THREE child sisters from Albania separated when two of them were forced into prostitution were dramatically reunited by a Croydon social worker.
Their incredible story is among ten cases of children in Croydon suspected to have been victims of sex trafficking in 2013/14.
The figures have been included in a report into child exploitation in Croydon prompted by the independent inquiry into abuse in Rotherham.
That inquiry found 1,400 children were subject to appalling sexual abuse between 1997 and 2013. It exposed "blatant" failures by council leaders and senior staff, and said the police did not prioritise the issue.
Alisa Flemming, cabinet member for children, families and learning, said the issues in Rotherham had reiterated that Croydon is a "high risk" area.
The council commissioned a report, published this month, to see what lessons could be learned from the inquiry.
It said the council was "not aware" that endemic exploitation was taking place in Croydon and that there is "no evidence that reports have been suppressed or ignored".
The report did, however, highlight the risks facing missing children - of which Croydon has the most in London - and the borough's disproportionately high number of looked after children.
It also assessed issues surrounding the 475 children placed in the town by other local authorities as well caring for 387 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children who, the report said, are at higher risk of trafficking.
In 2013/14, the council passed information about ten children suspected of being trafficked to the National Referral Mechanism. They were from Albania, Vietnam, Uganda, Ethiopia and Ghana.
Furthermore, concerns were raised about 67 children at council and police discussions about sexual exploitation between January to September this year. Five were seen as being at the highest level of risk.
The council undertook an audit of the needs of Croydon's most vulnerable 12 and 17-year-olds during the summer.
Fifty-two (71 per cent) had reached the significant harm threshold and nine were thought to be at very high risk.
They have multiple problems, many of which existed before they started to go missing, including family breakdown, neglect, serious behaviour problems and health difficulties such as sexually transmitted infections. The study indicated a link between children who go missing and sexual exploitation, particularly among girls.
The agencies involved, including social services and the police, were found to be generally effective but had not met the needs of one in four of the children covered by the study, with two of those being the most serious cases.
The report was discussed at the council's children and young people scrutiny sub-committee on Tuesday.
Alisa Flemming, cabinet member for children, families and learning, said: "The issues in Rotherham have highlighted, probably more than ever, that Croydon is a high-risk area. While there isn't any evidence of sexual exploitation on a large scale it has reiterated to us the importance of being vigilant.
"I'm not aware of the individual cases where we are not meeting children's needs, but it's certainly something we will look at. What I want to do is a big piece of work to raise the voice of young people in Croydon so we are fully aware of exactly what they require."
'To say it was the happiest day of the their lives would be an understatement'
THE sexual exploitation report includes the incredible story of three Albanian sisters reunited by a Croydon social worker in July last year.
The sisters were raised in an unhappy home after their father left their family destitute. The eldest of the three left home five years ago with a boyfriend who promised a better life in Italy but led her into a life of prostitution.
Two years later the middle sister was then sold into prostitution by her step-father but managed to escape with the help of a client who brought her and her youngest sister to the UK in August 2012.
The youngest sister is currently in foster care and the middle sister is National Asylum Support Service accommodation. They had always wondered what happened to their eldest sister.
They had no idea she had been sold to two Romanian men who, in April, put her on a lorry. She did not know where she was going but found herself in the UK. When the vehicle stopped she ran for her life until she found a kind woman who took her to Brixton Police Station.
The woman was then referred to the Salvation Army who contacted the Hestia project which runs a safe house in London.
A detective from Lambeth Police began a trafficking investigation and, as part of the inquiries, was able to locate the woman's sisters with the help of a social worker from Croydon.
The report said: "The caseworker from Hestia and social worker from Croydon reunited the sisters in a very emotional reunion.
"The eldest sister said: 'I have been dreaming of this day for five years'. There wasn't a dry eye in the house. To say this was the happiest day of their lives would be an understatement."
