SOCIAL WORK & CHILDREN’S SERVICES
Rotherham report sets wheels in motion
Following the publication of Alexis Jay’s Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Exploitation in Rotherham, PSE’s David Stevenson looks at the repercussions of the report and the domino-effect it has put in motion.
T
he publication of the Jay Report in late August, which highlighted that at least
1,400 children were sexually exploited in Rotherham between 1997-2013, has led to a chain reaction of events including high-profile resignations and further inquiries.
In 2013 Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (RMBC) commissioned Professor Alexis Jay, a former chief social work adviser to the Scottish government, to lead an independent inquiry into the authority’s handling of cases involving
child sexual
exploitation (CSE). Failings
Her report highlighted that children as young as 11 had been raped by multiple perpetrators, trafficked to other towns and cities in the north of England, abducted, beaten, and intimidated.
The majority of perpetrators were described as ‘Asian’ by victims. In just over a third of cases, children affected by sexual exploitation were previously known to services – yet the authority failed to act.
Resignations
Jay added that over the first 12 years covered by the inquiry, the collective failures of political and officer leadership were “blatant”. Following the report’s publication, Cllr Roger Stone, who had been the leader at RMBC since 2003, decided to stand down.
He said it was only right that he take responsibility on behalf of the council for the “historic failings”.
In the wake of Stone’s resignation, RMBC’s chief executive Martin Kimber said that no council employee would face disciplinary action following the report’s revelations. But the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) said it was “making inquiries” as to
Shortly after, Joyce Thacker, Rotherham’s director for children and young people’s service, also stood down. But, despite leaving her post, Thacker has been asked by MPs for a “full explanation” as to why she omitted key information – that she prevented the ethnicity of the men suspected of abusing children from being released, in order to promote “community cohesion” – when giving evidence to the HAC.
Inquiries
The Jay report was an independent inquiry, but several more have been set up since.
On 3 September, South Yorkshire’s chief constable David Crompton said that he was
whether disciplinary action should be taken against staff at Rotherham.
Kimber, who started at the local authority in 2009, said that there was not enough evidence to take action. Soon after, and prior to appearing in front of the Home Affairs Committee (HAC) and the Communities and Local Government Committee, he announced he would be stepping down.
Another top official who received much criticism in the wake of the report was South Yorkshire’s police and crime commissioner Shaun Wright.
Wright, who was the councillor responsible for children’s services at RMBC from 2005 to 2010, had received three reports about widespread abuse but failed to act, according to Prof Jay’s inquiry.
Initially he refused to stand down, insisting it was “not the right thing” for him to leave. But following increased pressure, on 16 September, he released a statement saying “it is now right to step down” and that the coverage surrounding him was “detracting from the important issue”.
initiating a fully independent investigation into the force’s handling of CSE.
He said: “A fully independent and impartial investigation is required to ensure that people have confidence that organisations or any individuals will be investigated fairly, rigorously and with complete impartiality.”
At the end of the month, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) published a report saying that the force has a “clear set of priorities to protect children” and has “made progress to improve services”. But the police response to CSE was “inconsistent” across the force area.
Home secretary Theresa May has also announced that Fiona Woolf CBE, JP is to lead an inquiry into historical child sexual abuse. The inquiry will consider whether public bodies have taken seriously their duty of care to protect children from sexual abuse.
Local government secretary Eric Pickles has appointed an independent inspection of RMBC to be headed up by Louise Casey CB, director general of the Troubled Families programme.
The inspection will review current governance arrangements and how the council can improve the delivery of services to children and young people.
Following Cllr Stone’s resignation at RMBC, Cllr Paul Larkin has now taken over the reins at the authority and has set up an independently-chaired improvement board in partnership with the LGA. “We know public confidence in our services is rightly shaken and we are determined to win it back by our actions,” he said.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
The report is at: W:
www.rotherham.gov.uk/downloads/ file/1407/independent_inquiry_cse_in_ rotherham
public sector executive Oct/Nov 14 | 27
© Lynne Cameron, PA Wire
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76