East Lancashire spearheads new drive to tackle sex grooming

The move comes a year after a Lancashire Telegraph investigation lifted the lid on the problem and revealed that up to 100 local girls aged between 12 and 16 had been targeted by predatory males.

Campaigners today welcomed the new intiative, by police and social services, and said the Telegraph Keep Them Safe probe had acted as a springboard for action.

The crusade includes: A "pioneering" £330,000 bid has been made to link up with the authorities in Holland and Bulgaria - both countries where child grooming is a major problem.

Thousands of pounds worth of funding is being sought to expand Lancashire Police's Operation Engage team, set up in Blackburn two years ago to tackle the issue.

A project manager and staff are being recruited to work alongside the two existing PCs and social services to warn children of the dangers, in new premises currently being sought in Blackburn.

A regional conference on sexual exploitation, funded and supported by Government Office North West will be staged in November.

The action has been welcomed by police, parents and Muslim community leadersas a "major step" in the fight against young girls being groomed for sex.

However campaigners warned that the move could be a ineffective unless suitable deterrents were put in place to prevent perverts targeting young girls.

Chief Inspector Alice Knowles said: "In the UK, joined up working in cases of sexual exploitation has previously been limited.

"To this end, a review has been carried out.

"Funding is being sought by Blackburn with Darwen Council for this innovative project that will link several countries, sharing best practice' in the fight to defeat this type of crime.

"Premises for the team are being identified and posts are currently being advertised within the council's Children's Services department.

"The newly expanded Operation Engage project team will help to co-ordinate work with schools to raise awareness of the problem and to help educate young people against the dangers of grooming and enticement that often precede these crimes.

"The regional conference on sexual exploitation will help professionals from all agencies to share learning and best practice and consider the development of regional approaches to this problem."

Geff Hart, Barnardo's assistant director of children's services, who has made seperate bids to the European Union to work alongside the two European countries, said: "The bid is a way of adopting different ways for local authorities, voluntary sector and police to work together on the issue of sexual explotation, working together one team due to having shared procedures.

"It's something that has never been done before.

"Holland and Bulgaria have been chosen because Holland has already adopted arrangements where different organisations work together and are quite advanced in that and Bulgaria are miles behind on child protection, so they will be involved on a learning basis."

The Lancashire Telegraph launched its Keep Them Safe' campaign last year. The mother of a 14-year-old who was abused and raped after being groomed into sexual exploitation joined our fight to help prevent it happening to any more children.

Jean, not her real name, who set up a local branch of Carers Of Sexually Exploited Youths (COSEY) in Blackburn, welcomed the new initatives.

She said: "At times it's felt like I've been banging my head against a brick wall. It's good to hear things are happening. Anything that will help bring these sick perverts to justice is a positive step."

Salim Mulla, secretary of Lancashire Council of Mosques, said it was sometimes the simple ideas that proved to be the best.

"Any initiative that breaks down this major issue that we have in our community has to be welcomed.

"I'm glad to see the Telegraph is informing people about the positive steps that are being taken.

"There has been a lack of resources within the police which has been a major problem over the years. I welcome the fact that extra resources will be made available for officers to specifically look at the issue."

Gladys Rhodes, Blackburn with Darwen Council's assistant director for social care and early years, said the work would help to "counter paedophiles" who prey on vulnerable youngsters.

She added: "By working with other organisations, both in the North West and across Europe, we can share our experience and learn from others, to become more effective at stopping these people."

Sarah Lloyd, of national group Carers Of Sexually Exploited Youths (COSEY), said: "I believe it has been the pressure of parents and the issue being highlighted in the Lancashire Telegraph that was the springboard for them to do something.

"I think it is great to share and compare best practice with other counties and agencies and there is definitely a need for more resources, especially in terms of police.

"There is also a great deal that needs to be done with regard to educating people, social services, police and schools about exactly what grooming and sexual exploitation is.

"There has to be enough deterrent to these men and if the priority is not to stop then really everything else is a chocolate fireguard.

"The priority is to protect children and to do this we have to stop the men who are exploiting these children."

In the Netherlands and Bulgaria a coalition of organisations called ECPAT is working on children's rights. Since 1995 it's been active in awareness raising and lobbying Governments, private sector and welfare organisations to take their responsibility in protecting children from sexual exploitation.