The County Lines Demonstration Pilot Project was funded by the Home Office to test out what might enable vulnerable children to move away from involvement in county lines drug distribution networks. It began in September 2017, with the objectives of trialling a range of interventions delivered by St Giles Trust and its partner Missing People.

St Giles Trust and Missing People have published an evaluation of this pilot which aimed to support children involved in county lines running between London and Kent.

County lines is the drug dealing model which involves organised crime networks from urban centres exploiting children to expand their drug dealing activities into smaller towns and rural areas.

Findings include: the majority of the 38 children who received one-to-one support from September 2017 to March 2018  showed positive progress including: reductions in missing episodes, returning to school or training and improved family relationships.

St Giles Trust and Missing People have also published a scoping report, commissioned by the Home Office, which looks at how young people’s involvement in county lines is being tackled in other areas. The Home Office has announced a £200 million youth endowment fund, for 10 to 14 year olds most at risk of youth violence.

Source: St Giles Trust

Further information can be found here.