Child Sexual Exploitation in the UK: What the 2024 Data Tells Us and How Professionals Should Respond

The Scale of the Problem: 2024 Headline Statistics

The VKPP National Child Protection System Analysis 2024 recorded 122,768 Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation offences in England and Wales — a 6% increase on the previous year and the highest total on record.^[1] Contact offences (involving physical or in-person abuse) account for 65% of the total (79,222 offences), with online exploitation comprising 42% of all offences.

Perhaps the most significant data point is what is absent from these figures: the estimated true scale. The VKPP and NSPCC both estimate that only approximately 1 in 10 offences is reported to the police or statutory authorities.^[1] The recorded data, substantial as it is, represents the surface of a far larger problem.

Who Is Most at Risk?

CSE does not discriminate, but evidence consistently identifies certain groups as disproportionately vulnerable:^[1][4]

• Looked After Children (LAC): Children in care are significantly overrepresented in CSE caseloads. The combination of placement instability, prior trauma and reduced parental oversight creates heightened vulnerability.
• Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND): Communication difficulties and social isolation can make recognition of abuse more challenging and the ability to disclose more limited.
• Children from marginalised communities: Including those experiencing poverty, housing instability, domestic abuse at home, or involvement in the youth justice system.
• Girls aged 13–16: The most frequently recorded group in contact CSE referrals, though boys are significantly under-identified — a pattern of professional bias acknowledged in national inspections.
• LGBTQ+ young people: Face additional barriers to disclosure including fear of rejection or "outing," and may be targeted through specific platforms or communities.

Indicators of CSE: What Professionals Should Know

CSE indicators are outlined in statutory and practice guidance including Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 and the NCA's national strategic assessment. They should be understood as possible indicators requiring further enquiry — not proof. Key indicators include:

The Legal Framework

The primary legislative provisions governing CSE in England and Wales include:

• Sexual Offences Act 2003: Sections 47–50 specifically criminalise paying for sexual services with a child, causing or inciting child prostitution, and controlling a child for sexual exploitation.
• Protection of Children Act 1978: Prohibits the taking, distribution or possession of indecent photographs of children — extended to AI-generated imagery under current interpretation.
• Online Safety Act 2023: Imposes new duties on social media and online service providers to prevent child sexual abuse material from being hosted or shared on their platforms.
• Children Act 1989 / Section 47: Duty to investigate where a child is, or is likely to be, suffering significant harm — CSE clearly meets this threshold.

Referral Pathways and Professional Responsibilities

Where a professional has reasonable concern that a child may be experiencing CSE, the following pathway applies:

1. Do not investigate independently — do not attempt to speak with the alleged perpetrator or share your concerns with the child's family before consulting the DSL or statutory authorities.
2. Report to your DSL (in a school setting) or follow your organisation's safeguarding procedure.
3. Refer to your local MASH (Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub). All local authorities in England operate a MASH as the central point for safeguarding referrals.
4. Contact the NCA or CEOP where the exploitation has an online dimension — particularly if images may have been shared.
5. Submit a NRM referral where the child may also be a victim of modern slavery or trafficking.