The public is being urged to help tackle child exploitation in the South East.

The Children's Society wants people to be vigilant, as part of its #LookCloser campaign, of signs that a child may be being exploited.

The campaign is running in conjunction with police forces in the region and hotels, assessing safeguarding capacities and making improvements where necessary.

Training has also been provided to the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit.

Home Office statistics reveal that 284 children in the region were referred as suspected victims of exploitation from July to September. This is a decrease from 300 in the same period last year.

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James Simmonds-Read, national programme manager at The Children’s Society, said: "Exploitation is a sad reality for too many children throughout the UK today.

"Sexually abused, forced to steal, launder money and move drugs; children are seeing their childhood ebbing away, powerless in the face of those who control and exploit them."

The charity has published an Appropriate Language guide on its website to help people spot signs of exploitation.

These include someone under 18 travelling alone, particularly late at night, or talking about new friends they have met online.

For more information, search #LookCloser – The Children’s Society.