CHILD grooming by predatory adults is happening in Cumbria – with nearly 40 youngsters across the county officially considered to be at risk.

There are nine children on the child sexual exploitation register living in Copeland and Allerdale, and a further 12 in Carlisle and Eden. Barrow and South Lakeland together hold the highest proportion of children on the child sexual exploitation register – with 18 living between both districts.

A total of 13 are living in care and are the responsibility of Cumbria County Council according to the figures, obtained under Freedom of Information laws.

The final number could actually be higher – with council officials stating they do not know the risk status of children placed in care in Cu-mbria by authorities outside of the area. But social services bosses working within the authority say a strict set of protocols for dealing with the issue are in place and that the authority is working with Cumbria Constabulary as part of a multi-agency approach to the crime.

Anne Burns, the county council’s children’s services boss, said: “All organisations that work with children in Cumbria are working together to tackle child sexual exploitation.

“We have common policies and procedures in place and have worked with schools so that messages about child sexual exploitation have reached young people and those who work with them every day.

“This is one example of how we are rapidly improving our ability to spot the signs of CSE and take action. Working closely with the police and services that work directly with young people, our approach is to protect the victims and disrupt and prosecute the perpetrators.”

In Cumbria, the number of youngsters considered at risk of child sexual exploitation has increased in recent years.

But this is said to be because of an increased awareness and more active steps to seek out victims and prosecute offenders. Now, plans are under way to create Cumbria’s first sexual assault referral clinic.