Drugs gangs make huge profits from exploiting the most vulnerable - usually children and young people - who are targeted, groomed, manipulated, and coerced into drug trafficking and distribution.
Sadly, the very nature of county lines - using children and young people to move drugs around rural communities, towns and cities - means that it is happening all around the country in communities of all types.
Through our work with the Hidden Voices program, county lines stood out as a subject in need of direct focus. Groups saw it as a growing problem in their areas and were highly motivated to find ways of responding to it, but felt they needed a deeper understanding of the issue. So Breaking County Lines was born.
About Breaking County Lines
The courses are designed as a resource to enable churches and communities to understand and raise awareness of the scale of the problem and spot the signs of its presence. Breaking County Lines is spread across two modules, and includes digital stories based on personal experience, group activities, supporting information, and biblical reflections.
Module 1 gives participants the information they need to understand and detect County Lines in their communities. Module 2 focuses on the protection of children, young people, and vulnerable adults. The Clewer Initiative also runs a separate training course, focussed on developing community resilience.
We hope that by using the resource you will feel informed, inspired and ready to take action against the scourge of County Lines in your communities.
Online courses
We run Breaking County Lines 'Train the Trainer' courses for those who want to take the course out to their own communities, as well as regular Learning Forums for those who have already attended the County Lines courses.
Courses are available for church groups and statutory agencies, with adapted course materials for each type of group (both secular and faith courses and resources are available). Online courses take place over two 2-hour modules.
The sessions make use of videos and other content to gain an understanding of county lines, how it operates in our communities, and what we can do to respond.
Training for parents, guardians, grandparents, and foster parents
County lines is prevalent in all communities and children from all backgrounds and circumstances can be at risk. Therefore it's important that parents, grandparents, foster parents, and guardians are aware of county lines and its impacts on young people and vulnerable adults.
We have developed bespoke online training sessions to raise awareness and equip those with caring responsibilities with ways of responding appropriately.
If you would like to find out more about the courses and upcoming course dates, please email us at: clewerinitiative@churchofengland.org or visit our online training page.
