Almost 500 children and young adults identified as being affected by violence received support through Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent’s Navigator and Tailored Support Service between March 2025 and April 2026. Funded …
No Choice
Tackling Drugs & Child Exploitation
No Choice
This is a public awareness campaign developed to educate against the abuse and exploitation of children to deliver drugs.
The campaign follows Alex’s story and shows how children can be pressured, threatened, groomed and exploited into delivering drugs. It challenges the idea that every child involved in drug supply is doing this by choice. Most of the time, they are frightened, abused, controlled and trapped.
Through hard-hitting posters, video content, social media assets and partner messaging, the campaign raises awareness of child exploitation linked to drugs and encourages people to look beyond the surface.
We need your help to share the campaign, start conversations and signpost people to support. Please share the content across your channels, display the posters where appropriate and help us reach parents, carers, professionals and communities across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
Behind the drugs, there may be exploitation.
Signs a child may be being exploited include:
Unexplainable money – new belongings such as clothes, electronic devices that they can’t explain how they paid for them
Repeat missing episodes from school or home
Travelling to other areas
High number of text or phone calls
Being secretive about who they are with or speaking to
Decline in school or work performance
Significant changes in emotional or physical well-being
Target audiences:
Parents, carers and families
Colleges and universities
Community groups and local partners
People who may use drugs casually without considering the wider impact
Members of the public who may witness concerning behaviour
Resources
The partner pack below contains key messages and suggested social media posts. Please share, print, hand out and display the campaign assets to raise awareness of how children are being abused and exploited to deliver drugs.
Where can I go for support?
If you are worried about a child and wish to make a referral, please visit the below safeguarding website relevant to your local authority:
If you believe somebody is in immediate danger always dial 999.
Alternatively, if you wish to give information anonymously visit the CrimeStoppers website below.
In an emergency, call 999.
For local drug and alcohol support, contact the organisation within your area below. All services are free and confidential – meaning your details or any other information will not be discussed with anybody else, unless agreed otherwise.
Staffordshire (Stafford, Cannock, Tamworth, Burton, Leek, Newcastle-under-Lyme) – STaRS
- www.staffstars.org/contact-us/
- 0300 124 0356
Stoke-on-Trent – CDAS
- www.scdas.org.uk/
- 01782 283 113
Lichfield and Tamworth – Betterway Recovery
- https://www.betterwayrecovery.org.uk/services/
- Lichfield: 07915 781496 ~ 07897 280476
- Tamworth: 07426 351853
- Burton: 07888 601452
Stafford, Cannock, Newcastle – Chase Recovery
Burton-upon-Trent – BAC O’Connor
Help and Support available to you
Visit our Support page for further information and advice on where to go for support.
Campaigns
We are taking a partnership and inclusion approach to bringing about positive changes in communities throughout Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent. These projects are created or selected based on understanding and needs of local communities, brought by those who are living and working within them.
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