MORE than 100 of a county’s children were judged to be at risk of sexual exploitation in one year, it emerged today (Wednesday, April 15).

A total of 124 young people across County Durham were ‘referred under child protection procedures’ having displayed ‘common risk factors associated with sexual exploitation’ between April 2013 and March 2014, a Durham County Council report says.

The figures come after the Rotherham scandal, which found more than 1,400 children had been sexually exploited in the South Yorkshire town between 1997 and 2003 – most by Asian men.

In Durham, research found most of the perpetrators were lone white men under aged under 30.

Durham council chiefs stressed that the Durham Local Safeguarding Children Board has prioritised work on child sexual exploitation since 2011.

Each child judged to be at risk was assessed by the First Contact Service.

As of this February, 66 children were judged to be at medium or high risk, of which 19 were known to be victims.

Nearly 90 per cent of referrals were girls, with the most common age being 13.

Use of social media and parties were highlighted as risk factors.

Durham has secured £3.7m to tackle issues including child sexual exploitation, comprising £3.26m to develop family-based social work and £496,000 for Aycliffe secure centre to support child victims.

Research suggests 1,320 “troubled families” had seen their lives “turned around” by this March and a further 4,300 will be targeted over the next five years.

The children’s services update was discussed by the council’s cabinet, meeting at County Hall today (Wednesday, April 15).