TKAT
Menu
View Page Gallery
Back to News ListPreviousNext
Posted on: February 28th 2020

County Lines

Dear Parents/Carers and Students,

‘County Lines’ (gangs and drugs) exploitation of young people and children

As a TKAT school, our pupils are at the heart of everything we do and we strive to inspire learners and change lives as a result our excellent teaching and learning in safe and secure schools. 

You may have heard the term ‘County Lines’ used in the news recently. This is a growing form of crime that exists nationally, regionally across the southeast and here in West Sussex.

‘County Lines’ is a term used when drug gangs from big cities expand their operations to smaller towns, often using violence to drive out local dealers and exploiting children and vulnerable people to sell drugs. These dealers will use dedicated mobile phone lines, known as 'deal lines', to take orders from drug users. Drug runners are needed to transport the drugs and collect payment. These drug runners are often children and teenagers. Gang members may use intimidation and violence to do this.

Campaign county lines 640x320

We want to support parents and carers to keep our young people safe; listed below are some warning signs of ‘County Lines’ exploitation for you to look out for. Often, these are behavioural changes such as:

  • Returning home late, staying out all night or going missing
  • Being found in areas away from home
  • Being secretive about who they are talking to and where they are going
  • Unexplained absences from school
  • Unexplained money, phone(s), clothes or jewellery, including secrecy around their bank account, including having debit cards you do not know about
  • Increasingly disruptive or aggressive behaviour
  • Using sexual, drug-related or violent language you wouldn’t expect them to know
  • Coming home with injuries or looking particularly dishevelled
  • Having hotel cards or keys to unknown places

Please also find attached to this letter a guide to County Lines slang language you may hear.

TKAT schools are working together with local police to prevent and spot signs of exploitation at the earliest opportunity. We are keen that parents are also aware of ‘County Lines’, know where to ask for more support if they are worried and know that you will be listened to and supported.

If you have any concerns about your child, speak to them calmly and explain the risks and consequences. Contact a member of the Pastoral Team at school if you feel you need support or believe your child is at risk. We can talk through your concerns and plan a way forward together. The Designated Safeguarding Lead at your school is Naomi Lewry, Deputy Headteacher, email 

If you or your child are aware that other young people in school or the community are at risk of ‘County Lines’ or any criminal exploitation, you should contact the police directly via 101. Alternatively you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org. If a crime is taking place or a life is in danger, call 999 immediately. If you are a young person who is worried about your involvement, or a friend's involvement in county lines, a good option is to speak to an adult you trust and talk to them about your concerns. You can also call Childline on 0800 1111. 

Your school is here to help, so please do get in touch with us if you have any questions or need any help.

Yours truly,

Jo McKeown - Headteacher

Naomi Lewry - Deputy Headteacher and Designated Safeguarding Lead

Useful websites:

https://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/what-we-do/crime-threats/drug-trafficking/county-lines

https://crimestoppers-uk.org/

https://www.catch-22.org.uk/contact/

https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/what-is-county-lines

County Lines slang language:

  1. Skeng – a knife/blade weapon
  2. Cunch - country, used to denote going to a faraway area in order to sell drugs (county lines)
  3. Sket – derogatory name for a girl
  4. Flipping – the act of buying drugs cheaply and selling them on
  5. Stralley – gun
  6. Pranging out – paranoia coming from a drug induced state
  7. Trapping – selling drugs on the street

County Lines campaign

Back to News ListPreviousNext

Categories

Archives

Also in the News