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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/29/excluded-schoolchildren-groomed-by-county-lines-drug-gangs-home-office-report
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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| 'County lines' drug gangs recruit excluded schoolchildren – report | 'County lines' drug gangs recruit excluded schoolchildren – report |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| Gangs have been specifically targeting children who have been excluded from school to groom them as drug dealers in towns across the UK, a Home Office report is to warn. | Gangs have been specifically targeting children who have been excluded from school to groom them as drug dealers in towns across the UK, a Home Office report is to warn. |
| National police unit starts work on 'county lines' drug gangs | National police unit starts work on 'county lines' drug gangs |
| The report, which is due to be published next week, said children were particularly vulnerable when they were sent to local authority-run pupil referral units (PRUs) after exclusion. It said gangs had been taking advantage of the propensity of some image-conscious institutions to remove difficult pupils. | The report, which is due to be published next week, said children were particularly vulnerable when they were sent to local authority-run pupil referral units (PRUs) after exclusion. It said gangs had been taking advantage of the propensity of some image-conscious institutions to remove difficult pupils. |
| The research, which was first reported by the Times, was conducted into “county lines”, in which young people are recruited by gangs to deal hard drugs on their behalf in market and coastal towns and rural areas. | The research, which was first reported by the Times, was conducted into “county lines”, in which young people are recruited by gangs to deal hard drugs on their behalf in market and coastal towns and rural areas. |
| “PRUs … appear to be fertile ground for recruitment and continuing involvement in a variety of negative activities including county lines,” the report said. “Exclusion from school does appear to be a highly significant trigger point for the escalation of county lines involvement for children who might be on the fringes of such activity.” | “PRUs … appear to be fertile ground for recruitment and continuing involvement in a variety of negative activities including county lines,” the report said. “Exclusion from school does appear to be a highly significant trigger point for the escalation of county lines involvement for children who might be on the fringes of such activity.” |
| It added: “Provision in the PRU does not seem to engage the children and offers very little substance.” The researchers quote a social worker as saying the children “do this twilight timetable where they go into school for one hour at four o’clock – so, of course they can get up to all sorts of stuff all day and no one would know”. | It added: “Provision in the PRU does not seem to engage the children and offers very little substance.” The researchers quote a social worker as saying the children “do this twilight timetable where they go into school for one hour at four o’clock – so, of course they can get up to all sorts of stuff all day and no one would know”. |
| Last week, it emerged that a team of investigators was to focus on county lines gangs. A coordination centre has been set up in Birmingham where police officers aim to develop intelligence on the drugs networks. | Last week, it emerged that a team of investigators was to focus on county lines gangs. A coordination centre has been set up in Birmingham where police officers aim to develop intelligence on the drugs networks. |
| School exclusion ‘linked to long-term mental health problems’ – study | School exclusion ‘linked to long-term mental health problems’ – study |
| The researchers believe some schools’ fears about their reputations were pushing more children into a position where they were vulnerable to grooming by the gangs operating such networks. | The researchers believe some schools’ fears about their reputations were pushing more children into a position where they were vulnerable to grooming by the gangs operating such networks. |
| According to the report: “[The education system] is highly competitive and sensitive to Ofsted inspections, exam results, public image, and parental and community pressure. Children with poor behaviour and low attainment adversely affect these factors and there appear to be no incentives and little specialist support to try and keep children affected by county lines involvement engaged in education”. | According to the report: “[The education system] is highly competitive and sensitive to Ofsted inspections, exam results, public image, and parental and community pressure. Children with poor behaviour and low attainment adversely affect these factors and there appear to be no incentives and little specialist support to try and keep children affected by county lines involvement engaged in education”. |
| It said that mainstream schools – and particularly academies – should be assessed on the “frequency and nature of exclusions” to give them an incentive to address the issue. | It said that mainstream schools – and particularly academies – should be assessed on the “frequency and nature of exclusions” to give them an incentive to address the issue. |
| Drugs trade | Drugs trade |
| Pupil behaviour | Pupil behaviour |
| Police | Police |
| Crime | Crime |
| Drugs | Drugs |
| Schools | Schools |
| Young people | Young people |
| news | news |
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