Staff at a British chicken shop chain are being taught how to spot signs of exploitation thanks to a pioneering partnership
Workers at a UK fast food chain have become the latest allies in the fight against child exploitation thanks to a groundbreaking partnership with the Children’s Society.
Chicken Cottage, which has 70 outlets across the UK, joined forces with the charity to educate staff on spotting the tell-tale signs of exploitation. The chain’s newest store opened in Luton in May with workers fully briefed to tackle exploitation from the get-go.
“There is no silver bullet to stop this incredibly sad and damaging issue, but reaching children and young people where they are, such as in chicken shops, is one effective approach,” said Rowan Glover-James, head of corporate engagement for The Children’s Society.
“We hope that this partnership can prevent many more instances of child exploitation across Luton as well as raising awareness and understanding of this horrific crime among locals.”
It’s estimated that crime and violence puts one in 24 11-17 year-olds in England at risk of exploitation, while fewer than half of secondary school children in the country feeling safe in their communities after dark.
The chain's newest store in Luton, where staff have been trained to spot signs of child exploitation
The Children’s Society says groomers often use offers of food and clothes to gain the trust of young people before sexually abusing them, forcing them into slave labour or into criminal activities such as muling drugs and money laundering.
The charity sees hospitality and retail businesses as a crucial battleground in stamping out abuse as part of its #LookCloser campaign, which aims to raise awareness around the signs of exploitation.
Chicken Cottage began collaborating with the Children’s Society in February to create safer spaces for young people at its franchises throughout the UK, with staff taking part in the charity’s Act on Exploitation training.
The partnership extends to cities including Manchester, Newcastle and Greater London, and opens up opportunities for fundraising in Chicken Cottage stores and via its app to support the charity’s work.
There is no silver bullet, but reaching young people where they are, such as chicken shops, is one effective approach
“Right now, thousands of children across the UK are at risk of exploitation and they need our help, which is why this partnership isn’t just about training for staff – it’s also about communities working together and stepping in,” said Children’s Society CEO Mark Russell.
Luton Chicken Cottage franchisee, Jeyakumar Veeramalai, added: “This is a fantastic initiative to be a part of, and we are very happy to be supporting the work of The Children’s Society.
“Our community matters deeply to us and I’m proud to be able to lead the way in demonstrating what local business can do to keep our children and young people safe.”
Main image: Filippo Bacci/iStock
Be part of the solution
Positive News is helping more people than ever to get a balanced and uplifting view of the world. While doom and gloom dominates other news outlets, our solutions journalism exists to support your wellbeing and empower you to make a difference towards a better future.
But our reporting has a cost and, as an independent, not-for-profit media organisation, we rely on the financial backing of our readers. If you value what we do and can afford to, please get behind our team with a regular or one-off contribution.
Give once from just £1, or join 1,500+ others who contribute an average of £3 or more per month. You’ll be directly funding the production and sharing of our stories – helping our solutions journalism to benefit many more people.
Join our community today, and together, we’ll change the news for good.
