The Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime’s (EPPOC) commitment to supporting system-wide, effective responses continues with the publication of a comprehensive review examining Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) and organisational readiness across Northern Ireland.
Commissioned by the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland and funded by EPPOC, the report – authored by Dr Colm Walsh, Dr Antoinette Keaney-Bell, and Alan McKinstry – offers the most comprehensive analysis to date of the factors driving CCE and the capacity of statutory agencies to respond.
Key findings reveal:
1. CCE risk is heightened in communities where deprivation, educational exclusion, youth population density, violent crime, and paramilitary activity intersect.
2. Geospatial analysis identified 76 wards at elevated risk, with Belfast and Derry City & Strabane most affected.
3. Survey responses from 85 professionals show significant gaps in training, data recording, and strategic response, despite positive inter-agency cooperation.
The report calls for urgent, data-driven targeting of resources and systemic reform. Recommendations include improved staff training, enhanced information sharing, and the development of real-time data tools to support frontline professionals.
Adele Brown, Director, EPPOC: “This report shines a vital light on the realities of child criminal exploitation in Northern Ireland. EPPOC is committed to working with all partners to ensure that every child is protected from harm and that frontline professionals have the tools and support they need to respond effectively.”
EPPOC welcomes this evidence-based approach and encourages all partners to review the findings and recommendations to strengthen collective efforts to safeguard children and young people from exploitation.
The Ministers of Justice and Health have welcomed the publication of today’s landmark report on Drug-Related Intimidation (DRI) in Northern Ireland, which offers the most comprehensive analysis to date of the nature, prevalence and impact of DRI across the region.
The report, produced by the Public Health Agency and commissioned by the Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime (EPPOC), reveals the widespread and complex nature of DRI, which affects individuals, families, and entire communities. The report reveals that:
Nearly 40% of the general population are aware of suspected or read DRI occurring in their community;
One in eight reported direct experience in the last three years.
The findings highlight the harms caused by the often complicated relationship between drug debt, organised crime, paramilitary groups, and social vulnerability. It portrays the devastating effects of intimidation on young people, families, and communities, and outlines the urgent need for a coordinated, cross-sectoral response.
Speaking today, Justice Minister Naomi Long, and lead Minister for the Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime said:
“Drug-related intimidation is a deeply corrosive force in our society. It preys on vulnerability, fuels fear and undermines the very fabric of our communities. This report lays bare the scale and complexity of the challenge we face, and it demands action.
“As Minister of Justice, I am committed to working with all sectors including health, housing, education, and community organisations to deliver a joined-up response”.
The Minister also praised the voices of victims, families, and frontline workers featured in the report:
“Their courage and insight must guide our policy and practice. We must confront the stigma that isolates victims and perpetuates harm. It is no easy task but together, we can build a Northern Ireland where drug related intimidation and its pernicious effects have no place”.
Also speaking at the event, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said: “Substance use has a real and lasting impact on individuals, families, and communities right across Northern Ireland. Not only are there the direct mental and physical harms, but people who use drugs often face stigma, prejudice, and intimidation – and we know this causes further harm as fewer people come forward for treatment and support. These issues are often unseen and unaddressed, leading to a spiral of substance use, exploitation, and being pulled into criminal activity.
“This collaborative scoping study, for the first time, brings together information, statistics, and, importantly, lived experience of drug related intimidation. The output should be compulsory reading for all across Government. This is only the start of the journey, we now need to use it to inform our collective response, and plans are underway to consider how best to embed a holistic and compassionate response.”
Launch of a groundbreaking study that has developed the first comprehensive assessment of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) among Northern Ireland’s adult population.
“For the first time, the true extent of childhood trauma and its impact on all people in Northern Ireland has been documented and measured for all to see.” This was the message from Justice Minister Naomi Long at the launch of a groundbreaking study that has developed the first comprehensive assessment of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) among Northern Ireland’s adult population.
ACEs are defined as traumatic or stressful experiences that occur in childhood. This includes physical, sexual, emotional abuse, neglect, exposure to domestic abuse, parental separation, growing up in a household where there are adults with mental health or drug or alcohol problems or who have spent time in prison. These experiences can have enduring consequences on mental and physical well-being throughout life.
There are few other studies like this in post-conflict settings such as Northern Ireland. The research, commissioned by the Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime, and led by a team from Queen’s University Belfast, reveals significant levels of trauma that continue to impact all communities and across generations.
Speaking at the research launch, Justice Minister Naomi Long said: “The findings from this research are both striking and sobering. We now have crucial evidence of how childhood trauma shapes life outcomes in Northern Ireland. The findings show clear correlations between higher exposure to trauma in childhood and many negative outcomes, including poorer educational achievement, chronic health conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and chronic pain, increased exposure to domestic violence, addiction, poor mental health and health-harming behaviours. These are significant findings, which will impact and inform policy and delivery across the Executive.
“That 60% of our adult population reports at least one traumatic childhood event, with nearly one in five experiencing four or more, represents a major public health challenge. More specifically, the finding that 30% of respondents reported conflict-specific adversities illuminates the unique context of trauma in Northern Ireland. Perhaps most concerning is the evidence that, despite being almost 27 years past the Good Friday Agreement, our younger generation continues to experience trauma linked to paramilitary activity.”
L-R Claire Hazelden, EPPOC Research Analyst; Hugh Widdis, DOJ Permanent Secretary; Justice Minister Naomi Long; Professor Sir Ian Greer, Vice Chancellor, Queen’s University Belfast; Dr Colm Walsh, Queen’s University Belfast and Adele Brown, EPPOC Director
Dr Colm Walsh, an academic from Queen’s University Belfast who led the study, commented: “What we see here is the long arm of early adversities, the impact of which extends beyond childhood, affecting a number of key outcomes, ranging from educational attainment, physical and mental health, substance use, and offending. Compared with those who report no ACEs, those who reported four or more, were almost 9 times more likely to be excluded from school as a child, 8 times more likely to have been arrested and 3 times more likely to have used illicit drugs in the previous year as an adult.”
The study also highlighted that both ACEs and Troubles-related trauma were disproportionately concentrated in socio-economically disadvantaged communities, creating further challenges for some areas.
The research was initiated following observations of high trauma levels among participants in the Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime (EPPOC), highlighting the need for trauma-informed approaches across Northern Ireland.
Programme Director Adele Brown noted: “These findings underscore the critical importance of understanding and addressing childhood trauma in Northern Ireland. 27 years on from a historical peace agreement, our young people deserve a level playing field where intergenerational and domestic trauma doesn’t hold them back. They have the right not just to peace but a quality of peace. That means making sure that we all question the impact trauma could be having on our friends, family and colleagues and public services and learn how to respond effectively to it. This is much wider than specialist responses, this is about everyday interactions, too.
“We very much hope that the study’s findings will inform policy development and service provision across health, education, justice, and social services sectors in Northern Ireland.”
If you would like to read the report, please click here.
To read more about the prevalence and impact of ACEs in Northern Ireland, please click here.
