The Shield Team is a Multi- Agency team consisting of representatives from Barnardo’s, Greater Manchester Police and The Brook, Wigan and Leigh. The strategic objective of this team is to support the work of the Wigan Safeguarding Children Board in ensuring that all agencies work together to safeguard and promote the safety and welfare of children/young people up to 18 years old who are at risk of sexual exploitation.

The work undertaken by the team involves raising the awareness of child sexual exploitation (CSE) across the borough, by providing specialist training. The Police will investigate the concerns of CSE and prosecute known offenders as required. They will also offer advice on the appropriate disruption tactics and share intelligence across the North West Police Divisions to help combat CSE. Barnardo's workers will help young people (under 18) who are being sexually exploited, controlled or at risk of being sexually exploited. Barnardo's Safer Futures offers a specialist therapeutic CSE intervention which helps young people to keep themselves safe and to take control of their lives.