Cheshire agencies to review child exploitation processes

Following recent revelations of long-term child abuse in Rotherham, Cheshire Constabulary has joined forces with the agencies above and issued the following statement:

All of the agencies in Cheshire recognise that child sexual exploitation is a major issue across the UK. The crime is often hidden from view and goes unnoticed, vulnerable young girls and boys are groomed and then abused, leaving them traumatised and scarred for life.

The recent report relating to Rotherham once again reminds us all and reinforces the scale and extent of this issue across the UK.

We are all aware that in recent years some excellent work has been carried out locally in relation to child sexual exploitation and missing children, in particular children in care.

This work has been driven by the Multi-Agency Strategic Group and delivered by the four local children’s safeguarding boards who carry the statutory responsibility for protecting children.

Working together, all the agencies have worked hard through campaigns to provide a real focus on how to recognise the signs of CSE. This work will continue. Those working in all agencies in our area are committed to safeguarding children.

We have dedicated resources working in safeguarding, child sexual exploitation and investigating missing from home. We continue to work in partnership in each local authority area to safeguard children and do so proactively; seeking to prevent harm from occurring where we can.

In the light of the shocking findings from Rotherham, we have jointly undertaken to review our processes against the independent report so that we, and consequently the public, can have confidence that we are doing everything we can to keep children safe. Leaders from each agency will attend a meeting early next month to discuss the findings from the report and our shared intentions to make children safe.

We would welcome contact from anyone who has information that helps up keep children safe.

Our communities can be assured that this is one of our top priorities.