Giving evidence in parliament
13 March 2023On the 1st of March, Nina Maxwell participated in the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Child Criminal Exploitation & Knife Crime discussing the Victims Bill alongside Iryna Pona (Policy and Research Manager, Children’s Society), Dr Kristine Hickle (Senior Lecturer, University of Sussex) and Caroline Adams QPM (Senior Project Manager, National Policing Vulnerability Knowledge and Practice Programme).
The session was chaired by Florence Eshalomi MP and began with an opening keynote from Anna McMorrin MP, Shadow Minister for Victims and Youth Justice. This was followed by opening statements from the expert witnesses regarding:
- The impact that child criminal exploitation is having on children across the country.
- What more needs to be done to protect and support child victims of criminal exploitation.
- What priorities are needed for the Victims Bill, including on child criminal exploitation.
Nina shared her findings from her research in Wales focussing on pathways for child victims, including how a statutory definition in Wales leads to a shared understanding of the safeguarding approach needed.
The APPG heard about the Victims Bill could better protect victims of child criminal exploitation and strengthen the protection and support they receive.