'Little progress' made on child sexual exploitation strategy
A year after drawing up a new strategy for tackling child sexual exploitation, a South Yorkshire MP claims the Government has made little progress.
Rotherham MP Sarah Champion says the government has failed to deliver on some of its fundamental promises, including setting up a national taskforce to help whistle-blowers speak out.
The Home Office says that will launch this Spring, but Sarah doesn't think that's soon enough: "A year ago the Prime Minister was explicit about the urgency required to tackle this horrendous crime. But now it is clear that the Government has failed to deliver on fundamental pledges.
"The national child abuse taskforce has still not been established and as a result, the whistle-blowing portal has no taskforce to report to if more large scale child abuse cases arise.
"They have given some money to local charities which I'm really grateful for, but that's one off funding rather than a national strategy. And the rest we're just still waiting for consultations.
"One of the consultations which hasn't started yet is what the definition of child sexual exploitation actually is. So if they haven't even decided what it is, they're a very long way away from tackling it."
In a speech following a Child Sexual Exploitation summit held at Downing Street in March 2015, David Cameron pledged to produce better policies, training, and whistleblowing procedures.
We've asked the Home Office for a full response.