FitzRoy and KeyRing have published a new paper exploring what services are seeing in practice, where responses are breaking down and what needs to change to support earlier and more joined-up action. The paper draws on discussion with partners across social care, housing and the wider system, alongside wider research and learning.
A clear theme emerged. People are often noticing situations that do not feel right, but not always identifying them as cuckooing or feeling confident about what action to take. As a result, support often begins once situations have escalated and people are in crisis.
Why this matters
Cuckooing is not only a policing issue. It is also a social care, housing and safeguarding issue.
For the people affected, cuckooing can be deeply harmful and difficult to recognise early. It does not always look how people expect and can often emerge through changes in relationships, routines or patterns of activity in someone’s home.
For services, the challenge is knowing what cuckooing can look like in practice, feeling confident to respond and working effectively with others when concerns arise.
This is why we brought together partners from across social care, housing and the wider system to explore this issue in more detail, working with KeyRing and with support from Cordis Bright.
What we found
A consistent picture emerged through the discussions that informed this work.
People are often seeing situations that do not feel right, but they are not always identifying them as cuckooing or feeling clear about what to do next.
- Support frequently begins once situations have already escalated.
- Understanding and responses can vary widely between services and places.
- Responsibility can feel unclear across systems, which means opportunities for earlier and more coordinated action are missed.
This paper brings together those insights alongside wider learning, with the aim of supporting better understanding and stronger practice.
Why FitzRoy is involved
At FitzRoy, we support people to live the lives they choose in homes and communities of their own. That means thinking not only about independence and connection, but also about safety, trust and what it takes for a home to feel secure and genuinely someone’s own.
We know cuckooing is not only a policing issue. It is also a social care, housing and safeguarding issue. It affects people’s wellbeing, their sense of control and their ability to live safely in the community.
This work reflects our commitment to sharing learning, strengthening practice and working with others to improve responses.
Who this is for
This paper will be useful for people working in social care, housing, safeguarding, community safety and related services. It is particularly relevant for organisations supporting people who may be at greater risk of exploitation, including people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health issues.
It is also intended as a starting point for commissioners, policy colleagues and partner organisations who want to strengthen local responses and build shared understanding.
A starting point for action
This is a starting point for us to open up wider conversation, encourage shared learning and support stronger partnership working across organisations.
We are keen to hear from organisations and professionals who are seeing this issue in practice and want to help build a more consistent and effective response.
The full paper explores these themes in more detail and brings together practical insight from across the sector.
Read the full paper
Get in touch
Partners
This work was developed by FitzRoy and KeyRing, with support from Cordis Bright, and informed by roundtable discussion with partners from across social care and housing.