SOUTHEND council says children’s services teams are “tenacious in protecting children” from drug dealers and other exploitation.

The borough was inspected to find out how authorities and the police in Southend are tackling exploitation and the recruiting of children as drug dealers.

The results from Southend were published as part of a national report into the problem and what can be done to better understand it.

Mark Flewitt, Southend councillor for public protection said different agencies work together on a daily basis to combat the issue.

He added: “Since this inspection, we have moved even further forward at pace, having expanded and made permanent our co-ordinated MASH + team (Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub).

“This team includes Essex Police, children’s services and health. These agencies work together at both strategic and operational levels, so we can share information and intelligence, and co-ordinate our plans.

“I cannot emphasise enough the effectiveness of regularly getting our partners in one room, sharing intelligence and co-ordinating our approaches. Operationally, this co-ordination happens on a daily basis.

“Children at risk are identified, those being exploited are supported in breaking free from these criminals, and all practices are reviewed and learnings shared.

“We will continue to run campaigns to raise awareness of the issues of exploitation and county lines for example, to enable the wider community, including parents, to spot the signs that their children could be being targeted by criminal gangs.

“This is in addition to a training programme for staff in schools, healthcare and other professions as well as raising awareness with children themselves.

“Our children’s services team and partners are tenacious in protecting children from county lines and other exploitation and are tackling it from all sides. It is important for me to state that we treat children as victims first. We will not be deterred from protecting our children.”

Last month, distraught parents revealed to the Echo their shock after Essex Police explained their son was one of a number believed to have been recruited by county lines drug dealers.

County lines involves gangs crossing over from the capital to deal and recruit to their gangs - which has happened repeatedly in Southend.

Det Chief Supt Steve Worron, head of Essex Police’s crime and public protection command, said: “Nothing is more important than protecting our children and we welcomed the opportunity for our work to be inspected.

“Tackling any form of exploitation of young people cannot be solved by policing alone but by working with our partners to spot the early signs of those at risk and work together to protect them.

“The hard work of our Southend Community Policing Team to support vulnerable young people has been recognised as a model of good practice at a national level.

“We have also improved our policies around children who frequently go missing, ensuring they are put through the National Referral Mechanism which identifies potential victims of trafficking and modern slavery.

“However, despite all of the good and hard work we have done in Southend, we are not complacent and will continue to work with partners, both locally and nationally, to ensure we continually review our practices and do all we can to keep our children safe.”