A new panel is to be set up to support for victims of trafficking and exploitation in North Yorkshire.

The pilot project involves the creation of a new local panel which will make decisions on protecting and supporting adult and child victims.

The panel has powers to create specialised support, which may include protection from their traffickers or other criminals, accommodation, access to legal advice and emotional and practical help. Previously, these decisions were made by the Home Office.

The Harrogate area has had a long standing problem of gangs using vulnerable children to move drugs over county borders and sell them in the town.  The children or vulnerable adults are recruited with gifts or money and then locked into the criminal network through the use of violence, intimidation, debt and grooming.

There have also been cases of modern slavery in the district. In September last year six workers were rescued from a take-away in Ripon after residents raised concerns about their living conditions.

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Rose Howley, head of assessment and targeted intervention with the City of York Council’s Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) said:

Possible signs that a child is experiencing a form of harm, such as exploitation, include a change in behaviour, such as becoming unusually withdrawn, secretive behaviour, having more money, clothes or other items they usually couldn’t afford, or being seen in places they shouldn’t be during school hours or normal term-time.