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Child sex abuse: Ofsted warning to councils Councils leaving children at sex-abuse risk - Ofsted
(about 2 hours later)
Vulnerable children in England are at risk of sexual exploitation and abuse because of failings by councils, the education watchdog has warned. Vulnerable children in England are at risk of sexual exploitation and abuse because of council failures, the children's services watchdog has said.
Ofsted said local authorities had been too slow to face up to their responsibilities around preventing abuse in their area. Child sexual exploitation has not been treated as the priority that events in Rotherham and elsewhere suggested it should have been, Ofsted said.
Plans to tackle the problem at local levels were "underdeveloped", while leadership was "frequently lacking". Councils had been too slow to face up to their responsibilities and plans were "underdeveloped", Ofsted said.
The Local Government Association said the report was "uncomfortable reading".The Local Government Association said the report was "uncomfortable reading".
The report - called The sexual exploitation of children: it couldn't happen here, could it? - was commissioned by the chief inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw.The report - called The sexual exploitation of children: it couldn't happen here, could it? - was commissioned by the chief inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw.
It comes against a backdrop of allegations, convictions and resignations over organised child abuse and exploitation over sustained periods in locations including Rotherham, Rochdale, Oxford and Telford.It comes against a backdrop of allegations, convictions and resignations over organised child abuse and exploitation over sustained periods in locations including Rotherham, Rochdale, Oxford and Telford.
A separate report published by MPs on Tuesday into the Rotherham cases concluded the local authority had "failed" victims targeted in the town. It also questioned the performance of Ofsted itself. A separate report published by MPs on Tuesday into the Rotherham cases concluded the local authority had "failed" victims targeted in the town.
The MPs said Rotherham was not an anomalous case, child sexual exploitation was "widespread" and "serious".
It also questioned the performance of Ofsted itself.
Young people at riskYoung people at risk
The Ofsted report concluded that "some professionals have simply failed to properly apply child protection processes to young people at risk of being sexually exploited". Nonetheless "some professionals have simply failed to properly apply child protection processes to young people at risk of being sexually exploited", Ofsted said.
It warned that it was "inherently dangerous for any child protection agency to assume that they need not worry about this type of child abuse because the stereotypical offender or victim profile does not match their own local demographics".
In too many instances, local safeguarding children's boards had shown poor leadership, it added.
Ofsted inspectors found some councils had only begun to address the problem on a strategic basis within the past 12 months, despite statutory guidance being issued more than five years ago.
They also said there was poor information sharing between local authorities, police, health services and others, leading to an overall lack of understanding.
The report also found:The report also found:
It urged local authorities to develop and publish a child sexual exploitation action plan as a matter of priority. It was "inherently dangerous for any child protection agency to assume that they need not worry about this type of child abuse because the stereotypical offender or victim profile does not match their own local demographics".
Councils should ensure that information and intelligence was shared to better protect children and increase the rate of prosecutions, it said. Ofsted inspectors found despite statutory guidance being issued more than five years ago, some councils had only begun to address the problem strategically in the past year.
The report was based on inspection evidence and case examinations from eight local authorities and 36 children's homes inspections. And in too many instances, local safeguarding children's boards had shown poor leadership, it added.
It also includes the views of more than 150 young people and over 200 professionals including councillors, local safeguarding children's board members and local authority and partner agency staff. There had been poor information sharing between local authorities, police, health services and others, leading to an overall lack of understanding, inspectors said, adding this must change.
Based on inspection evidence and case examinations from eight local authorities and 36 children's homes, it urged local authorities to develop and publish child sexual exploitation action plans as a matter of priority.
The report also includes the views of more than 150 young people and over 200 professionals including councillors, local safeguarding children's board members and local authority and partner agency staff.
'Next scandal''Next scandal'
Debbie Jones, Ofsted's national director for social care, said it "cannot be acceptable" that local authorities and partners were "still failing to grasp and deal with" abuse effectively. Debbie Jones, Ofsted's national director for social care, said it "cannot be acceptable" that local authorities and partners are "still failing to grasp and deal with" abuse effectively.
"It is not enough to simply wait for the next scandal to happen. We are calling on all local authorities and their partners to ensure that they have a comprehensive multi-agency strategy and action plan in place to tackle child sexual exploitation," she said."It is not enough to simply wait for the next scandal to happen. We are calling on all local authorities and their partners to ensure that they have a comprehensive multi-agency strategy and action plan in place to tackle child sexual exploitation," she said.
Ms Jones said Ofsted was no exception when it came to learning lessons from recent cases.Ms Jones said Ofsted was no exception when it came to learning lessons from recent cases.
"Child sexual exploitation is something inspectors now focus on much more closely under the arrangements for inspecting local authority child protection and looked-after children's services that came into effect a year ago," she said."Child sexual exploitation is something inspectors now focus on much more closely under the arrangements for inspecting local authority child protection and looked-after children's services that came into effect a year ago," she said.
David Simmonds, chairman of the LGA's children and young people board, said protecting children from harm was "one of the most important things that councils do".David Simmonds, chairman of the LGA's children and young people board, said protecting children from harm was "one of the most important things that councils do".
"While some local authorities are making positive strides to protect young people, it's clear that others have been too slow to step up to the plate and must do more to stop any cases where children could be at risk. "While some local authorities are making positive strides to protect young people, it's clear that others have been too slow to step up to the plate and must do more to stop any cases where children could be at risk."
"This report makes for uncomfortable reading and councils across the country will now be reflecting on its implications."
But Mr Simmonds also criticised Ofsted, saying councils, communities and parents needed to have confidence in its inspection regime and its role in protecting children.But Mr Simmonds also criticised Ofsted, saying councils, communities and parents needed to have confidence in its inspection regime and its role in protecting children.
Former Children's Minister Tim Loughton said Ofsted had been "part of the problem" and had to "prove itself" when it came to monitoring the work of local councils.
He said: "The problem was Ofsted were inspecting the wrong things, it was too much about process in local authorities and protecting children, and it was not about the qualitative outcomes of are children actually safer."
He said the inspection process had been changed to become much more child focused.
"So when Ofsted go, in they need to say, 'Where is your plan, how is it being implemented, what are all the partners doing towards it and where is the clear evidence that children are now safer?' and, looking at the journeys of real-life children, to see how they have been protected against child sexual exploitation or rescued from it or more has been done to prevent it," he added.