A PROJECT that provides support for Bradford children who are at risk of sexual exploitation has seen an increase in vulnerable young people using heroin and crack cocaine.

There has also been a rise in the number of Eastern European and Roma children referred to the service over trafficking and slavery concerns in the past year.

The Turnaround Project is run by children’s charity Barnardos, and deals with young people who are assessed as being at risk of child sexual exploitation, also known as grooming.

The charity’s most recent figures show there are 312 “at risk” children who have been referred to the project.

This includes 32 who are aged 12 or under.

The work of the project is mentioned in a new report into how children and vulnerable adults in Bradford are protected from exploitation.

The report, which will go before Bradford Council’s Executive in the New Year, says the Turnaround project has seen a “significant” number of referrals in the past year – and that this has left many waiting to access support.

It also reveals that children as young as nine are being supported through the project.

One worrying revelation in the report is that there is an increasing number of vulnerable children using hard drugs – with some using needles.

Produced by the Bradford District Safeguarding Children Partnership, made up of social services, health bodies, police and charities, the report says the Barnardos project provides “specialist trauma-informed support to young people assessed by the Child Exploitation Team as being at moderate or significant risk of CSE.”

It adds: “The young people referred have been affected by or are suspected to be affected by CSE and the trauma associated with this.

“Many have experienced multiple and complex trauma.”

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Children are offered support, such as help dealing with the criminal justice process including supporting them to give police statements against their abusers.

They are also helped to access sexual health services, and are offered support for their emotional and mental wellbeing.

The report says: “The age range of referrals for young people at significant risk range from 17 years old to as young as nine years old.

“Turnaround has also seen an increase in young people using Class A drugs, including crack cocaine and heroin.

“This includes an increase in intravenous drug use.”

In previous years more than half of the children referred to the service were white British.

The latest report says 40 per cent of the referrals in the past year were white British children.

It adds: “In 2021/2022, Turnaround has seen an increase in referrals for young people from the Eastern European (17 per cent overall referrals) and Roma communities (13 per cent of overall referrals) where there are trafficking/modern-day slavery concerns.

Referring to the current demand for the service, the report says: “Since June, Turnaround has seen a significant increase in referrals, and consequently, this has left several young people waiting for support.

“The service has responded by increasing the caseload of practitioners and providing weekly contact with the young people awaiting support.”

The project has recently set up a new drop-in for young people in Listerhills.

The report says: “This is an opportunity for young people from Turnaround and Trusted Relationships to engage with health professionals to meet their health and wellbeing needs.

“This new provision has already seen around 20 young people engaging since May, who have previously refused to access sexual health services, resulting in receiving treatment and contraception.”

The report gives an example of one at risk child. Concerns were raised after it emerged they had re-connected with their mother, an known drug user, and began to associate with a man who was “known to pose a risk in terms of CSE and domestic abuse.”

The child – referred to as Y, was judged to be at “significant” risk, and the Turnaround team became involved. The report says: “Concerns for Y have now reduced, and with the support of the Police and Turnaround Y gave a statement and the CSE perpetrator was arrested and charged.

“He is now awaiting a court hearing date.

“Y has agreed to attend court and give her evidence in person with protective special measures in place.”