Protecting Children with SEND from Exploitation: Policy Gaps, Practice Failures, and What Must Change

Children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) are disproportionately at risk of criminal and sexual exploitation—yet national policy and frontline practice still fail to account for their specific vulnerabilities. Recent research led by Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), in collaboration with the University of Portsmouth and Portsmouth City Council, has drawn urgent attention to these gaps and provided evidence-based recommendations to improve protection for this often-overlooked group.

At SLC Training, we work with safeguarding professionals across education, health, and social care to ensure every child—regardless of ability—receives the proactive protection they deserve. This blog explores the key findings from the MMU study and what steps must now be taken to embed inclusive safeguarding into practice.

Why Children with SEND Are at Greater Risk

Children with SEND—particularly those with autism, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional, and mental health needs—are often excluded from mainstream education, lack consistent support, and struggle with communication. These factors make them prime targets for grooming, manipulation, and exploitation by criminal networks and traffickers.

Many remain on long waiting lists for formal assessment or EHCPs (Education, Health and Care Plans), which delays access to specialist support. Without this support, signs of exploitation are too often misread as behavioural issues, or worse—ignored altogether.

Systemic Failures in Safeguarding SEND Children

The MMU study outlines six core weaknesses across the safeguarding system:

1. Inadequate Recognition: SEND-specific vulnerabilities are not sufficiently recognised in national safeguarding or modern slavery policy. Disjointed definitions across police, social care, and health services lead to fragmented responses.
2. Lack of Robust Training: Many practitioners lack understanding of neurodiverse behaviours, leading to misinterpretation of distress signals or communication barriers as defiance or misconduct.
3. Data Gaps: National safeguarding data, including the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), rarely includes information about a child's SEND status—meaning interventions may be poorly matched or delayed.
4. Missed Opportunities: Children with unmet needs, especially those excluded from education or placed in unregulated accommodation, are more vulnerable to coercion and ‘cuckooing’ (where criminal networks take over their living spaces).
5. Limited Education Engagement: A nurturing, inclusive school environment is one of the strongest protective factors. Yet the education system still fails to adapt flexibly for children with SEND.
6. Delayed Safeguarding Responses: Parents often report feeling unheard when raising concerns. Timely intervention is critical, particularly when a child first goes missing or shows signs of distress.

Why Training Must Change

Mandatory training on safeguarding is common—but it often lacks depth around SEND. The MMU study found that some professionals didn’t consider autism, learning difficulties, or neurodiversity as part of the disability spectrum, leading to blind spots in assessment and response.

At SLC Training, our safeguarding programmes incorporate SEND-specific content to help practitioners recognise indicators of exploitation, communicate effectively with neurodiverse children, and take proportionate, timely action.

Positive Steps: Portsmouth and the South Coast Response

While national action has lagged, some local authorities are leading the way. The Safeguarding Children Partnership for Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth, and Southampton (HIPS) has developed an updated Child Exploitation Risk Assessment Framework that embeds SEND considerations and community intelligence into frontline practice.

With support from local police and the Violence Reduction Unit, HIPS has also introduced a range of teaching resources—including differentiated lesson plans and films tailored to young people with SEND. These materials help schools deliver early education on grooming, county lines, and exploitation in ways that are both accessible and engaging.

Legal Reform: The Crime and Policing Bill

The proposed Crime and Policing Bill—set to be debated by Parliament—could deliver meaningful safeguards. It introduces a legal definition of child criminal exploitation and criminalises grooming behaviour, cuckooing, and the use of children in criminal acts, with penalties of up to 10 years’ imprisonment.

Importantly, it allows for preventative court orders to restrict contact between suspected perpetrators and children. This legislation could help shift the balance away from reactive safeguarding and towards proactive disruption of criminal networks. SLC Training welcomes these changes and urges practitioners to stay informed as the bill progresses.

Recommendations for Organisations

To protect children with SEND from exploitation, organisations must:

• Deliver safeguarding training that includes neurodiversity, communication needs, and the behavioural indicators of trauma and abuse
• Review policies to ensure SEND is factored into all safeguarding, risk assessment, and referral processes
• Work with multi-agency partners to share intelligence, especially where patterns of exclusion or isolation are present
• Listen to and act on parental concerns without delay
• Ensure that data systems flag SEND vulnerabilities and support tailored intervention

Conclusion: Visibility, Voice, and Vigilance

Children with SEND must not be overlooked in the national conversation about exploitation. Their needs may differ—but their right to protection, care, and dignity is universal. Safeguarding frameworks must reflect that, and professionals must be equipped to respond with confidence, compassion, and clarity.

At SLC Training, we are committed to supporting professionals who work with vulnerable young people. Our tailored safeguarding programmes include specialist modules on SEND, exploitation, and trauma-informed care—because every child deserves to be seen, heard, and protected.

Explore our safeguarding and SEND training today to ensure your organisation is equipped to identify and respond to exploitation before harm occurs.