A SUPPORT group for the parents of sexually exploited children is to be launched by a mother whose daughter was groomed into child prostitution.

The announcement came as the Leader of the Commons and Blackburn MP Jack Straw revealed he was in ongoing talks with Home Secretary John Reid to see what more could be done to tackle the problem of child sex exploitation.

Mr Straw approached Mr Reid following the launch of the Lancashire Telegraph's Keep Them Safe campaign and has agreed to further meetings to discuss the issue.

Encouraged by the campaign the Blackburn mother said she would run the group to help advise, support and counsel mums, dads, carers and grandparents whose children had been targeted.

Jean (not her real name) said more and more parents needed help and advice as the number of girls aged between 12 and 16 being lured into sexual exploitation by groups of predominantly Asian men had risen to around 100 in East Lancashire.

Called Carers of Sexually Exploited Youths (COSEY), the group will work in conjunction with an existing Yorkshire-based organisation called CROP the Coalition for the Removal Of Pimps.

CROP was set up in 1996 by Irene Ivison whose 17-year-old daughter Fiona was murdered three weeks after being coerced into working in street prostitution by a known Asian pimp.

Now Jean, whose daughter became a victim of sexual exploitation last year aged just 14, is liaising with CROP and social workers to get the group set up so parents like herself have somewhere to turn to for support.

She said: "Families like mine are being deeply traumatised watching their daughter's childhood being taken away from them. It is not just the girl's lives that are being ruined but those of the whole family. I can only thank the Lancashire Telegraph for highlighting this issue and giving parents like myself the confidence to speak out about what has happened.

"Up until the Telegraph's campaign I always felt isolated and as if we were the only family who were going through this. We now know there are many more of us mums who feel the same. "

Mr Straw said: "I am backing the Telegraph campaign and as part of my commitment to its aims I am in talks with John Reid to discuss what the Home Office can do to tackle offenders and also support victims."

The Keep Them Safe' campaign has six main aims: l To raise public awareness about the sexual exploitation of children.

lTo lobby the government to increase Home Office funding to target offenders.

l To set up a dedicated phone line that victims of sexual exploitation can call for support and advice.

l To have the issue of grooming integrated into PSHE lessons in schools.

l To set up an overnight refuge for child victims of sexual exploitation.

l To set up an on-line e-counselling service for the young people of Blackburn with Darwen.