Financial Abuse

Financial abuse is any theft or misuse of a person's money, property or resources by a person in a position of trust.

For children and young people, this may take the form of:

Child workers without pay
EMA taken by family without child's consent
Child's belongings sold or missing
Benefit claims for the child, which are not real and fabricated illness
Misusing allowances/grants for children's care
Inappropriate cars that have been supported by allowances and Motability
Children Looked After payments being spent, but not to the benefit of the child, by foster carer or kinship carer

Indicators of financial abuse in relation to children and young people could include:

Not meeting their needs for care and support which are provided through direct payments
Complaints that personal property is missing
Lack of normal amenities in the home such as TV or appropriate clothing