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27 Oct 2009 08:41:56
A two-year project at the University of Bedfordshire will create a national record of the number of youngsters known or suspected of being sexually exploited.
It will also identify ‘models’ of good practice that can be used by agencies that are developing their services to meet the needs of sexually-exploited children and young people in their area.
The project, funded by Comic Relief, will also enable the University team to set up a monitoring tool to ensure consistent data exists for the future.
Heading up the project is Professor Jenny Pearce, who has conducted extensive research in this area. She and her two colleagues – Sue Jago and Doctor Margaret Melrose – have been awarded £119,000 to undertake the work.
The team applied for funding on behalf of the International Centre for the Study of Sexually Exploited and Trafficked young People – an applied social research centre based at the University.
Professor Pearce said: “We are delighted to have received this award and are looking forward to starting work in the next few weeks.
“The project will give an overview of the numbers of children and young people who are sexually exploited in the UK by establishing a mechanism for recording data that can be used by Local Safeguarding Children Boards and Non-Governmental Organisations.
“There is no established system for collecting and recording reliable data and there are few ‘models’ available to show how all agencies are working together at local level to protect children or prosecute abusers.
“The data collected and models of good practice will provide support for delivering staff training to raise awareness and improve practice.”
Latest news» 2009» October» University project will create national record of sexually-abused youngsters
