Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (“RMBC”) has announced that a five-year plan has been to protect children from abuse.

This year marks 10 years since the Alexis Jay Report in 2014 revealed RMBC’s failure to protect approximately 1,400 children from serious sexual offences. Since then, a large number of abusers have been prosecuted through various National Crime Agency operations.

It is stated that this new strategy aims to prevent complacency and ensure future protection, outlining early identification of potential victims, intervention by agencies, and ongoing support for survivors. The plan outlines roles for key agencies and cooperation with the police. It is noted that both South Yorkshire Police and the NHS are involved in this strategy.

Frankly, this strategy does not go far enough. We know, from complaints direct to Switalskis, that child sexual exploitation remains ongoing in Rotherham.

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (“IICSA”) looked into child sexual exploitation and grooming. The Inquiry looked at six case study areas: Durham, Swansea, Warwickshire, St Helens, Tower Hamlets and Bristol. IICSA made the following recommendations for change:

• Recommendation 1: Aggravation of offences relating to the sexual exploitation of children
• Recommendation 2: Child Exploitation Disruption Toolkit
• Recommendation 3: Government guidance on child sexual exploitation
• Recommendation 4: Categorisation of risk and harm
• Recommendation 5: Child sexual exploitation data – to be collected
• Recommendation 6: Unregulated placements – to be stopped

Our thoughts

 RMBC ought to reconsider their strategy and look towards the Bristol Safer Options model. This model, which was discussed during the IICSA, targets potentially vulnerable girls by postcode, schooling, age and socio-economic data and then seeks to monitor and educate young girls that the programme has identified as being vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. RMBC should look to adopt something similar. In addition, South Yorkshire Police, and where possible RMBC, need to identify and disrupt the perpetrators of the abuse early on. One of the major issues that we have come across is local councils and police forces victim-blaming, and moving already vulnerable young girls away from their families for their own safety, but failing to take action against the abusers. This in turn leads to the victims believing that these men have done nothing wrong as they remain on the streets.

It is also surprising that it has taken RMBC 10 years since the Jay Report and over 2 years since the IICSA report to make any meaningful changes.

In addition, the announcement also feels like a further let down for survivors of historical exploitation in Rotherham who will see this announcement as simply too late. Many of whom are struggling with mental ill-health, addiction issues and have been battling social care over their own children on account of their mental health deteriorating since the NCA/SYP knocked on their door about historical abuse.

On the 10-year anniversary of the Jay Report, we would have hoped to have seen support and advice services set up specifically for survivors of CSE who have been, and continue to be, let down.

Find out how Switalskis can help you

We're committed to providing expert, compassionate legal support for survivors of grooming gangs. If you're ready to take the first step, we're here for a confidential, no-obligation chat.

Call us on 0800 138 0458  or email help@switalskis.com.