Donna Jones, police and crime commissioner, has kickstarted the Is Your Child Safe campaign to tackle child exploitation across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

The initiative has been relaunched to educate parents, carers, and guardians about the signs of exploitation.

The campaign is run in partnership with the Violence Reduction Unit of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Hampshire County Council, Isle of Wight Council, and city councils in Portsmouth and Southampton.

Throughout the summer holidays, people will be taught how to spot the warning signs, react, and access help.

Child exploitation involves manipulative individuals or groups persuading children into committing acts they want in exchange for needs or desires of the child, like financial rewards, protection or affection.

It can also involve coercion into criminal activities such as serving as drug runners for gangs.

In the span of a year from July 2023 to June 2024, Hampshire police reported 3,013 children missing.

Children repeatedly going missing could be a major sign of exploitation.

Other red flags include secrecy, abrupt changes in friendships, unexplained injuries, sudden possession of high-value items, and increased interest in gang culture.

The campaign encourages parents to engage in their children's lives, ask questions, observe behaviour, familiarise themselves with their children's friends, and take active interest in their online activities.

PCC Donna Jones said: "Child exploitation is happening now across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The signs are subtle but they are clear indicators for when a child is being groomed for criminal or sexual exploitation.

"We all need to understand what exploitation looks like, how to prevent it from happening, how to get advice and how to support children who become the victims of criminalisation and abuse.

"I’m really pleased to be launching this child safety campaign in partnership again this summer. There is an undercurrent of child exploitation across our two counties. Children often don’t see that these people aren’t their friends so we all have a collective responsibility to protect them."