Meet the Consultant - Fred Toon

We took the chance to spend some time with one of our specialist consultants and trainers, Fred Toon to find out some more about his history, motivations and why he is so passionate about tackling all forms of child exploitation in his roles as our exploitation specialist consultant.

Can you tell us a bit about your work history and how you came to work in children’s social care? 

I was influenced from a young age by my dad, who had a difficult start in life. He was an ex-drug addict who had spent time in children’s homes, borstal, prison, and even had a short spell in the army. But he turned his life around and went on to work in drug treatment, eventually becoming the director of one of the leading therapeutic communities in the world. He helped thousands of people in their recovery journeys. 

Growing up, I spent a lot of time around adults in recovery. One thing that always stood out to me was how many of them traced their struggles back to the trauma they experienced as children. That really stayed with me. But what also stuck was the belief that people can change, that with love, care, support and honesty, anyone can turn their life around. It taught me never to give up on people. After various jobs in retail, I realised I wanted to do more with my life and follow in my dad’s footsteps by supporting those most in need. 

I began working with adults with additional learning needs and mental health issues, before moving into a secure children’s home and then into residential care settings. I later returned to adult services, working in a drug rehabilitation setting, very much like the work my dad had done. 

Eventually, I found my way back to working with young people, spending 11 years with the Youth Justice Service as a Substance Misuse and Exploitation Officer. From there, I moved into management, leading a charity in Oxfordshire that supported young people experiencing exploitation. I then became the London Team Manager for Barnardo’s National Counter Trafficking Service, supporting victims of exploitation, trafficking, and modern slavery. Most recently, I was the Child Exploitation Coordinator for Lambeth Council, where I worked to reduce risk and safeguard young people at risk of gang involvement and criminal exploitation.

What first sparked your interest in working with young people at risk of exploitation or gang involvement? 

When I first joined the Youth Justice Service, my role was as a Substance Misuse Worker, primarily supporting young people involved with the service who were using cannabis or alcohol. However, over time, I began to notice changes—particularly in the way some young women were using drugs. Their usage was increasing, the substances were getting harder, and their relationship with drugs seemed more complex. Through direct work with these young people, it became clear that many were experiencing Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE). Drugs and alcohol were being used as part of the grooming process—tools of control and manipulation.

Around the same time, I also saw an increase in young males being arrested in possession of Class A drugs, particularly heroin and crack cocaine—despite not using these substances themselves. This raised alarm bells. I was one of the first practitioners in my area to identify what we initially called child drug exploitation, which has since evolved into what we now recognise as Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) and County Lines. Once I began to see these patterns emerging, my role naturally expanded. I started working more closely with police and colleagues in children’s social care to help understand what was happening and how we could better support the young people being targeted and exploited. More recently, my work in Lambeth, particularly in Brixton, has exposed a different, often overlooked form of exploitation: where young people are coerced by gangs into violence and serious criminality. This type of exploitation doesn’t always follow the more “recognisable” patterns we associate with CSE or County Lines, and there’s still a lot of work to be done in recognising that many young people in gangs are, in fact, being exploited, often with very little real choice or way out.

You’ve developed a strong reputation around your work in gangs and exploitation, can you tell us more about that area of your practice? 

I’m a strong believer in the power of partnership working and the importance of building meaningful, professional relationships. On my own, I might make a small difference, but when the right people are working together with a shared vision, we can make a huge impact on the lives of vulnerable children at risk of or experiencing exploitation. Strong partnerships lead to better information sharing and open the door for respectful professional challenge, something I see as essential in such complex and high-risk work. 

One of the key lessons I’ve learned is how quickly things can change in a young person’s life. No matter how hard we try, professionals are often two steps behind. That’s why I’ve pioneered the use of real-time intelligence and data to identify emerging patterns and hotspots of risk. By spotting trends early, we’re able to act faster and more effectively. I’m always looking to push myself and those around me to raise the standard of practice. I’m not afraid of challenge or change and I encourage others to question systems and assumptions when they’re not serving children well. I think it’s this approach—relational, data-informed, and proactive—that’s helped me build a strong reputation in this field. My work is rooted in compassion, but it’s also strategic, and focused on long-term change as well as immediate safety.

Can you share any moments from your career that really illustrate the impact of this work? 

One moment that stands out is my work in Oxfordshire, which was one of the first local authorities to recognise and formulate a response to what we now refer to as County Lines. Through my early identification of young people at risk and the collaborative work I led with key partners, we were able to raise the profile of this emerging threat and develop a strategic, cross-agency response. This work played a significant role in safeguarding vulnerable young people across the county and laid the foundations for how local areas could respond to organised criminal exploitation. As a result, our approach in Oxfordshire was cited as an exemplar of effective partnership working and strategic response to Organised Crime Groups and County Drug Lines by HMIC, HMIP, and Thames Valley Police’s Service Improvement Department. I was honoured to receive a commendation from both the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Board and Thames Valley Police for this work. It was a defining moment in my career not just because of the recognition, but because it showed how meaningful change is possible when professionals come together with a shared commitment to protecting children.

What are some of the common misconceptions people have about young people involved in gangs or being exploited?

 Sadly, there are still people, including, at times, professionals within the police and social care, who hold the misconception that children choose to be exploited. Thankfully, the profile and awareness of Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) and Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) have grown in recent years, and I’m encountering this view less often now, but it hasn’t been fully eradicated. Where we’re still significantly behind is in the wider understanding of gang exploitation. There’s a real lack of awareness around the social, economic, and structural reasons that young people may become involved in gangs. Too often, the response is to criminalise rather than understand. I’ve worked closely with the Metropolitan Police to challenge these narratives, but we’re still seeing far too many young people, many with undiagnosed additional learning needs and experiencing poverty from inner-city housing estates, being criminalised for gang involvement, when in reality, many of them have been groomed and exploited in ways very similar to what we see in CSE and County Lines cases. We need to shift the narrative. These young people should be seen as victims first. They need support to safely exit the gang lifestyle, and more targeted work needs to be done to disrupt the adults, often referred to as "olders," who are orchestrating and profiting from the exploitation of children. Until we start addressing exploitation in all its forms, including gang exploitation, with the same urgency and compassion as we do CSE and CCE, we’ll continue to fail some of our most vulnerable children.

How do you stay grounded and trauma-informed in this challenging area of work? 

Working in exploitation and safeguarding can be incredibly tough, and staying grounded is essential, not just for my own wellbeing, but to remain effective and present for the young people and professionals I’m supporting. I regularly remind myself why I do this work: to protect children, challenge injustice, and create space for meaningful change. Over the years, I’ve learned the importance of maintaining boundaries and practising self-awareness. I know how to recognise my own early warning signs of stress or burnout, and I’ve developed strategies to manage them. Knowing when to switch off and how to unwind is a key part of sustaining myself in this field. I’m also a big believer in using the circles of influence and control as a reflective tool, focusing my energy on what I can influence, and learning to let go of what I can’t. It helps keep me grounded and stops me from becoming overwhelmed by the wider systemic issues that are beyond my immediate control. Recently, I completed my Gold Level Trauma-Informed Practice Award, which has deepened my understanding and reaffirmed my commitment to working in a way that centres compassion and safety. Being trauma-informed means never losing sight of the fact that behind every behaviour is a story, often one rooted in pain, fear, and survival. I always try to approach each situation with empathy first, seeking to understand rather than judge, and considering the wider context before jumping to conclusions.

If you could give one piece of advice to professionals new to this area, what would it be? 

Always look past the presenting behaviour and try to understand what’s driving it. What we see on the surface, whether it’s aggression, disengagement, rule-breaking, or even silence, is often just the tip of the iceberg. These behaviours are usually secondary (or even tertiary) responses to something much deeper: trauma, fear, unmet needs, or a lack of trust in adults and systems. It’s easy to focus on managing the behaviour, but real impact comes from understanding the why behind it. Ask yourself: What might this young person be trying to communicate through their actions? What might they have experienced that I can’t yet see? This mindset helps shift us from a place of judgment to one of empathy, and it opens the door to building genuine relationships, the foundation for any meaningful change. So, my advice is: stay curious, not reactive. Don’t take things personally, and always hold in mind that behaviour is communication. Your job isn’t to “fix” a child, it’s to create the conditions where they feel safe enough to trust, talk, and begin to heal.

What do you plan on bringing to Oxonia Care through your skills and experience? 

I bring over 20 years of frontline and strategic experience across the safeguarding and social care sectors. Throughout my career, I’ve worked with a wide range of vulnerable groups, including looked-after children, homeless teenagers, young offenders, gang-affected young people, individuals with substance misuse issues, and adults with additional learning needs. This broad foundation has shaped a deep, practical understanding of exploitation in its many forms—and how to intervene effectively. At Oxonia Care, I aim to contribute in several key areas:

• Staff Training & Professional Development I design and deliver targeted, engaging training sessions and workshops that build staff confidence and capability in recognising, understanding, and responding to the risks associated with child exploitation.

• Expert Case Consultation & Guidance I offer specialist input and reflective consultation to professionals working with at-risk children and young people—helping them develop tailored, trauma-informed, and evidence-based intervention strategies.

• Creation of High-Quality Training Resources I develop and regularly update training materials that reflect best practice and the latest developments in safeguarding, ensuring that learning is relevant, practical, and impactful.

• Safeguarding Policy & Practice Advisory I support services in reviewing and strengthening their safeguarding frameworks, offering practical guidance on policy and procedure to ensure they’re both compliant and child-centred.

• Service Support & Problem-Solving Consultation I take a collaborative, solution-focused approach to helping teams navigate complex or high-risk cases, with the aim of improving outcomes for children experiencing or at risk of exploitation.

Ultimately, my goal is to support Oxonia Care Consultancy in delivering high-impact training and consultancy that doesn’t just tick boxes—but genuinely equips professionals to protect children more effectively. We have some very exciting projects on the horizon and In can’t wait

Finally, Fred, tell us a bit about yourself outside of work. What are you passionate about, and how do you like to unwind? 

Music is my sanctuary. I’ve got a real passion for live music and can often be found, alongside my wife and sometimes my daughters, at local venues, gigs, and festivals. We also enjoy travelling across the UK to see bigger acts whenever we get the chance. I’ve played in a few bands over the years, but these days I prefer DJing for friends and family. I occasionally put on indie nights at local pubs, which is a great way to stay connected to the local music scene. 

Outside of music, I’m a big football fan. I support Oxford United and my local non-league team, Kidlington FC. More recently, I’ve taken up hiking; it’s a great way to clear my head and recharge. I’m currently training to walk the Thames Path next spring, which I’m really looking forward to.

Before we let you go, we know that you went to secondary school with our managing director Liam. He’s mentioned a certain hairstyle that you used to sport. Would you care to elaborate?

No comment!

Fred is currently designing and delivering specialist exploitation training for local authorities and children’s services up and down the country on behalf of Oxonia Care Consultancy. If you feel that his unique insight and expert knowledge can add value to your service and help to keep your children safe, please get in touch.