duration

Location
Virtual

Cuckooing is on the rise – and is putting vulnerable residents at risk. This essential event explores how to spot the signs of cuckooing, protect tenants and work effectively with police and agencies. It’ll ensure you’re ready for the new Crime and Policing Bill 2025.

  • Read more

    The scale of the problem is stark. In just one week of police crackdowns in 2024:

    • Over 1,000 properties were visited across the UK
    • In London alone, cases rose by 91% in the first half of 2023 compared to the previous year.

    Cuckooing is a growing problem for social housing providers – and one that’s often hidden in plain sight.

    Criminals are taking over the homes of vulnerable tenants to run illegal operations – from drug dealing to human trafficking – leaving victims trapped in fear and communities at risk.

    Recognising and tackling cuckooing isn’t easy. Victims may be too scared, ashamed or unaware to seek help. Housing management teams are often left questioning whether behaviour changes are antisocial behaviour (ASB) or a cry for help.

    Under the Crime and Policing Bill 2025, cuckooing will soon become a criminal offence – carrying up to a five-year prison sentence. This landmark change will empower police, housing providers and partners to take stronger action against exploitation and better protect vulnerable residents.

    This event will give you the practical tools, insight and confidence to take action. You’ll discover how to identify risks early, work effectively with external agencies and prepare your teams for the new legislation.

    What to expect:

    • What cuckooing is – and how it manifests in social housing
    • Early warning signs for frontline teams
    • Building strong multi-agency partnerships that get results
    • Understanding the new legal powers and enforcement options
    • Supporting victims and rebuilding trust in affected communities.

    Who should attend:

    • Tenancy and neighbourhood management teams
    • Safeguarding and ASB officers
    • Housing management and enforcement staff
    • Local authority partners
    • Legal and policy professionals.
  • Our speakers

    Dr Laura Bainbridge, Associate Professor in Criminal Justice, Leeds University
    Dr Laura Bainbridge is an Associate Professor in Criminal Justice at the University of Leeds and a leading researcher on county lines “cuckooing” victimisation and criminal exploitation in the home.

    Her work is strongly practice- and impact-focused, working with policing, local authorities and partner agencies to improve how cuckooing is identified, prevented and disrupted. Laura leads funded research on preventing and disrupting cuckooing victimisation and has helped develop practitioner-facing outputs including a cuckooing toolkit/animation and the “behind closed doors” hazard perception test (VR) to support frontline awareness of warning signs.

    Laura is also a Co-Investigator and Early Career Researcher Champion for the ESRC Vulnerability and Policing Futures Research Centre, bringing expertise in vulnerability, harm reduction and multi-agency responses –highly relevant to housing providers tackling exploitation behind closed doors.

    Joanna Grimshaw, Head of Antisocial Behaviour, Youth Engagement, Partnerships and Tactical Lead for Serious Violence, Surrey Police
    Jo is the Surrey Police Lead for Antisocial Behaviour (ASB) and brings over two decades of dedicated experience to this critical role. Joining Surrey Police in 2003 as an ASB Caseworker for Guildford/Waverley, she has steadily advanced, becoming the force’s ASB Manager in 2012 and subsequently Head of ASB and Partnerships in January 2021.

    In her current leadership position, Jo’s portfolio has expanded to include youth engagement and serious violence within the prevention and problem solving team.

    Strategically advising the force on ASB matters, Jo is directly responsible for a team of seven ASB specialists, an ASB Sergeant and three partnership officers who deliver work on serious and organised crime, county lines and drug harm reduction and serious violence reduction (knife crime/public place). They work in close collaboration with police teams and partner agencies to address ASB and crime through prevention, intervention and enforcement.

    Karen Jones, Cuckooing Outreach Service Manager, Catalyst Support
    Karen is the team lead for the cuckooing specialist outreach team at Catalyst Support, a pioneering service supporting vulnerable adults who have been cuckooed. Following a successful three-month pilot, she established the project to address a critical gap in support for those whose homes have been exploited by others.

    Karen has a broad background supporting individuals facing complex challenges. She has worked as a specialist at the Citizens Advice Bureau, managing housing and benefits cases and representing clients in court; run a day centre for people experiencing homelessness and supported victims and perpetrators of antisocial behaviour.

    Karen has also worked as an arrest referral and prison release worker, aiding people with substance use issues and other issues impacting their lives, as well as a support worker with Alpha, assisting individuals with multiple disadvantage and complex needs in their own homes.

    Claire Gilbey, Housing Enforcement Team Leader, South Cambridgeshire Council
    Claire is a highly experienced housing enforcement and ASB practitioner, leading on tackling criminal ASB and complex enforcement cases, working to protect residents and neighbourhoods where harm is often hidden behind closed doors. She has helped shape local approach and practice, including being named as a report author on the Council’s antisocial behaviour policy.

    Through her role, Claire contributes to multi-agency community safety partnership work, bringing a housing-led perspective on early warning signs, practical interventions and effective joint working when exploitation escalates into serious risk.

    Kelly Lloyd, Senior Associate, Devonshires

    Kelly Lloyd is a Senior Associate at Devonshires specialising in housing management and property litigation. She advises social landlords across a wide range of enforcement and tenancy management issues, including possession claims, antisocial behaviour and breach of tenancy injunctions, committal proceedings, trespass, TORTs notices and associated money and disrepair claims.

    Kelly has worked in housing management for over seven years and has experience acting for both landlords and tenants, giving her a strong understanding of the evidential and procedural issues that can arise in complex cases. Before joining Devonshires, she represented local authorities and housing associations for four years.

    At this event, Kelly will focus on the legal framework and enforcement options relevant to cuckooing and how providers can prepare for its criminalisation while protecting victims and supporting effective partnership responses.

     

  • Programme

    9:30am Welcome and introduction

    Dr Laura Bainbridge, Associate Professor in Criminal Justice, Leeds University

     

    9:40am Understanding cuckooing – the hidden crime in our communities

    Joanna Grimshaw, Head of Antisocial Behaviour, Youth Engagement, Partnerships and Tactical Lead for Serious Violence, Surrey Police
    • Cuckooing in Surrey
    • Why did Surrey police need extra support?
    • Commissioning the service.

    10:10am Working together: Building effective multi-agency partnerships

    Karen Jones, Cuckooing Outreach Service Manager, Catalyst Support
    • What is cuckooing?
    • What cuckooing can look like – a short film
    • A couple of case studies to highlight the concerns, how the cuckooing team can support the victim and the effectiveness of partnership working.

    10:40am Break

    10:50am Spotting the signs – best practice for early identification and intervention

    Claire Gilbey, Housing Enforcement Team Leader, South Cambridgeshire Council

     

    11:20am Cuckooing and the law: Preparing for the criminalisation of cuckooing

    Kelly Lloyd, Senior Associate, Devonshires
    • The new Crime and Policing Bill, in particular, the criminalisation of cuckooing
    • A focus on other measures that social housing providers can take following the introduction of the Bill including:
      • Respect orders
      • Housing injunctions
      • Additional police powers
      • Child criminal exploitation
      • Closure orders.

    11:50am Training and awareness – raising resources

    Dr Laura Bainbridge, Associate Professor in Criminal Justice, Leeds University
    • Overview of resources created by the Cuckooing Research and Prevention Network
    • Focus on raising awareness of the signs of cuckooing
    • Aimed at improving multi‑agency responses to cuckooing victimisation
    • Resources include a toolkit, animation, VR headset experience and tailored posters for key frontline services.

    12:20pm Closing remarks and reflections on the day

    Dr Laura Bainbridge, Associate Professor in Criminal Justice, Leeds University

     

    12:30pm Close

  • Cancellations and substitutions

    If you are unable to attend an event or public training course, please let us know in writing (email is fine) at least 48 hours before. Please email [email protected]

    Otherwise, a cancellation fee of £60 plus VAT will be chargeable.

    If you are using a package place to attend and do not inform us within the agreed time frame, then a place will be taken to cover your non-attendance.

    Cancellations must be made in writing and will be acknowledged by HQN Limited.

  • Price and booking

    Bookings are closed for this event.

    If you experience any issues when submitting your booking, please email [email protected] with the name and date of the session along with the delegate name(s), email address(es) and job title(s) and we'll process the booking for you.

Dates



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