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| Jail terms proposed for those who 'neglect' sex abuse victims | Jail terms proposed for those who 'neglect' sex abuse victims |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Teachers, councillors and social workers in England and Wales who fail to protect children could face up to five years in jail under new proposals. | Teachers, councillors and social workers in England and Wales who fail to protect children could face up to five years in jail under new proposals. |
| The new measures, being unveiled by the prime minister, would see the crime of "wilful neglect" extended to cover children's social care and education. | The new measures, being unveiled by the prime minister, would see the crime of "wilful neglect" extended to cover children's social care and education. |
| There would also be unlimited fines for individuals and organisations shown to have let children down. | There would also be unlimited fines for individuals and organisations shown to have let children down. |
| And police will now prioritise sexual exploitation as a "national threat". | And police will now prioritise sexual exploitation as a "national threat". |
| This means such abuse will be treated in a similar way to serious and organised crime, with police forces, chief constables and police and crime commissioners having a duty to collaborate in order to protect children. | This means such abuse will be treated in a similar way to serious and organised crime, with police forces, chief constables and police and crime commissioners having a duty to collaborate in order to protect children. |
| The government's proposals - also to include a national helpline being set up to enable professionals to report bad practice - are a response to child abuse scandals including those in Rotherham and Oxfordshire. | The government's proposals - also to include a national helpline being set up to enable professionals to report bad practice - are a response to child abuse scandals including those in Rotherham and Oxfordshire. |
| The proposals are being unveiled at a meeting in Downing Street - attended by victims, survivors groups, ministers, police chiefs, council leaders, child protection experts, and health and social care providers. | The proposals are being unveiled at a meeting in Downing Street - attended by victims, survivors groups, ministers, police chiefs, council leaders, child protection experts, and health and social care providers. |
| Labour has criticised the plans as a "missed opportunity", saying the government is not going far enough. | Labour has criticised the plans as a "missed opportunity", saying the government is not going far enough. |
| 'Catastrophic failure' | 'Catastrophic failure' |
| David Cameron will say that in Rotherham and elsewhere, children had been "ignored, sometimes blamed" with the issue of exploitation "swept under the carpet". | David Cameron will say that in Rotherham and elsewhere, children had been "ignored, sometimes blamed" with the issue of exploitation "swept under the carpet". |
| He will also say: "It is not just about introducing new policies. It is about making sure that the professionals we charge with protecting our children - the council staff, police officers and social workers - do the jobs they are paid to do. | He will also say: "It is not just about introducing new policies. It is about making sure that the professionals we charge with protecting our children - the council staff, police officers and social workers - do the jobs they are paid to do. |
| "We owe it to our children, and to the children who survive horrific sexual abuse, to do better and ensure the mistakes of the past are never repeated again." | "We owe it to our children, and to the children who survive horrific sexual abuse, to do better and ensure the mistakes of the past are never repeated again." |
| The plans, which are going out to consultation, involve making it a criminal offence to wilfully neglect those at risk of, and victims of, child sexual abuse. | The plans, which are going out to consultation, involve making it a criminal offence to wilfully neglect those at risk of, and victims of, child sexual abuse. |
| Social workers, education practitioners and local councillors would be covered by the sanction, which would be introduced as an extension of the crime of wilful neglect of patients by care workers in this year's Criminal Justice and Courts Act. | Social workers, education practitioners and local councillors would be covered by the sanction, which would be introduced as an extension of the crime of wilful neglect of patients by care workers in this year's Criminal Justice and Courts Act. |
| The Department of Health has also published new guidance on the role of school nursing services in preventing child sexual exploitation. | The Department of Health has also published new guidance on the role of school nursing services in preventing child sexual exploitation. |
| Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper has called on the government to create a new offence of child exploitation. | Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper has called on the government to create a new offence of child exploitation. |
| She said: "We need a radical overhaul of our child protection system, but I fear this is a missed opportunity to get all the reforms we need." | She said: "We need a radical overhaul of our child protection system, but I fear this is a missed opportunity to get all the reforms we need." |
| Labour also wants to see the introduction of mandatory reporting, which would impose a legal duty to report child abuse. | Labour also wants to see the introduction of mandatory reporting, which would impose a legal duty to report child abuse. |
| Analysis: Sanchia Berg, reporter, Today programme | |
| In November 2013, the BBC's Panorama looked at the case for mandatory reporting of child abuse in institutions. | |
| We uncovered files in the National Archives showing that as long ago as 1951, senior government officials knew schools and orphanages routinely covered up the sexual abuse of children - and that the law was no deterrent. | |
| We reported a case from the 1990s, at a boarding school, where a member of staff had sexually assaulted several boys. | |
| It had been reported to the headmaster, he'd left - and later found a job at another boarding school where he abused more children. | |
| The police officer investigating the case, Alec Love, had tried to bring a case of "wilful neglect" against the headmaster of the first school, but the judge had thrown it out. Mr Love said it was very hard "to prove that the person wilfully set about to neglect the child or young person". | |
| According to lawyer Liz Dux, of Slater and Gordon, that is the problem too with the new version of "wilful neglect" being proposed now. She argues only mandatory reporting of child abuse allegations will be effective. | |
| Anne Longfield, the new Children's Commissioner for England, said there were "worrying levels" of abuse taking place across the country. | Anne Longfield, the new Children's Commissioner for England, said there were "worrying levels" of abuse taking place across the country. |
| She told BBC Breakfast: "I think this is a very clear and symbolic signal that things need to change. | She told BBC Breakfast: "I think this is a very clear and symbolic signal that things need to change. |
| "We can't have this situation where children suffering one of the most horrendous crimes you can think of, as young as 11 or 12, are being systematically ignored if they present to you." | "We can't have this situation where children suffering one of the most horrendous crimes you can think of, as young as 11 or 12, are being systematically ignored if they present to you." |
| An independent report found that at least 1,400 children were sexually exploited in Rotherham by gangs of men who were predominantly of Pakistani origin between 1997 and 2013. | An independent report found that at least 1,400 children were sexually exploited in Rotherham by gangs of men who were predominantly of Pakistani origin between 1997 and 2013. |
| The report author Professor Alexis Jay said that girls as young as 11 were raped by "large numbers of male perpetrators". | The report author Professor Alexis Jay said that girls as young as 11 were raped by "large numbers of male perpetrators". |
| Prof Jay, who is taking part in Tuesday's summit, said the issue had been made worse in some cases by the attitude of professionals. | Prof Jay, who is taking part in Tuesday's summit, said the issue had been made worse in some cases by the attitude of professionals. |
| She said: "Social workers were found to describe the issues as being lifestyle choices by some of the children and young people concerned. | She said: "Social workers were found to describe the issues as being lifestyle choices by some of the children and young people concerned. |
| "And the police, in my experience, certainly were extremely derogatory in the way they addressed and described the young people concerned." | "And the police, in my experience, certainly were extremely derogatory in the way they addressed and described the young people concerned." |
| David Greenwood, a solicitor who represents 39 victims of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham, said: "This is just the beginning of a war against exploiters. There are still many stories to emerge and abusers are still walking the streets. | David Greenwood, a solicitor who represents 39 victims of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham, said: "This is just the beginning of a war against exploiters. There are still many stories to emerge and abusers are still walking the streets. |
| "Without sustained effort, a generation of children are at risk of having their lives ruined." | "Without sustained effort, a generation of children are at risk of having their lives ruined." |
| 'Earlier intervention needed' | 'Earlier intervention needed' |
| David Simmonds, chairman of the Local Government Association's children and young people board, said "abuse needs to be taken seriously on a national level". | David Simmonds, chairman of the Local Government Association's children and young people board, said "abuse needs to be taken seriously on a national level". |
| He said: "There is no question that those who are responsible for failing vulnerable children should be held to account... but we need to move on from the muddled situation councils currently face, so the detail of today's proposals is important to get right." | He said: "There is no question that those who are responsible for failing vulnerable children should be held to account... but we need to move on from the muddled situation councils currently face, so the detail of today's proposals is important to get right." |
| The LGA has called for multi-agency inspections of organisations involved in child protection. | The LGA has called for multi-agency inspections of organisations involved in child protection. |
| Mr Simmonds added: "Councils are committed to working with the police, health workers and schools and we need an inspection process that mirrors this so no one falls through the cracks. | Mr Simmonds added: "Councils are committed to working with the police, health workers and schools and we need an inspection process that mirrors this so no one falls through the cracks. |
| "Far too many times social workers hear of abuse too late, when we need to be intervening earlier." | "Far too many times social workers hear of abuse too late, when we need to be intervening earlier." |
| A serious case review into the Oxfordshire abuse was published on Tuesday and found that up to 373 victims may have been abused in the county over the past 16 years. | A serious case review into the Oxfordshire abuse was published on Tuesday and found that up to 373 victims may have been abused in the county over the past 16 years. |
| Have you been affected by issues covered in this story? What is your reaction to the government's proposals? Email your comment to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name as you provide it and location, unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published. | Have you been affected by issues covered in this story? What is your reaction to the government's proposals? Email your comment to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name as you provide it and location, unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published. |
| Have your say | Have your say |