1604 Child exploitation

Sexual exploitation, child Sexual exploitation, CSE, exploitation,1604

1604

Follow this procedure when working with children and young people at risk of or subject to sexual or criminal exploitation.
Document ID number 1604, version 10, 17 September 2026.

Introduction

Due to their experience of trauma, children and young people who are known to Child Protection are particularly vulnerable to exploitation.

Vulnerability and risk are further increased when children and young people lack a purposeful routine or do not have a connection to family, culture or positive peer influences.

Having unmet needs, children and young people naturally seek connection and a sense of belonging but are susceptible to being lured by persons willing to exploit them. Unmet needs can be referred to as push/pull factors.

For additional information see Child exploitation - advice.

Procedure

Case practitioner tasks

Identifying child exploitation

Gather information about the child's current circumstances, unmet needs, and push and pull factors. Analyse this information to formulate an assessment of the child’s vulnerability and likelihood of harm by persons of interest.
Conduct a thorough review of the child’s CRIS file to assess historical trauma and the impact it may be having upon the child’s current presentation.
Consider risk and motivating factors of the person who is believed, or confirmed to be, grooming or exploiting the child (i.e. provision of drugs, debt bondage, forced drug distribution, threatening/perpetrating physical violence, seeking to isolate the child/pressuring them to leave home, treating them ‘like an adult’).
Take a care team approach, irrespective of the child or young person’s placement type, to ensure ongoing engagement and dialogue with all key family members, particularly parents, to gather information about the exploitation and to formulate appropriate risk management and safety strategies.
Review SAFER risk assessment, update the essential information categories, and record decisions, actions and rationales for decision-making on CRIS.
Consult the team manager and sexual exploitation practice leader (SEPL) for additional analysis and guidance.
Where CSE is suspected/confirmed, complete a child exploitation template (CSET) and Police Notification- CSE Risk (PN-CER) template to disseminate to police.

Responding to child exploitation:

The impact of harm for children and young people being criminally or sexually exploited is likely to be significant or severe and probability of ongoing harm is likely or very likely. As such, timely and coordinated actions are required to protect the child and to prevent the person(s) of interest from having further contact.
Engage parents and/or carers to gather information and to formulate collaborative risk mitigation strategies.
Help parents/carers to understand the child’s un-met needs and how this contributes to risk and seek their engagement and collaboration to support and protect the child.
Develop a safety plan with the child or young person that is individualised and contemporary (i.e. if you are lured from home, contact ‘X’ person and/or go to ‘X’ location. Phone number to call is ‘X’, safety code to use is ‘X’ etc).
Review the file to assess historical trauma and the impact it may be having upon the child’s current presentation.
Convene a care, family or professionals meeting to ensure holistic and sustainable responses.
To promote Aboriginal led decision making, contact Aboriginal Child Specialist Advice and Support (ACSASS) where significant decision is required for a child or young person at risk of exploitation.
Complete a Child Exploitation Template (CET) on CRIS. Consider consultation with SEPL and follow their guidance regarding submission of the Police Notification- CE Risk (PN-CER) to police.
Inform the locally agreed Victoria Police lead via the Police Notification- CE Risk (PN-CER) template that grooming, suspected/ actual sexual exploitation is occurring at the earliest opportunity.
Maintain communication with Victoria Police and collate information to identify the exploitation including the name and address of the person(s) of interest.
Regularly review the effectiveness of risk mitigation strategies and update as required. Ensure strategies are recorded in the file.
Consult with your Team Manager regarding children and young people at risk of exploitation being placed referred toon the divisional area high-risk schedule and consider consultation with SEPL when adding child to the schedule.
Actively monitor children and young people at risk of exploitation through the divisional area high-risk schedule and panel
Where there is evidence of child exploitation, develop a plan to cease or disrupt the exploitation, which may include police involvement. This plan may include:
- serving the person of interest with a:
  - s. 497 CYFA 2005 notice to have no contact with a child and/or a
  - s. 495 CYFA 2005 notice to not harbour, conceal or prevent a child from returning their residence
- Written notices under s497 and s495 cannot be used when a child is placed on a family preservation order
- applying for a family violence or personal safety intervention order on behalf of the child.
Consider and follow reporting obligations:
- Complete a Client Incident Management System (CIMS) incident report when information is received that a child is suspected to be or has been exploited during service delivery. Refer to 1516 Client Incident Management System (CIMS) policy.
- In consultation with your Team Manager, notify the Social Services Regulator (SSR). Information about reporting to the Social Services Regulator is available here.
- Determine if the incident or allegations are also in scope of the Reportable Conduct Scheme. Refer to 3209 Reportable Conduct Scheme (RCS).

Legal and recording requirements

The service of a no contact letter or harbouring letter must be recorded in CRIS and a statutory declaration of service completed and attached to the child's CRIS file.
Case notes should include a summary of contact with the person of interest, including dates and times of service. Consultation with a SEPL should occur prior to service occurring.
Documented consultation with SEPL and, as required, Victoria Police, and the Child Protection Litigation Office (CPLO), or divisional legal officer, may occur before applications for intervention orders can proceed.

Team manager, practice leader and deputy area operations manager tasks

Ensure that all required tasks and actions are completed by the responsible case manager and documented on CRIS.
Review and endorse the risk assessment and child’s case plan; being mindful of specific requirements for children and young people who have been, or who are at risk of exploitation.
Oversee the planning and investigation into reported incidents of exploitation in line with CIMS, SSR and/or RCS policies and procedures.
Ensure SSR critical notifiable incident reports are completed and submitted by close of business the next business day when required.

Sexual exploitation practice leader (SEPL)

Undertake consultations with case managers to determine a child’s individual risk and vulnerability, harm caused by the person of interest, and actions required to mitigate that risk.
Review and endorse all child exploitation templates including submission of PN-CER to police.
Where relevant, in consultation with the Child Exploitation Response Team (CERT), complete link charts and other measures to ensure networks of believed or confirmed exploitation are appropriately documented and responded to.
For complex and/or high-profile client matters, consider consultation with area senior management and the CERT.
Work with CERT, Statewide Principal Practitioners and other SEPLS to ensure state-wide oversight of sexual exploitation networks.
Facilitate individual and divisional coordination with Victoria Police and other key service providers to ensure appropriate measures are in place to address child sexual and criminal exploitation
Assist with the development of CIMS investigation plans, and review investigation reports where appropriate.

Area operations manager/director, Child Protection tasks

Provide oversight of children or young people who are believed or confirmed to be sexually or criminally exploited.
In collaboration with the team manager, Principal Practitioner, SEPL and deputy area operations manager, regularly review area children and young people on the statewide child exploitation register

Area Executive/Director tasks

Maintain oversight of critical notifiable incident reports being submitted to the Social Services Regulator
Endorse CIMS investigation or review reports, including high-level recommendations to promote the safety and wellbeing of the child and improve the quality-of-service delivery.

Related procedures and resources