frontline support workers told us about his work: "We're a child exploitation service, we work with young people of all ages, to help them reintegrate back into education, back into employment, or just look at their lifestyle really and how we can help."

He has asked us to keep his identity hidden for fear of repercussions from criminal gangs. 

He explained how criminals groom children. "People are coming over; they're finding these young people and exploiting them through any means they can, whether it's through buying them gifts, trainers, coats, or anything like that. 

"Then there's the drug aspect of it, where they can ask for any type of drug, then they're hooked on that drug. They accrue debt, then that debt has to be paid", he said.

Exploitation can take many forms, including using children to traffic drugs from big cities into rural communities, as part of 'county lines' networks. These are criminal networks were drugs are transported typically from large cities to towns and rural areas.

The support worker told us he has seen children as young as 10 years old involved. 

“People at home may be saying ‘no way a 10-year-old’, but we’ve had these referrals. These young people do not know the difference between right and wrong”, he said. 

‘More joined-up thinking’

A Senedd committee investigating the issue published its findings on Thursday and also found that criminalisation of young people is “a bigger problem now than it has ever been".

ITV Wales analysis of Home Office data shows the number of referrals to police forces in Wales has almost doubled in the last four years. 

In 2023, the Home Office recorded 252 cases of potential child criminal exploitation in Wales. 

Tom Giffard MS sits on the Senedd Committee for Children, Young People and Education. He said, “Children are vulnerable to exploitation right across Wales. 

“We know it is very hard for young people to get out of criminal gangs once they get in them in the first place.”

The committee made more than 20 recommendations in their report, titled ‘Children on the Margins’. It calls for more cooperation between services to prevent children from falling through the gaps.

“Services aren’t talking to one another in the way they should be and as a result young people are more vulnerable to criminal gangs.”

In a statement, a Welsh Government spokesperson said “We thank the Committee for their report and the insights from those with lived experience. 

“No child or young person should be subjected to exploitation and abuse. 

“We will continue to work closely with the UK Government and other partners on these issues, and will respond to the Committee in due course.”

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