Charity on right tracks to protect vulnerable young people on local transport

NEW SAFEGUARDING SCHEME FOR THE COUNTY

- By RUCSANDRA MOLDOVEANU

A SIMPLE conversation between a member of railway staff and a child who appears to behave in an unusual manner could change their lives for the better, a manager of a rail operator says.

A new safeguarding scheme has been launched on Nottingham-shire’s transport networks to keep vulnerable children safe from exploitation and harm.

The project is being run by Railway Children’s Safeguarding Action Group, which aims to strengthen safeguarding in and around transport hubs.

Besides the charity's expertise, the project brings together rail operators, youth specialists, local authorities and police to create a coordinated response to crime, antisocial behaviour and child exploitation in and around Nottingham.

The office of Nottinghamshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner awarded the charity more than £66,000 for partners to better identify and safeguard vulnerable young people using the transport network.

Jim Rawcliffe, security and safeguarding manager at LNER, explained that railway staff come across various groups of vulnerable children every day.

They include children who are exploited, who have been in care and are trying to get back to where they are from, young people going to meet someone they only know from social media and missing children.