Our Purpose
ECO is working to build a powerful movement to secure the policy and legal change that exploited children have been denied.
We are under no illusion that this will be quick or easy. Systems that cause harm rarely dismantle themselves.
But we are clear: progress only happens when injustice is named and challenged without compromise.
What We Do - Now
While pushing for long-term reform, we act in the present.
We work to stop children being criminalised today by:
Intervening early
Supporting children, families, and professionals with information, challenge, and case-by-case support to prevent criminalisation wherever possible.
Disrupting harmful systems
Challenging decision-making and processes that default to punishment instead of protection.
Strengthening the case for change
Leading and supporting research and knowledge development to expose the scale and impact of criminalising exploitation.
Learning From Past Injustice
More than a decade ago, campaigners and policymakers challenged the use of the term “child prostitute”, recognising the profound harm caused by language and systems that framed exploited children as complicit in their abuse.
In a widely cited article, Ann Coffey MP argued that such framing:
“…suggests victims were complicit in their abuse, it protects the abusers and it absolves agencies from failing to take action.”
This shift marked an important moment of progress for children affected by sexual exploitation.
However, this recognition has not been consistently extended to children who are criminally exploited.
Children groomed into violence, coerced into offending, or trafficked through county lines continue to be treated as offenders rather than victims. Anyone who has heard Sherry speak about children affected by violence and exploitation will know that while she welcomed the shift in understanding and action around sexual exploitation, she has long argued that it must be expanded to include criminal exploitation.
The Ongoing Harm
Despite advances such as Contextual Safeguarding, evidence shows that criminal justice priorities still outweigh welfare considerations for many criminally exploited children.
For children whose offending is directly linked to exploitation, the consequences are profound, unfair, and unjustified — compounding the harm they have already suffered.
This can include:
Life-changing criminal records
Long-term barriers to employment
Periods of custody for behaviour rooted in victimisation
Immigration consequences, including refusal of leave to remain
These outcomes are not only unjust — they actively undermine safeguarding.
What ECO Stands For
ECO was founded by professionals with extensive experience working with children affected by violence and exploitation, who believe this is the urgent next step following recognition of the injustices faced by victims of child sexual exploitation.
Our founders are committed to:
Ending the criminalisation of exploited children
Open-source sharing of knowledge about what works
Building a movement for genuine system transformation
As our founders state:
“ECO views this as a fundamental children’s rights issue that must be addressed as a matter of urgency.”