2 minute read
Eyes wide open
County lines - a school nurse's story
*Jenny, a school nurse in the Liverpool area, describes how her team helped a young person caught up in a county lines gang.
"*Olivia was 15 when I first started working with her. She had started missing school and teachers were concerned. She was spending hours online with friends she had met on Snapchat.
When she began to travel out of the area to meet up with them, I knew there was a risk that these new ‘friends’ had targeted and exploited her. I met her regularly to try to support her - she’d confided that she was sexually active and had been around alcohol and drugs.
“I was a trusted, familiar face, she felt able to open up to me.”
But although she would listen, she was finding it difficult to take advice on board. My job is to help protect children’s health and wellbeing and it was difficult to see her struggling, yet refusing help.
Despite interventions from social workers and school as well as our support, there were more and more concerns for her safety.
Something drastic had to happen to protect her – moving away from her home town was the only way to break the ties with the people putting her at risk. Together we found a therapeutic residential home in another part of the country where she is thriving.”
*Names have been changed
To find out more about the Eyes Open campaign, visit: eyes-open. co.uk.
If you are concerned about a child’s welfare, contact:
Crime Stoppers 0800 555 111 anonymously or via their anonymous online form at Crimestoppers-uk.org
NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or email help@NSPCC.org.uk nspcc.org.uk
Call 999 if you’re worried a child is in immediate danger.
Get help
Contact your local school health service or local children’s social care team.
Catch22 catch-22.org.uk
Ivison Trust ivisontrust.org.uk
