Know the Signs - CCE Awareness Safeguarding Poster Bundles
Young people rarely disclose exploitation because they don’t always recognise it. Practitioners often miss early signs because the behaviours look “normal”. Schools want to raise awareness but don’t know how to make it land.
These posters change that.
They speak the language young people recognise. They expose the tactics exploiters rely on. They interrupt grooming at the point where something first feels “off”.
This isn’t awareness as information or for show.
This is safeguarding that helps young people recognise harm before they blame themselves for it.
The poster series highlights common tactics used in exploitation and grooming.
Examples include:
• Being asked to carry items or deliver packages
• Being offered gifts or money
• Being pressured to send photos
• Being encouraged to keep secrets
• Being isolated from friends
• Being manipulated through guilt or fear
• Being drawn into scams or criminal activity
These situations are presented in a way that encourages discussion and awareness.
Where Schools Use Them
Schools and youth organisations use the posters in areas where students naturally pause and notice information.
Common locations include:
• School corridors
• Sixth-form common rooms
• Safeguarding noticeboards
• PSHE classrooms
• School bathrooms
• Pastoral areas
• Youth centres and community hubs
What You Receive
Each poster pack includes:
• High-resolution printable posters
• Optimised for A3 and A4 printing
• Designed for school safeguarding environments
• Suitable for secondary schools and youth settings
Format:
Digital download (PDF)
This allows schools to print multiple copies and place them where they will have the most impact.
Who These Posters Are For
These materials are designed for professionals working with young people, including:
• Schools
• Colleges
• Alternative provision
• Youth services
• Social workers
• Safeguarding leads
• Community organisations
Why These Posters Work
Unlike traditional safeguarding materials, these posters focus on the moment something starts to feel wrong.
They reflect real conversations and pressures that young people experience.
The language is simple, direct and recognisable, which helps young people connect the message to real situations.
These resources are suitable for use in secondary schools, colleges, PRUs, alternative provision and youth work settings. Each pack includes discussion-ready posters alongside teacher guidance to support meaningful safeguarding conversations.
The posters are designed to reflect the kinds of language and situations young people may actually encounter, helping staff move beyond generic awareness messages and into more realistic, relatable discussion.
This bundle includes:
- Pack 1: Recognising Grooming and Online Pressure
- Pack 2: Understanding Criminal Exploitation
- Pack 3: Recognising Manipulation, Pressure and Control
- Pack 4: Understanding Grooming Tactics and Exploitation
Suitable for:
- PSHE
- tutor time
- safeguarding sessions
- pastoral work
- assemblies
- youth intervention settings
Created by:Dr Junior Smart OBE, founder of Smart Training and Consultancy, drawing on frontline experience, lived expertise and years of work across safeguarding, exploitation and violence prevention.
Recognising Grooming and Online Pressure Poster Pack
This safeguarding poster pack helps young people recognise some of the early warning signs of online grooming, digital pressure and manipulative messaging.
Many harmful situations do not begin with obvious danger. They often begin with messages that seem ordinary at first but gradually introduce pressure, secrecy, guilt or emotional manipulation.
This pack uses powerful, relatable poster imagery to help students think critically about what unhealthy pressure can look like online.
Includes:
- 10 safeguarding posters
- teacher guidance and discussion prompts
- reflection questions
- safeguarding notes for staff
Covers themes such as:
- peer pressure
- manipulative messaging
- normalisation
- proving loyalty
- uncomfortable digital interactions
- early warning signs
Ideal for:
- PSHE lessons
- tutor time
- online safety discussions
- safeguarding sessions
- youth work
Recognising Manipulation Pressure and Control Poster Pack
This safeguarding poster pack focuses on the language and behaviours linked to manipulation, coercion, emotional pressure and control.
The posters are designed to help young people think about the difference between healthy concern and unhealthy control, and to recognise how pressure can appear in friendships, peer groups and relationships.
The visual style is direct, relatable and discussion-focused, making it a useful resource for schools and youth settings that want to move beyond generic awareness materials.
Includes:
- 10 posters
- teacher guidance
- discussion prompts
- reflective questions
- safeguarding notes
Covers themes such as:
- location monitoring
- emotional pressure
- ignoring boundaries
- control disguised as care
- respect versus fear
- embarrassment and guilt as pressure
- coercive behaviour
Suitable for:
- PSHE
- relationship education
- tutor time
- safeguarding sessions
- pastoral discussions
Understanding Grooming Tactics and Exploitation: Safeguarding Poster Pack
This pack helps young people and professionals explore some of the common tactics used in grooming and exploitation, including gifts, favours, secrecy, debt and manipulation.
The posters are designed to prompt meaningful discussion about how exploitation may begin through relationships or situations that appear generous, exciting or supportive at first.
This is a practical safeguarding resource for schools and youth settings that want to help students recognise patterns of grooming before harm escalates.
Includes:
- 10 safeguarding posters
- teacher guide
- discussion prompts
- reflection activities
- safeguarding notes
Covers themes such as:
- gifts creating obligation
- favours becoming pressure
- secrecy and control
- debt manipulation
- false opportunities
- grooming through generosity
- exploitation warning signs
Suitable for:
- PSHE
- safeguarding lessons
- tutor time
- exploitation awareness campaigns
- pastoral work
Understanding Criminal Exploitation: Safeguarding Poster Pack
This poster pack is designed to support schools and youth settings in helping young people understand how criminal exploitation can begin through everyday requests, favours and pressure.
The posters highlight recruitment language and situations that can appear small or harmless at first, but may be linked to county lines or wider forms of exploitation.
By using realistic visual scenarios and simple discussion prompts, the pack helps students and staff explore how exploitation can develop gradually.
Includes:
- 10 safeguarding posters
- teacher notes
- discussion questions
- reflection activities
- safeguarding guidance
Covers themes such as:
- county lines recruitment
- carrying items
- travelling for others
- keeping lookout
- emotional pressure
- financial exploitation and money mule tactics
- “easy money” language
Suitable for:
- PSHE
- tutor time
- safeguarding lessons
- county lines awareness work
- alternative provision and PRUs