AP parties | Leeds Safeguarding Children Partnership

What is an AP party?

An AP party is where groups of children (under 18s) rent houses and apartments in which to organise what are known as ‘AP parties’ (all play/apartment).

These can be rented via AirBnB or other companies, sometimes through an appropriate adult, but often through someone acting as an intermediary in order to rent the properties for children. This can be done via snapchat or social media.

How do children find out about AP parties?

AP parties are usually advertised via snapchat a few hours before the party is due to start sharing that there will be free drugs and alcohol for children to attend and spend time with their friends. It has been known that children who have rented the Air BnB or apartment have hired super cars, advertised free drugs and alcohol and often wear expensive designer clothes to glamorise the lifestyle.

Why?

This is relatively cheap for children as they chip in small amounts amongst themselves
The glamorisation of parties on social media makes these more appealing
AP parties at apartments/houses are more hidden
Parents may think that AP parties are safer than children being on the street.

What are the risks?

AP parties are being attended by large numbers of young people and adults, possibly up to 100 people
Social media, i.e. Snapchat is being used to organise the parties with the location being advertised around an hour before it starts
Substances such as alcohol, cannabis and ‘smartwhip’ (Nitrous Oxide) are being offered free to young people who attend
Children who attend these parties could be at risk of criminal and/or sexual exploitation
There is no safe adult to supervise the children or intervene if there is an emergency.

Not every party will be high risk, but we need to make sure that parents and practitioners understand that AP parties are happening and could be dangerous.

What can we do?

If you hear information about AP parties, including locations, names of adults involved, information around drug use or gangs, then please share this information with the police
Speak to children about the risks involved, ensure that they have someone to talk to if they are worried or want to ask questions
Encourage parents to speak openly to their children and to ensure that they know enough about where they are going and how to keep themselves safe
Have open discussions around risks regarding substance use and exploitation. Ask open ended questions to help understand if children know what consent means
As a practitioner if you hear information around AP parties then this could be shared as INTEL through the Partnership Information Portal
If the information you hear is a disclosure of an incident or something that requires a response please report this via 101; or 999 if an emergency
Consider using a Child Exploitation Risk Identification Tool for a child if they are attending these parties as they may be at risk of exploitation
Consider all the risks: sexual and criminal as well as physical harm through violence or substance use

How to talk to children about AP parties

It’s important to have open, honest, and age-appropriate discussions about grooming. Here are some tips for starting the conversation:
Create a safe space: Make sure young people feel comfortable talking to you without fear of judgement or punishment.
Use real-life examples: Explain grooming using relatable scenarios to help them understand the risks.
Teach critical thinking: Encourage them to question and evaluate online interactions and relationships.
Explain online safety: Talk about privacy settings, the risks of sharing personal information, and how to recognise inappropriate behaviour.
Encourage open communication: Let them know they can come to you if something doesn’t feel right