What's county lines?
County lines is a form of criminal exploitation. It refers to gangs using children and vulnerable adults to move, hold, and sell drugs across the UK.
It's known as county lines because children travel across counties and use dedicated mobile phone 'lines' to supply drugs.
Children might start because they get money or gifts. It could also happen because of a sexual or violent relationship with someone who's manipulating them.
Involvement in county lines can happen to any child regardless of age, gender, or class, and it happens everywhere.
Although children might break the law while involved in county lines, it's a form of child criminal exploitation.
You think your child might be involved
You may be worried about a group or individual being a negative influence on your child. They could have met someone new online or in person, or it could be someone your child has known for some time.
It's a cause for concern if you notice gifts, money, drugs or alcohol your child's received and can't explain. Groomers do this as a way of gaining influence and control. It's always worth asking where things have come from, even if you're not sure you'll get the honest answer. It shows your child you've noticed and that you want to talk to them about what's happening. Groomers create situations where a child 'owes' them money, forcing them to work off the debt through criminal acts.
If your child gets in trouble with the law, it's understandable that you may feel angry or disappointed. A child or teenager might take part in illegal activities without fully understanding the consequences. They might think that they're doing these things by choice. If they're aware that what they're doing is wrong, they may feel trapped. Threats and risk of violence against them and their family may make them too scared to speak about what's happening.
"My daughter has a new boyfriend, and I quite liked him initially. He'd take her shopping and to concerts, I thought he just really liked her to be spending so much.
"Now I've found messages between them where he's asking her to take a train and over £1,000 to go and collect 'bags' for him! She's agreed to in the messages, and I'm so worried she's involved in carrying drugs.
"She's only just turned 15! I've searched her room and found nothing, my partner has gone to bring her home so we can discuss this but I want to know what else I can do."
Mother, NSPCC Helpline*
Five things to do if your child's involved in county lines
Dealing with county lines is a difficult experience for families to go through. Although your child may be breaking the law, they're a victim of grooming. Try not to blame yourself or your child. It's natural to feel angry or upset but try to speak to another grown-up about those feelings so that you can be there for your child in a calm and consistent way.
1) Listen to your child
Ask them questions about what's going on, and listen to their answers. Be open, honest and nonjudgmental — remember that they might be scared even if they're not showing it.
Ask them what they need from you, their school, their GP, or any other organisation they're involved with. Identify who you need to reach out to for advice and support. Avoid using blaming language. Tell them you want to help them and keep them safe.
2) Make sure their devices are safe
Though you may not be fully aware of all the devices your child has access to, you can use parental controls on the devices you know about. Talk to your child about why you're doing this so they can understand it's about keeping them safe, not punishing them.
3) Report your fears
Remember, your child is a victim and should be treated as such. If your child carries a knife or any weapon, don't assume that they intended to use it.
If you're worried that criminals are exploiting your child, you should report this to the Police. If your child stays away from home, you should report them as missing to the Police immediately. If you're worried about your child's safety, you can report these fears to your local Children's Services.
4) Stay aware
Try to stay aware of what your child is doing online and in real life. Ask them about what they’re seeing and where they’re going, even if they’re not yet ready to tell you. If your child is picked up in an unknown vehicle or has unexplained rail or bus tickets, keep a record of these.
5) Look to the future
Encourage your child to get involved in positive activities and to think about their future. That might look like finding a hobby they can enjoy or a career they want to pursue.
Signs of county lines
As a parent or carer, you know if something is a change for your child. There's specific behaviour related to county lines it's important to talk to your child and support services about:
- Regularly going missing from their school, home or care.
- Being aware that they're travelling to unfamiliar locations.
- Noticing money, clothes, accessories, or mobile phones they've received and been unable to explain why or where they came from.
- Having several mobile phone handsets or sim cards.
If you're feeling worried, trust your instincts and talk to your child about it.
"I'm starting to think that my 'friends' aren't real friends. They keep putting me in scary situations. It started off just hiding stuff at my house, just a tiny amount of drugs. They know it's only my dad at home, and he doesn't check what I'm doing or care where I am.
"Now they're telling me not to bother going to school, asking me to carry and deal the drugs other places, and making me carry a knife. They want me to be involved with their fights. I feel like the only way out is running away."
Girl, 14*
Who you can contact
If a child is at immediate risk, call the police on 999.
If you're worried about a child but they aren't in immediate danger, you can use the organisations below for help:
- Contact your local child protection services. You can find their details on your local council's website. The local authority where the child lives is primarily responsible. Still, it's also good practice to contact the local authority in the area where the child is found, if they've run away or crossed county lines.
- Call our Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or email help@NSPCC.org.uk
- If you work with children or families, you can follow your organisation's child protection procedures.
- Contact the police on 101 for non-emergency situations.
- You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111
- The Children's Society works to stop the criminal exploitation of children, provides support to victims, and campaigns for change.
- Catch22 offers services to prevent and stop child exploitation, including a national helpline called SafeCall (run by Missing People) and a County Lines Support and Rescue service. You can reach SafeCall on 116 000
Early intervention is vital in protecting children from county lines and criminal exploitation. If you're worried, always reach out for help straight away.
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*Snapshots are based on real contacts to Childline and Helpline but are not necessarily direct quotes. All names and potentially identifying details have been changed to protect the identity of the child and/or adult involved.