Action against sex predators

7:00pm Monday 31st July 2006

VULNERABLE children are to be given greater protection from predatory men thanks to a new initiative set up in the wake of the Lancashire Telegraph's Keep Them Safe campaign.

The new Lancashire Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) aims to ensure that agencies and children's services work closely together to safeguard any child from falling victim to child prostitution.

It is the first major change in protocol since the campaign was launched two weeks ago.

Burnley MP Kitty Ussher also revealed she had written to the education secretary, the Home Secretary and Lancashire County Council bosses to lobby them into supporting the Telegraph in achieving its campaign aims.

The new board was established less than two weeks after an investigation by the Telegraph revealed that up to 100 girls aged between 12 and 16 in East Lancashire had been groomed into childhood prostitution by gangs of men.

The Telegraph then launched its Keep Them Safe campaign to raise awareness of the sexual exploitation and to increase support available.

As well as supporting victims, the LSCB will tackle a range of issues surrounding young people in the county from neglect and violence to bullying and discrimination, as well as child security.

An LSCB spokesman said: "The creation of this new board is highly relevant to the aims of the Lancashire Telegraph's campaign.

"We all want to ensure our children are kept as safe as possible and agencies are working together to tackle the issues identified by the Telegraph."

Lancashire Telegraph editor Kevin Young said: "I very much welcome this initiative by the council and partner agencies in the wake of our Keep Them Safe campaign.

"Hopefully, we can work together to put an end to this destructive exploitation of young girls."

The Keep Them Safe' campaign has six main aims:

* To raise awareness of the sexual exploitation of minors.

* To lobby the government to increase Home Office funding to target offenders.

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

* To have the issue of grooming integrated into the PSHE lessons in school.

* To set up an overnight refuge for child victims of sexual exploitation from East Lancashire.

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

Mrs Ussher said: "I have asked the education secretary whether they can include the issue of grooming into sex education lessons in schools and told them that we need a dedicated phone line to give advice to these victims.

"I have also written to the Home Office on the same point and to ask for an overnight refuge that the East Lancashire victims can use.

"I have written to Lancashire County Council about it and am pleased the new LSCB has been launched.

"We need to work together to make sure that young people get the support that they need.

"It is only right that I use my influence to make ministers and Parliament understand how important this is."

The LSCB will comprise senior representatives from: Lancashire County Council, health trusts, police, probation, NSPCC, Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS), district councils, Connexions, young offenders' institutions and Lancashire Youth Offending Team.

Members will meet bi-monthly and sub-groups will also be established covering Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale, Chorley, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley.

Gill Rigg, county director of children's services and chair of the LSCB said: "We will work to develop and coordinate effective measures to ensure we help keep Lancashire's children safe."

Ellis Friedman, director of public health for Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Primary Care Trust and LSCB vice-chairman added: "The board is an important opportunity for local agencies to work together to keep Lancashire children safe."

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