Toolkit launched to help spot vulnerable people at risk of ‘cuckooing’

A new toolkit has been issued to police, local authorities and third sector organizations across the UK to help them identify and support vulnerable people who are at risk of “cuckooing.”

Researchers at the University of Leeds designed the toolkit in collaboration with partners from West Yorkshire Police, Leeds City Council, Horton Housing and homelessness charity Groundswell to raise awareness of how cuckooing can be prevented and disrupted.

Cuckooing is named after the nest stealing practices of wild cuckoos. It is a form of criminal exploitation where vulnerable people are coerced into providing access to their home to criminals, who then use it as a base for their activity. Such activity may include sex work, storing cash and weapons, or dealing drugs. Perpetrators may also take over a property to financially abuse its occupier.

The disturbing practice has featured as a plot line in television dramas—”Happy Valley,” “Line of Duty,” and most recently “Sherwood.”

Dr. Laura Bainbridge and Dr. Amy Loughery of the University’s School of Law led the creation of the toolkit following research into how cuckooing occurs and possible prevention strategies. It includes an information booklet, risk assessment tool, safeguarding information, leaflets, posters and an animation.

Professionals will be able to use the toolkit when working with vulnerable people, allowing them to identify risks, raise the alert and implement support measures faster.

Dr. Bainbridge, who is also the chair of the Cuckooing Research & Prevention Network, said, “Cuckooing is a highly predatory practice that causes harm to individuals, families and communities. The Preventing & Disrupting Cuckooing Victimization Toolkit has been designed to increase professional awareness of cuckooing, improve the identification of potential victims, and enhance safeguarding practices.

“It is my sincere hope that the toolkit assists in protecting vulnerable people, allowing them to feel safe in their homes.”

Ensuring police and frontline professionals can spot the signs

Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the Conservative MP for Chingford and Woodford Green, has campaigned for cuckooing to be criminalized as part of an overhaul of the 2015 Modern Slavery Act.

He has commended the published toolkit, saying, “Cuckooing is an appalling practice that is even now spreading through our communities, hurting the most vulnerable. It is vital that police and other frontline professionals learn how to spot the signs and are able to immediately safeguard the victims while bringing the vile perpetrators under the full force of the law.

“I have, with the Center for Social Justice (CSJ), long campaigned to make Cuckooing a criminal offense and, as such, I commend the work the University of Leeds with its partners are doing in the West Yorkshire region. This should be replicated across other regions of our country as well. I call on the government now to make Cuckooing a criminal offense, as I had persuaded the previous government to do as well.”

Sir Iain was one of the keynote speakers at a conference on cuckooing held at the University of Leeds in February, where calls were made to have the practice officially criminalized.

Following the conference, cuckooing clauses were inserted into the Policing and Crime Bill prior to the dissolution of Parliament when the general election was called.

Positive reception locally and nationally

The toolkit has now been launched for use by organizations nationwide.

Detective Inspector Anne Rannard, from the National County Lines Co-ordination Center, said, “Cuckooing is a feature of many different crime types and, significantly, for my area of work, it occurs within the county lines business model. Victims of cuckooing are often vulnerable and potentially at risk of harm. It is a complex issue and requires a multi-agency response.

“The toolkit that Dr. Laura Bainbridge and her colleagues have developed will be an excellent resource for professionals from a wide range of organizations. This will hopefully go some way to enhancing the reporting of and the response to cuckooing.”

Jennifer Griffiths, modern slavery & human trafficking training and partnerships coordinator at West Yorkshire Police said, “Locally and nationally the toolkit and animation have both been received very positively. They have been shared among Neighborhood Policing Teams (NPTs) to support Operation Cuckoo, which coordinates multi-agency support for victims.

“They have also been shared with police forces nationally, who have implemented their use across their partners as well.

“Policing partners have come to us to share how impactful for improving identification of instances of ‘cuckooing’ the toolkit will be, and how much power multi-agency dynamics can have to disrupt criminality.”

Detective Chief Inspector Lee Townley, head of West Yorkshire Police’s Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking team, added, “This toolkit will help us improve partners’ understanding of intelligence around cuckooing, which will hopefully lead to an increase in reports of cuckooing.

“The more information we have about cuckooing, the more we can identify serious organized or repeat offenders, which can help with disrupting harm from within our communities.”