The Tackling Child Exploitation (TCE) Support Programme has updated the multi-agency Practice Principles to support professionals.

Experiencing extra-familial harm and exploitation can have a devastating impact on children, their families, and the wider community. The Principles bring together research, sector knowledge and expertise from lived experience to support local areas in strengthening effective, child-centred responses.

In 2025, the Department for Education (DfE) re-commissioned Research in Practice to refresh the principles to ensure they remain aligned with the latest research evidence and policy developments. Alongside updates to the Practice Principles and Research Summary, new resources have also been developed to further support practitioners, managers and strategic leaders.

A new resource on child sexual exploitation (CSE) provides guidance to support professionals across agencies and at different levels. This includes those working directly with children and young people, managers and strategic leaders – to apply the Principles in a CSE context and strengthen responses.

Case studies provide examples of how the principles have been applied in local areas, showing how agencies have worked together to strengthen responses and highlight key learning, challenges and impact. 

In a new video Dez Holmes, Director of Research in Practice, introduces the Tackling Child Exploitation Practice Principles.

We would like to thank all those who contributed their time, insight and expertise to this work. This includes professionals from across the sector, voluntary and charity partners, and academic and research colleagues who supported the development of the resources.

We are especially grateful to colleagues in Greater Manchester, Slough and Lancashire for sharing their experiences and learning so openly through the case studies.

We also extend our thanks to The Children’s Society, the University of Bedfordshire and the University of Lancashire for their support across the resources and launch event.

Refreshing the Practice Principles

The Practice Principles guide professionals across local multi-agency partnerships in their response to keeping children and young people safe. They are supported by several resources to help safeguarding partnerships, strategic leaders, managers, and those who work directly with children, young people and families to embed the Principles into their practice and partnership approaches.

The refresh ensures the Practice Principles reflect the latest research evidence and align with recent policy developments. One Practice Manager from Lancashire said:

‘I think everybody does have their own skill set, everybody has their own job role to complete as part of the wider system. But it’s a shared set of principles, isn’t it, that can be utilised. I think that’s the reason that we advocate for it so heavily. I think because whether you’re in a position of senior leadership or you’re a missing from home worker out on the ground going seeing the children, you still have a role to play in implementing them.’