Although the sexual exploitation of children and young people has previously been identified as an issue of concern within Northern Ireland (NI), little has been known about the scale and nature of the issue, or indeed what works in preventing and responding to it. This has inevitably limited the degree to which we can effectively protect children and young people from this form of sexual abuse.
In 2009, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety provided the Barnardo’s Safe Choices service with funding to undertake exploratory research into this issue, with a particular focus on the risks present for children in or missing from care in NI. The research was undertaken over two years from summer 2009 to summer 2011. This report presents the key findings of the work.