Barnardo’s Sexual Exploitation Children’s Outreach Service

Barnardo’s SECOS (Sexual Exploitation Children’s Outreach Service) Project works to enable young people to exit and recover from sexual exploitation.
The project works with young people in the Tees Valley, and their bases are located in Darlington, Durham, Redcar & Cleveland, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough and Stockton.
The SECOS Project works with young people from 11 to 25 years old within Tees Valley who are being sexually exploited or are at risk of being sexually exploited.

We also work in Middlesbrough with vulnerable adults over the age of 18 years old who have been groomed into exploitative adult relationships who wish to break free and improve their life chances.

People can self-refer themselves to the project by simply calling us, dropping into the centre or talking to us during outreach. We will also take referrals from Social Care, Police, Education, Health, Youth and Community services or any other service where it is believed that a young person is being sexually exploited or is at risk of being exploited.

Social Care and VEMT will be informed of any young person who accesses the project who is being sexually exploited or where there is a perceived risk that they are being sexually exploited. This information will be passed on with the young person’s knowledge and consent where possible.

If any member of the public is concerned that a young person is being sexually exploited in this manner they can either call their local Police station, Social Care or call us at SECOS.