Youth safety

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It is essential that young people in East Cambridgeshire feel safe and are safe. On this page you will find tops on how to stay safe, how you can raise any concerns about safety or crime, and how you can be part of the Community Eyes and Ears campaign.

Safety

East Cambridgeshire District Council is part of the East Cambridgeshire Community Safety Partnership, which means that the council works closely with other agencies such as the police, housing associations, fire service and others, to make sure that where you live is as safe as possible.

As part of this partnership, the council has developed the Community Eyes and Ears campaign. The campaign was designed to raise awareness of any issues there are in our communities, as well as practical ways to raise concerns anyone (including young people) may have.

CEOP, part of the National Crime Agency, have launched their new website for 11 to 18 year olds. The website offers advice and articles, and signposts clear ways young people can access help and support across seven key categories; relationships, socialising online, nudes, sex and sexual content online, sexual abuse, support and online safety.

Online safety

Find out how to stay safe online (external link)

Discover the help to get online section (external link) in the directory.

Water safety

It is very important to enjoy water safely and not put yourself at risk. The Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) have a range of information on water safety (external link) on their website.

The RLSS also hold an annual drowning prevention week (external link)

Healthy schools

Healthy schools is a network and support service for our local area and contains lots of great information, links and advice on many different topics, including safety. It outlines current projects, school campaigns and lists many different organisations which can help you.

County Lines

County Lines is a term which is used to describe a type of criminal exploitation, where gangs persuade or force children and young people to store and or transport drugs and money around the country. They often use dedicated mobile phone numbers or deal lines and this is where the term County Lines comes from.

If you are worried about involvement in County Lines, whether it be for yourself, or someone you know, please do report it.

You can contact the police on 101 to make a report or report a crime online (external link). If you are ever in immediate danger, call 999. If you do not wish to contact the police directly, you can also report a crime by contacting Crimestoppers (external link)

Knife crime

Carrying a knife is relatively rare in East Cambridgeshire, but it is still a topic that young people should be aware of. 

You may feel pressured to carry a knife, your friends may tell you that you need to for protection, but actually, this may put you and your friends at extra risk. It is illegal to carry a weapon, and by doing so you may not just put yourself at extra risk of harm, but be in danger of being prosecuted if you are found to be carrying one.

Visit the Ben Kinsella Trust website (external link) which has lots of information and resources for young people and parents, to educate you on knife crime.

Bullying

Bullying can take many different forms, and it can happen anywhere. At home, at school, outside and online. Bullying can be very hurtful, not just physically, but it can have a real impact on your health emotionally too.

Types of bullying include:

  • physical bullying:  hitting, pushing, slapping for example
  • verbal bullying: this could be name calling, or threatening someone
  • social bullying: this could be intimidating or humiliating someone, ignoring or isolating someone
  • cyber bullying: this type of bullying takes place online, commonly through messages, social media or emails. Visit our cyber bullying pages for more information

It is really important to talk to someone if bullying is an issue for you. There are some really good websites that go into more detail about bullying, and how you can report it.

Hate crime

Hate crime is the term used to describe an incident or crime against someone based on a part of their identity. The law recognises five types of categories of hate crime on the basis of:

  • race
  • religion
  • disability
  • sexual orientation 
  • transgender identity

If you have experienced or witnessed a hate crime contact Call Hate Out (external link). This is a confidential 24 hour support service for young people under 18.

Call: 0808 8010576
Text: 07717 989025

Reporting crime

If you are the victim of a crime, see a crime happen, or are just worried about crime, you need to know what to do to report your concerns.

You can contact the police on 101 to make a report or report a crime online (external link). If you are ever in immediate danger, call 999.

To report a fire in progress, call 999. Arson is where someone deliberately sets fire to something. It is very important to report arson to the police, as it can risk lives. If you have any information regarding arson, please contact the police on 101.

The Fearless website (external link) is really useful if you want to report a crime anonymously, or to search for information about different types of crime.

Safe routes

The Cambridgeshire county council website (external link) has lots of information about road safety, and travelling to school.

Safe places

Safe Places can help people if they are feeling scared, vulnerable or unsafe when out and about. A website and app has been developed to help people find their nearest registered safe place, and the app will direct the user to it via a map.

If you have a business, shop, or club and would like to register as a safe place, please go to the website and sign up:

A map of currently registered safe places in East Cambridgeshire can be viewed using the link below:

E-scooters and e-bikes

Using e-scooters in public places is illegal. Please visit the police e-scooters advice (external link) page to learn about the laws surrounding these.

If you are 14 or older, you can use an e-bike (as long as it meets certain criteria) anywhere that you can use a push bike. Find out more on the GOV.UK website (external link)