Child exploitation, RSHE and what’s changing in 2026

From September 2026, there’s a noticeable shift in what schools are expected to cover around child exploitation.

The updated RSHE guidance puts a stronger emphasis on helping young people understand real world risks. This includes exploitation, grooming and criminal behaviour. It’s no longer just about covering the basics. The focus is on making sure students can recognise when something isn’t right and know what to do about it.

For secondary schools, the guidance is very clear. Pupils should be taught about:

“sexual consent, sexual exploitation, abuse, grooming, coercion, harassment, rape, domestic abuse, forced marriage, honour-based violence and FGM, and how these can affect current and future relationships”

It also highlights the importance of covering:

“relevant legal provisions when pupils are older, including… violence, criminal exploitation by gangs, and substance misuse”

And just as importantly, students need to understand:

“how to report concerns and seek advice… and how to access support services” These are complex and sensitive topics. For many schools, the challenge is not whether to teach them, but how to do it in a way that feels meaningful, safe and age appropriate.

Where Working for Marcus fits in

“As a result of seeing the Working for Marcus programme, I will look out for signs of child exploitation and grooming because it could be happening to me, to a friend or even a stranger. Anyone could be going through it.” – Pupil

At Loudmouth, we’ve been working in this space for over 25 years. Child exploitation is one of the areas schools ask us for the most support with, and it’s easy to see why. It’s a difficult topic to approach and getting it right really matters.

Working for Marcus is designed for students aged 13 and above and uses a theatre in education approach. Instead of talking about issues in the abstract, students see how grooming and coercion can play out in realistic situations. That makes it easier to understand, and much more relatable.

From there, the workshop creates space for guided discussion, helping students unpack what they’ve seen and make sense of it.

The programme covers key areas from the new guidance, including:

• Child sexual exploitation
• Grooming and coercion
• County lines and criminal exploitation
• Knife crime
• Substance misuse

But it’s not about working through a checklist of topics. It’s about helping students understand the bigger picture.

We explore how grooming can develop step by step, how vulnerabilities can be targeted, and how control can build over time. One of the key messages is that exploitation doesn’t always look obvious at the start.

The guidance talks about criminal exploitation by gangs, but this is often an area schools feel less confident tackling, particularly when it comes to knife crime. In Working for Marcus, knife crime isn’t treated as a standalone issue. It’s explored in the context of pressure, fear, exploitation and control, helping students see how these things are connected.

Another clear expectation in the guidance is that pupils should know how to get support. This is a core part of the programme. Students are encouraged to think about who they could talk to, both in school and at home, and are introduced to wider support services.

The impact in schools

“The Working for Marcus performance was outstanding and had a huge impact on staff and students. The workshops were well managed and facilitated to a high standard.” – Head of Year

Evaluation of Working for Marcus consistently shows:

• Increased knowledge of child exploitation
• Greater confidence in spotting the signs
• Improved awareness of where to go for support

98 percent of students say they would recommend the programme to others.

Another challenge many schools face is making sure RSHE is not just delivered as a one off lesson. Working for Marcus supports a wider, more joined up approach.

Schools receive:

• Lesson plans and teacher resources
• Online staff training
• Follow up activities
• Safeguarding signposting
• Information for parents and carers

So, it’s not just a performance. It’s something that supports both your students and your staff beyond the session itself.

Why this matters now

The 2026 guidance makes one thing very clear. Schools play a key role in keeping young people safe.

To do that well, students need more than information. They need understanding, confidence and the ability to act when something doesn’t feel right.

Programmes like Working for Marcus help make that possible. They take complex, sensitive issues and present them in a way that young people can recognise, relate to and respond to.

If you’d like to find out more, you can contact the team on 0121 446 4880 or email enquiry@loudmouth.co.uk.