Abstract
The following article reports upon recent research, which explored the perceptions of professionals of the issues that affect the sexual and criminal exploitation of children in care, along with a discussion of the effectiveness of current responses to these issues and the challenges that professionals face. The study utilised focus groups and semi-structured interviews to gain the perspectives of thirty-six participants from across a range of agencies involved in children’s social work and youth justice from an area in the north-west of England. The findings echoed previous research by suggesting that for a number of reasons connected to their ‘looked-after’ status and deficiencies within the care system, children are particularly vulnerable to exploitation. Although attempts are being made to develop co-ordinated responses to safeguarding, there is still a long way to go in terms of focusing on vulnerability instead of a prosecution-led approach when offending occurs as a result of exploitation. It is argued how in order to ensure that good, innovative practice becomes ‘standard’ practice; further legislation is required in tandem with a greater degree of education surrounding exploitation and the dynamics inherent in these offences.