County Lines - Important advice from West Midlands Police to all our parents

We want to support parents and carers to keep children safe; listed below are some warning signs of ‘County Lines’ exploitation for you to look out for.  Often, these are behavioural changes such as:   

• Returning home late, staying out all night or going missing 

• Being found in areas away from home 

• Increasing drug use, or being found to have large amounts of drugs on them 

• Being secretive about who they are talking to and where they are going 

• Unexplained absences from school, college, training or work 

• Unexplained money, phone(s), clothes or jewellery 

• Increasingly disruptive or aggressive behaviour 

• Using sexual, drug-related or violent language you wouldn’t expect them to know 

• Coming home with injuries or looking particularly dishevelled 

• Having hotel cards or keys to unknown places. 

Birmingham schools are working together with West Midlands Police and partners, including The Children’s Society, to prevent and spot signs of exploitation at the earliest opportunity. We’re keen that parents are also aware of ‘County Lines’, know where to ask for more support if they are worried and know that you will be listened to and supported. 

If you have any concerns about your child, speak to them calmly and explain the risks and consequences. You may wish to contact a member of the Pastoral Team at school if you feel you need support or believe your child is at risk.  We can talk through your concerns and plan a way forward together.