Schoolchildren as young as 11 could be show a frank video account of a victim of prostitution.

Leading children's charity Barnardo's launched an education pack yesterday that aims to prevent children being abused through prostitution.

The message in Things We Don't Talk About is 'prevention is better than cure' and the charity hopes the pack will be used by schools across Britain to teach girls between the ages of 11 to 18 years about personal safety, how to identify controlling and abusive adults and where to find help.

"The pack has been developed as a direct response to Barnardo's work with girls and young women abused through prostitution," says Barnardo's development worker, Tink Palmer.

"We have learned from these young women that they rarely value themselves and often lack confidence. These attributes make them vulnerable to abuse and potentially dangerous relationships."

The pack draws on the real experiences of girls and young women who Barnardo's has worked with in a project to help the young victims of prostitution in West Yorkshire and includes a video of one woman's experience of an abusive relationship.

Bradford Education Authority has worked closely with Barnardo's Streets and Lanes Project (SALs) in the city to ensure that the materials contained in the pack are suitable for the relevant age groups and has piloted the pack in local schools.

"The work with schools has raised the profile of this form of abuse and the education pack offers an important resource for schools in helping pupils develop positive relationships and in reducing the risk of girls and young women being abused," said senior educational psychologist for Braford Council, Paul Brindle.

Author of the pack, Virginia Sheehy, from SALs, added: "Too many young people remain silent about their developing sexuality, too frightened or confused to ask, too embarrassed to reach out beyond the playground.

"This pack will offer teachers the opportunity to initiate much sought after conversations, give the children permission to talk freely, help them read the danger signs, assess risky situations and make more informed judgements."