Safeguarding
Cuckooing is a form of criminal exploitation where a person alleged to be causing harm uses or takes over someone’s home for criminal activities, often by initially befriending them and/or using coercion or intimidation.
A multi-agency response is essential to addressing concerns around cuckooing and this is likely to include police, community safety, adult social care, housing, substance abuse support agencies, health workers, the voluntary sector and care providers.
Please read Camden SAPB’s Multi-Agency Cuckooing Guidance, which has been developed for all staff and includes information on:
- signs to look out for
- reasons people may not report cuckooing
- what to do if you suspect a person is being targeted
- prevention and moving forward
Check out the How to respond tab to find Camden SAPB's flow chart which provides step-by-step guidance on the process.
Cuckooing can be linked to other forms of crime such as county lines, modern day slavery, mate crime and human trafficking. Practitioners should also be familiar with Camden’s Modern Slavery guidance.
Leeds University has developed a cuckooing toolkit, which includes a risk identification tool, designed to support practitioners in identifying and addressing instances of cuckooing.
We encourage colleagues to refer to this tool when assessing potential risks, as it offers clear guidance. This resource could be useful in equipping practitioners with practical, easy-to-apply methods to support this difficult area of work.
Please note this doesn't replace the current ASC Cuckooing Guidance but is something that can be referred to as well for practitioners. Please click on the 2 links below for the toolkit as well as further useful information.