New survey on child exploitation in the UK

A UK children's charity has conducted a study that says there needs to give more help given to sexually exploited children. But the results were not all bad, the charity Barnado's is encouraged by the steps that are beginning to be made in fighting the problem.

The survey also finds that the criminals who exploit and traffic children are becoming more sophisticated in their efforts.

From the UK's Huddersfield Examiner, writer Nick Lavigueur gives us the survey for us.

Based on a survey of Barnardo’s 21 specialist sexual exploitation services, the report revealed around 80% of local authorities did not have any specialist work for sexually exploited children and young people.

The report also revealed more than 1,000 children had been referred to Barnardo’s after being sexually exploited over the course of last year (2007/8).

Barnados also revealed that of the 609 sexually exploited children and young people they are currently working with, 90 appear to have been trafficked within the UK – approximately one in six.

Recent research carried out in Yorkshire also identified children as young as 11 and 12 were being sexually exploited.

Barnardo’s Chief Executive Martin Narey said: “We don’t know the true extent of this problem, but we do know, however hidden from the public eye it might be, it affects many thousands of children.