Taxi drivers in Sheffield to be trained to spot signs of child sexual exploitation

South Yorkshire Police will extend their current Operation Makesafe – which offers training to hotel staff to reduce sexual offending relating to children within hotels – to taxi drivers in the city.

A report to Dr Alan Billings, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner adds: “Whilst ‘Operation Makesafe’ remains the established framework for hotels to operate under, this is an additional safeguarding method that is being put in place.

“Work is being undertaken to extend the training to taxi drivers in the city in order to upskill them to understand the risks and spot the signs of exploitation.

“Officers are also developing engagement with local schools via the use of virtual reality to highlight county lines risks.”

Businesses such as hotels, licensed premises, taxi companies, shops, and care homes are trained to help them recognise the signs of child exploitation under Operation Makesafe.

They are directed to call 101, quoting ‘Operation Makesafe’, should they suspect suspicious behaviour or activity on their premises or in their vehicles.

The campaign is designed to help business owners and their employees identify potential victims of child exploitation and, where necessary, alert police officers to intervene prior to any young person coming to harm.

Taxi drivers will be trained to spot signs of potential CSE taking place such as a young person being taken to or picked up from a hotel, or young people

looking concerned or frightened while travelling with someone else.

Dr Billings said it was “good to see” the scheme extended.