A new study by Ofsted has highlighted poor information sharing among agencies, poor planning, and leadership which was ‘frequently lacking’, while saying councils do not have an ‘accurate picture of the full extent of child sexual exploitation. As a result they cannot know whether they are making a positive difference.’
Some professionals ‘have simply failed to properly apply child protection processes to young people’, and while some councils ‘have adopted a zero tolerance approach to child sexual exploitation and are making full use of ….the powers available to them to disrupt [it], most are not.’
Over 1,000 children under six are sexually exploited each year, according to an NSPCC FOI of police figures.
It is hard to know how many of these offences have been prosecuted as ‘the way in which data is collected by many police forces does not allow for the effective collation of reported crime and prosecutions that are specifically linked to child sexual exploitation.’ It went on, ‘This means that the information that the police share with their partners is of limited value.’
Over a quarter of ‘children in need’ – that is children who are accessing services such as social care – are aged under six. Care plans for these children were singled out by the report as ‘poor’ , and local authorities ‘were not keeping the plans under robust review.’ As a result, ‘this leaves some children in a very vulnerable position without an independent review of their changing circumstances and needs.’
And despite statutory guidance on this issue dating from 2009, some councils have only begun to address the issue in the past year.
Lisa Graham, the Pre-School Alliance’s safeguarding manager, said that ‘poor information sharing can hamper the ability of key parties to respond to concerns robustly and in an informed way.’
She added, ‘The issue of child sexual exploitation is one that cannot be solved by one agency alone. As such, it is vital that relevant bodies work together. For early years providers in particular, it is important to have clear policies and procedures on child sexual exploitation in place that staff understand, alongside internal mechanisms which enable them to raise concerns.’
The report also criticised local children’s safeguarding boards. A series of recommendations aimed at LCSBs include basic requirements such as ensuring child protection procedures are followed and partners’ statutory duties are met.
A 2012 report from the House of Commons Education Committee found that many of those involved in child protection considered those under five to be most vulnerable.
The Local Government Association said, ‘this report makes for uncomfortable reading and councils across the country will now be reflecting on its implications.’
The report, which is called The sexual exploitation of children: it couldn't happen here, could it? is available here