An update on child sexual exploitation

In early September, soon after news broke about child sexual exploitation in Rotherham, I wrote to the Chief Inspector of Constabulary and asked several questions in Parliament.

I asked Tom Winsor for more detail about the action Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) would take following South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Shaun Wright’s request for a review of the processes and structures currently in place to investigate allegations of child sexual exploitation.

I have now received his response which says that:

“HMIC will review current force policies and guidance, interview key personnel and examine a sample of files to assess their current capability effectively to manage the issues of child sexual exploitation.

“The review will examine leadership, strategies, management, training, structures, processes and any associated blockages, intelligence gathering, innovation, benchmarking, compliance with the Government’s CSE National Action Plan, National Children’s Commissioner and Barnardo’s recommendations in their ‘Cut them Free’ campaign and the robustness of partnership working arrangements.”

A draft report has now been completed and will be published on HMIC’s website once finalised.

I also submitted a series of Parliamentary Questions last month, which have now been answered.

1) How many prosecutions have there been for cases of sexual activity with a child under 16 in each English police force area in each year since 1995? Answer here.

2) How many prosecutions have there been for cruelty to or neglect of children in each English police force area in each year since 1995? Answer here.

3) How many abduction notices have been served in each English police force area in each year since the legal provisions for such action were introduced? Answer here.

4) (a) When will the Home Secretary publish the Government’s response to the Second Report of the Home Affairs Committee on child sexual exploitation and the response to localised grooming? (b) with reference to the Second Report of the Home Affairs Committee on child sexual exploitation and the response to localised grooming, what plans she has to strengthen protection for children from grooming and sexual exploitation? Answer here.

Read my previous statements relating to grooming and child sexual exploitation here and here.