Barnados Secos Project

Barnardos SECOS (Sexual Exploitation of Children on the Streets) project works to enable young people to exit and recover from exploitation through prostitution. The project works with young people 12 – 25 years in the Tees Valley through the provision of case work, education, prevention and assertive outreach sessions
As well as receiving funding from Middlesbrough Council, SECOS receives additional support from Middlesbrough Children’s Fund, Middlesbrough PCT, Neighbourhood Renewal Funding, Learning Skills Council, Connexions Tees Valley and the Khan Trust all of whom we hope will support us in future years.
Barnardos SECOS was established following research conducted in 1999. In that year the project made contact with 70 young people being exploited through prostitution aged 12 – 21 years. 35 young people were under 17 years of age. There were over 250 adult women (18 years and over) identified as involved in ‘on street formal’ prostitution
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 coerced by an abusing adult who was also often their drug dealer and/or boyfriend.
The project recognises the holistic needs of young people coming to the project but from the research it was evident that the main areas for work were around:
 issues of current and past abuse
 homelessness
 drug and alcohol use
 sexual health and general emotional and physical well being
SECOS works closely and collaboratively with South Tees Local Safeguarding Board, Children, Families and Learning and Cleveland Police to provide protection and support for young people and vulnerable adults. We also work in partnership with Local communities, Connexions and Middlesbrough Primary Care Trust
Currently through a team of 9.5 workers and 20 volunteer the project offers:
A day service for young people/vulnerable adults
This service includes one to one support, crisis intervention; drop in, counselling and provision of a safe space to engage with services and to maintain personal hygiene, eat, cook and wash clothes. We have close links with Child Protection, GUM services, drugs, alcohol and housing services and can support our referrals across to these other agencies.
An outreach service
On Monday to Thursday we use our mobile van to provide outreach sessions into non-residential areas, brothels, B&B and unsupported lodging where young people/vulnerable adults of all ages are found. The van provides an opportunity to engage young people/vulnerable adults in conversation about issues affecting them including sexual health, drug/alcohol, health, experiences of violence/abuse as well as sign posting to other agencies. We fully support Cleveland Police in their operations on drug and crack house closures, prevention of Kerb crawling and identification and conviction of abusing adults (PIMP’s)
Participation/ Art / activity groups
This group is held on a Monday evening 5pm –7.30pm where a variety of activities are offered including, arts and crafts, jewellery making, film production and photography. Issue based activities are also included such as sexual health, sex and relationships and drug/substance misuse awareness. The aim is to offer opportunities for success, exit and recovery and so help build self-esteem.

Adult surgery and drugs service
The visibility of SECOS outreach workers with young people involved in prostitution has led to older women accessing services. Funding was sought from SRB v and the project was enabled to provide a ‘Pilot’ service to adult women exploited through prostitution who are looking for support on their drug misuse and to exit/recover from this lifestyle. Safer Middlesbrough Partnership & Middlesbrough Drug Action Team are currently funding our vulnerable adult service provision
Connexions personal advisors
As part of the Connexions initiative a worker from SECOS developed expertise in working with sexually exploited young people encouraging them back into education, employment and training. This person is also available to Connexions Tees Valley to provide training, support and advice for other workers who work with this client group until March 2007.
Young men and boys
The Kahan Trust has supported the funding of a worker specifically to develop services for young men and boys being exploited through prostitution. This person aims to investigate ways to contact and provide services to a much more hidden population of young men and boys who are being exploited within the Teesside area. Their role also extended to Newcastle where they were involved in researching the extent of known exploitation of young people within the city. A report ‘RISE’ has been produced
Prevention Training and Education
Young people are often in a position where they are unable to tell someone about the exploitation that they are experiencing, or for other young people they do not perceive their exploitation as anything other than normal. By working with other professionals and young people themselves our educative work can aid in the identification of young people who are being exploited and therefore hopefully enable that young person to leave that situation and recover from its impacts. Our ‘Protecting Self & Keeping Safe’ education pack funded through Middlesbrough Children’s Fund has been welcomed into 12 Secondary schools in Middlesbrough

Policy and Regional Procedures Development
In order to respond effectively to young people being exploited through prostitution, policies, procedures and protocols have been developed locally that reiterate that these young people should be treated as the victims of crime rather than the perpetrators of it. The experience and knowledge that SECOS has gained through the support of these young people has enabled the service to advise and support in the development of these policies both locally, regionally and nationally. It has also highlighted the need to keep these policies alive through constant revision.

Achievements
In 2001 Barnardos SECOS received the Department of Health National Health and Social Care Award for ‘Joint Partnership Working’ this was presented to the project by Alan Milburn M.P. at an awards ceremony in Manchester
Barnardos SECOS chair the Safer Middlesbrough Partnership Theme group on Prostitution, Exploitation and Trafficking and represented the Partnership at a Home Office presentation for Beacon Status.
The work of the Prostitution, Exploitation and Trafficking theme group contributed towards the Safer Middlesbrough partnership obtaining National recognition when it secured Beacon Status for the Safer Middlesbrough Crime and Disorder Partnership in 2004.
In 2004 Barnardos SECOS received the Queen’s Award for our work in the voluntary and community sector, staff members were presented to the Queen at St James Palace in July 2005, the Lord Lieutenant presented the team with their award at a ceremony held at SECOS in Jan 2005
In 2006 The Barnardos SECOS project were winners of The Children and Young People’s Services ‘The Stay Safe Award’ 2006 for their work within schools and youth centres on the ‘Protecting Self and Keeping Safe pack’ developed to educate young people about sexual exploitation, bullying, teenage pregnancy, alcohol and drug abuse
Since the project began there is a 97% decrease in young people under 18 years involved in ‘on street’ prostitution in Middlesbrough
40% reduction in young people entering into exploitation through prostitution.,
In 2006 we have seen an increase in young people (56) at risk through better referral and earlier identification processes including the monitoring of Missing from Home young people

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over 80 young people have exited and are recovering from their experiences.

Through robust joint partnership working with the statutory and voluntary , adult men and women over 18 years involved in ‘on street’ prostitution in Middlesbrough has decreased from 250 in 1999 to 122 in 2004 to 110 in 2005 and to 106 in 2006

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.barnardos.org.uk/secos