Young boys and girls involved in prostitution should be recognised as victims of child abuse, a children's charity has said.

Barnardo's Scotland has called for the police and the Scottish Executive to do more combat the problem.

It said children should be treated as victims of abuse rather than criminals.

The appeal came as the charity launched a nationwide advertising campaign to raise awareness of child prostitution.

Education Minister Cathy Jamieson said recognising the issue of abuse was "a very important message to get across".

Cathy Jamieson: "Vulnerable young people"

The number of children involved in prostitution in Scotland is not known, although it has been claimed there may be as many as 300.

Barnardo's workers in Glasgow have been in contact with about a dozen - the youngest of whom was aged 12.

The charity said it was very much a hidden problem that needed to be faced.

The men who use child prostitutes might be charged with breach of the peace but they are rarely charged with child abuse, the charity said.

Protecting children

Daljeet Dagon, Barnardo's Streetwork Project leader, called for a change to how people using child prostitutes are dealt with.

She said: "This is not prostitution, this is child abuse."

The executive has set up a working group on the issue.

Barnardo's Scotland is urging ministers to develop national guidance on protecting children from abuse through prostitution, and to bring in measures to ensure it is implemented effectively.

Ms Jamieson told BBC Radio Scotland that Barnardo's should be "congratulated" for its campaign.

Legislative question

She said: "There is no doubt in my mind that anyone who uses a child prostitute is in fact guilty of abusing a child.

"We have asked the working group to look at how best we can use the existing legislation to ensure that we put a stop to this and also that the young people who may become involved actually get protection themselves."

The minister said she believed existing legislation could afford children adequate protection if interpreted correctly.

"These are vulnerable young people and we should take every necessary step to protect them," Ms Jamieson went on.

"I would like to see us getting across the message very clearly that any adult who gets involved in this kind of behaviour is abusing a child."