MORE than £200,000 is going towards transforming services to support sexually abused children in Teesside.

The office of Cleveland’s Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) is getting the money to enhance its services helping young people recover from abuse.

Acting Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Oldroyd said: “I’m delighted that we’ve joined such a prestigious group of organisations to secure this funding.

“In a recent a consultation we conducted, nine in 10 respondents wanted to see more investment in recovery services for children who have suffered exploitation and sexual abuse.

“This funding will allow us to work with organisations in Cleveland to tailor services to address the needs of male and BAME victims, develop resources for families affected by child sexual abuse and secure long-term results for victims as they enter adulthood.”

The £205,000 funding comes from a £2.8m Government fund.

The investment will be used to develop tailored support for groups who traditional face additional barriers to seeking support, including male victims of abuse and victims from a black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) background.

To reduce the impact of child sexual abuse on the entire family, resources will be produced to support the wider family unit, including the parents of children affected by abuse.

The final area of investment will attempt to bridge the gap between young victims and the police by recruiting a specialist worker and by supporting young people through the transition into adult support services.

Virtual workshops will be held for agencies working with vulnerable people, to ensure the impact of the investment is realised in the long-term.

The OPCC will work with Arch Teesside, A Way Out, Barnardo’s, Eva Women’s Aid and Halo to deliver this comprehensive programme of work before March 2022.

Arch Teesside and EVA Women’s Aid will be developing resources for relatives of victims.

Richinda Taylor, Eva chief executive, said: “We are delighted at EVA to be working with the OPCC and Arch on this project, and believe we are creating a really innovative programme to help support the families impacted by sexual violence, which will enable them to better understand and support the survivor “

Arch Teesside chief executive Nicky Harkin, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with EVA Women’s Aid to develop a programme for parents and families.

“When abuse comes to light it can trigger a crisis in the family and this funding will give us the scope to ensure that families are supported at this crucial time to understand and respond to their children’s needs”