THE scale of child exploitation is small in Herefordshire, a council boss said but parents and teachers are being encouraged to know what to look out for.

A Tackling Child Sexual Exploitation Conference was held at The Hereford Academy last Wednesday to help professionals notice the signs when a child is being exploited.

There was a key note address from Lorin LaFave- her 14-year-old son Breck Bednar, who loved gaming, was groomed online and murdered in 2014.

Jo Davidson, director of children’s services at Herefordshire Council, said: "Fortunately in Herefordshire the scale of the problem is small. We have had cases in Herefordshire and we have no doubt that we will continue to have cases in Herefordshire.

"That is why it is really important to us that people know what to look out for."

She added that the problem does not respect borders and it can happen anywhere, including Herefordshire.

Ms Davidson said people can have a stereotypical view about what child sexual exploitation is.

She said: "In a lot of people's minds they know about Rotherham, Derby and they think it is to do with gangs of men who are predators on young girls.

"Our experience and the message we want to get over is child sexual exploitation can happen to anyone.

"There is not a particular type of child or young person that is targeted.

"It can happen to boys and girls. It can happen in any community, be internet-based and can happen in any home.

"The perpetrators themselves- they can be young children, male or female."

Internet safety and online grooming was an aspect of the conference but Ms Davidson said the internet is not the only route and there are different ways people can access young people.

But she said parents should raise their concerns if their child’s behaviour has changed, with other parents, their child’s school and then with the police and social services.

There are a number of signs to look out for, for example, unexplained changes in behaviour; disengagement from school; or hanging out with groups of older people.

She said: "Parents know their child best and should follow their gut instinct."

Ms Davidson said not all concerns turn out to be child exploitation cases as it is sometimes difficult to differentiate between normal teenage behaviour and behaviour caused by something more sinister.

They are encouraging schools to use a screening toolkit, adopted by Herefordshire LSCB that work with the police.

If you are concerned that a child might be being sexually exploited contact the police's child protection department on 0300 3333000.