Children in the Shadows
Children in the Shadows is a five-week interactive resource for Lent that will help us consider the various forms of child exploitation, the scale of the abuse, and the need for us all to increase our awareness and effective response.
Each session contains definitions, statistics, examples of current good practice, and ways in which individuals and churches can make a significant contribution to extending care and strengthening resilience and resistance in their communities.
There is also a passage of scripture to inspire our response and a prayer to draw our reflections together. Each session concludes with the words of two new hymns, written for The Clewer Initiative by Sheena Evans and Simon Hancock.
We hope you will join with others this Lent in study, reflection, prayer and praise so that God’s kingdom can be proclaimed, and His exploited children find hope and purpose.
"To be a child is to be, by definition, vulnerable. Sadly, many unscrupulous and criminal people deliberately take advantage of this susceptibility and exploit children for financial gain. The damage done to children abused in this way never goes away."
Children in the Shadows
the full five week course
An introduction to Children in the Shadows
by Bishop Alastair Redfern, the chair of The Clewer Initiative
Week 1
The shocking truth about children & modern slavery in the UK
Week 2
The price the family pays
Week 3
An introduction to County Lines
Week 4
The push factors for County Lines
Week 5
The global scene
Conclusion
by Caroline Virgo, the Director of The Clewer Initiative
"There is an urgent need for churches to support the creation of more resilient and healthy communities where all children can grow and develop in safety. The church also has a key role in identifying children in its orbit that are being exploited or who may be susceptible to exploitation."
