VOLUNTEERS who work with Yorkshire sex abusers in a bid to keep children safe have been celebrated at a conference near York.

A York-based scheme, called Yorkshire and Humberside Circles of Support and Accountability, has revealed how its volunteers sit in a weekly circle with offenders, holding them to account for what they have done and giving them a safe place to talk about how they are feeling and thinking.

A spokeswoman said the scheme was dedicated to helping prevent high risk offenders abusing again, and had worked in the last three years with 54 high risk sex offenders, only two of whom had re-offended again - both 'non-contact' offences.

She said: "Sexual offences are abhorrent, so who would want to work with abusers, listen to them and help them re-integrate into society?The answer is courageous, dedicated members of the public, who want to keep our children safe."

She said convicted abusers served jail sentences and were monitored by the probation service and police after release. "But then what? Often they are left isolated having lost family and friends. All too easily they fall back into re-offending."

The spokeswoman said the scheme, dedicated to breaking the vicious circle, provided a place of support where they could be honest about triggers that could lead to re-offending.

"The volunteers are the magic ingredient. For a few hours a week each week these ordinary people do an extraordinary job."

She stressed that volunteers were 'no amateur do-gooders,' and were highly trained and supported.

She said their commitment had been celebrated at a conference held at Askham Grange prison last weekend, at which speakers included a sexualised trauma therapist and a forensic psychologist.

*For more information and details about becoming a volunteer, contact Yorkshire and Humberside Circles of Support & Accountability, Priory St Centre, 15 Priory St, York YO1 6ET, call 01904 630911, email info@yhcosa.org.uk or go to www.yhcosa.org.uk