A scheme to help the victims of child prostitution was among the winners of this year Department of Health Health and Social Care Awards.

Barnado's Sexual Exploitation of Children on the Streets - (SECOS) Project in Middlesbrough won the working in partnership award at the award annouced last week by Health Secretary Alan Milburn.

The scheme seeks to help youngsters out of prostitution through counselling, support, advice and by and addressing abusive and coercive relationships. It also aims to educate and train professionals on the problems of child prostitution.

SECOS was evolved from a research project in 1998/99 by Barnardo's for South Tees Area Child Protection Committee and the Midlesbrough Council, which confirmed that young people and children were visibly involved in prostitution in the area.

It was one of 22 awards handed out by Mr Milburn who said: "NHS and Social Care staff across the country do a fantastic job, often in very challenging circumstances. It is great to be able to recognise their achievements publicly through the Health and Social Care Awards.

"The innovation and excellence demonstrated by frontline staff shows just what can be achieved in these fields."

Entries for the awards were assessed by a judging panel chaired by Nigel Crisp, NHS Chief Executive. Each winning scheme receives £10,000 to feed into their project and the commended schemes receive £2,000.

Winners included:

The Young Livin' project run by the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames which picked up the social care innovation award.

Young Livin' is a help and advice web site for young people aged between 11 and 21.

It provides information and direct e-mail access to a qualified social worker who acts as a young person's advisor, providing advice and consultation.

Alternatively, the young person can be referred to a more appropriate statutory or voluntary agency. Youngsters are also able to access a variety of carefully vetted local and national web sites.

Young Livin' has been fully developed and maintained with the active input of young people and they regularly review the quality of information and advice provided.

An award for improving the working lives of social care staff Sunderland social services for developing excellence through an empowered, responsive and committed workforce.

The council has a 'whole system' approach to workforce development and improvement, including effective communications, proactive workforce planning and celebration of achievement with the aim of raising staff morale and improving service quality and customer satisfaction.

The social care award for improving the lives of people aged under 16 went to the 'Moving On Up' project run by Suffolk County Council.

The scheme was originally a live drama in partnership with Red Rose Chain Young People's Theatre and Film Company that enabled young people to share their experiences of the care system, to communicate their ideas and participate in change.

The play, which has subsequently been made into a film, is being used to train education and social care staff. A training pack is being produced and there is interest in extending the project to local authorities outside Suffolk.