Cuckooing toolkit for practitioners

Practitioners supporting people affected by cuckooing often act as

• Early identifiers of risk and exploitation
• Trusted professionals who build consistent, non-judgmental relationships
• Advocates who challenge victim blaming and system gaps
• Co ordinators of multi agency responses

Effective practice requires patience, professional curiosity, and sustained engagement.

Property based indicators

• High numbers of visitors at different times of day and night
• Damage to doors, locks or windows
• Requests for replacement keys
• Frequent or increased requests for food, phone or utility top ups
• Anti social behaviour complaints or neighbour conflict
• Evidence of drug use or criminal activity

Person centred indicators

Prevention - Identifying the signs of cuckooing can support early intervention. Multiple or repeated visitors and/or anti-social behaviour at a property may indicate a tenant is a victim of cuckooing. Victims can also be mistakenly perceived as perpetrators.

Women often face more sexualised forms of exploitation within cuckooing, along with abusive behaviours such as control, coercion, violence or sexual abuse. Signs can also be hidden or perceived to be linked to domestic abuse rather than cuckooing

• Staying away from their own property
• Increased anxiety, fear, or withdrawal
• Withdrawing from support from services
• Loss of phone or restricted communication
• Unexplained injuries
• Sudden new relationships or people moving in quickly
• Phone number changes or no longer have access to a mobile phone

These indicators should prompt curiosity rather than assumptions.

Cuckooing does not occur because people make poor choices. Common contributing factors include:

• Loneliness, isolation and lack of community integration, particularly after being housed
• Trauma and attachment needs
• vulnerability to exploitation due to substance dependency and fear of withdrawal
• Poverty and unmet support needs
• Multiple and complex support needs
• Mistrust of statutory services

People with experiences of homelessness can be more at risk of cuckooing because their housing situations may be insecure, and they may have multiple or complex needs. Understanding these drivers helps prevent victim blaming responses.

Some of the most vulnerable people affected by cuckooing may not recognise coercion and that that they are being exploited and may also find it difficult to identify themselves as victims.

Good practice when raising concerns with an individual:

• Take a trauma informed and person-centred approach
• Continuity of support staff can help to build trusting relationships
• Choose a private, safe environment
• Use open, non judgemental language
• Normalise the experience
• Avoid terms that imply blame or consent
• Discus if advocacy is needed

Example conversation starter:

“Sometimes people feel pressured to let others stay in their home, even when it doesn’t feel safe. Can we talk about what’s been happening for you recently?”

As practitioners, our responsibility is to prioritise people’s safety by being alert to the signs and offer advocacy support to the person, as the situation may be overwhelming; reporting instances of cuckooing where a person is at risk of harm and abuse and communicating the wishes of the person to the relevant services.

When cuckooing is suspected, consider:

• Vulnerabilities (mental health, substance use, disability)
• Fluctuating capacity
• Ability to refuse others access to the property
• Fear, coercion, or dependency on others

Where there are concerns about abuse or neglect, practitioners should consider a safeguarding referral under the Care Act 2014 in England (Part1), Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 (Part 7), and in Scotland: Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 (Part1). Using the Wellbeing Principle even when formal care needs are unclear.

The vulnerabilities and experiences of those facing homelessness mean that services are likely to engage with both victims and perpetrators of cuckooing. Some perpetrators may be unaware that their actions constitute an offence by taking over and occupying other people’s properties.

• Perpetrator focused support and housing interventions could also be developed
• Address perpetrator housing and support needs by working collaboratively with other agencies
• Police can pursue action under laws relating to hate crime, which can include elements of ‘mate crime’, which is when someone makes friends with a person, usually a vulnerable person, and goes on to abuse or exploit that relationship

One of the most effective strategies for addressing cuckooing is to collaborate with other agencies to identify and implement measures to disrupt cuckooing activities and safeguard victims.

Effective responses to cuckooing rely on coordinated action between:

• Adult safeguarding teams
• Housing providers
• Police (neighbourhood and safeguarding leads)
• Mental health services
• Substance misuse services
• Voluntary and community organisations

Where available, dedicated cuckooing or exploitation panels offer best practice for sharing intelligence and agreeing actions. In the absence of a cuckooing panel in your location, consider reaching out to all relevant partner agencies to arrange a multi-agency meeting and articulate that there may be a potential need for a safeguarding referral.

Good practice includes:

• Recognising tenants as potential victims, not perpetrators
• Avoiding enforcement led responses as a first step
• Exploring managed moves, security measures, and partial closure orders
• Providing ongoing tenancy sustainment support

Repeated moves without addressing underlying needs often lead to reoccurring cuckooing.

Police involvement may include:

• Welfare check
• Disruption of perpetrator
• Closure orders to restrict access
• Evidence led investigations

If there is immediate risk to life, call 999. For non urgent concerns or intelligence, use 101 or online reporting routes.

• Avoid lone visits where risks are known
• Use dynamic risk assessments
• Undertake joint visits where appropriate
• Use supervision and reflective practice to manage complex cases