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Barnardo’s Cymru working with children who are sexually exploited
Barnardo’s Cymru has just launched a new service to work with children and young people who are at risk of or abused through sexual exploitation in Wales.
The Seraf service is the first of its kind in Wales, and follows two years of research and campaign work by Barnardo’s to highlight the level of need in Wales and the lack of support services.
Seraf has bases in North, South and West Wales providing support to those who are being sexually exploited.
The service is also working in partnership with local authorities to promote better understanding of the systems needed to protect at risk children and young people, and to expand support services.
In 2005 Development worker Jan Coles carried out a scoping study in Wales, culminating in the Out of sight, out of mind report which identified at least 180 children and young people in Wales who were known to be sexually exploited, or at risk of being sexually exploited.
Further research is now taking place in individual local authority areas to identify the local prevalence and develop best practice.
Barnardo’s Cymru is also offering training to professionals to help them identify factors which signal a young person is at risk.
Download the Out of sight, out of mind report (PDF)
