Barnardo's North East Secos Project East West centre Ayresome Green Lane Middlesbrough TS5 5BA Tel. 01642 819743 Wendy Shepherd E-mail Here

SECOS was established following research conducted in 1998. In that year the project made contact with 70 young people being exploited through prostitution aged 12 – 21 years.

We identified that:

• the average age for women becoming abused through prostitution in Middlesbrough was between 12 and 13 years.
• 97% had run away from home/local authority care
• 86% had experienced child abuse
• 77% reported that this was sexual abuse
• 87% were involved in drug misuse
• 53% engaged in self harming behaviour
• The young people’s descriptions of how they entered into prostitution was common in that they revealed a process of being groomed, introduced, guided and co-erced by an abusing adult who was also often their drug dealer and/or boyfriend.

The project works within Every Child Matters Outcomes: Stay Safe & Be Healthy in meeting the needs of vunerable young people, the main areas of work are around:

• issues of sexual exploitation/abuse
• homelessness & unsupported accomodation
• substance and alcohol misuse
• sexual health and general well being
• raising self esteem & protecting self

SECOS works closely and collaboratively with MVDA, South Tees LSCB, Children, Families and Learning, Middlesbrough PCT and Cleveland Police to combat this abuse and provide support to young people.

The Barnardos SECOS Project receives support from Middlebrough Children’s Fund, Northern Rock Foundation, Comic Relief, Safer Middlebrough Partnership Drug Action Team and Middlesbrough PCT