WIREDGOV

Statement from the Children’s Commissioner on tackling child sexual abuse in response to the testimonies of child victims.

Recent news headlines have brought attention back to the horrific details of sexual abuse of children in England by grooming gangs – something I have been working on with survivors for many years.

We cannot lose sight of the fact that behind these news headlines are children. Every year, around 500,000 children endure the horror of abuse – a reminder that the task of eradicating this crime is very far from complete.

I have written to the Home and Education Secretaries setting out the steps I firmly believe must be taken as a matter of urgency to protect children who are too often being failed by systems designed by, and for, adults. These children must be protected and heard.

I welcome the commitments already made by the government and the landmark legislation being taken through Parliament in the form of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill – but this is the moment to go much further, faster.

Our collective ambition must be to listen to what child victims have told us, through their testimonies to the Jay inquiry, as well as through my own research, and get on with the hard task of acting in response. I am shortly due to meet with Professor Alexis Jay to discuss the best way forward.

I will support any further investigation considered necessary to uncover the scale and scope of failings, where any new evidence emerges.

We must also take action now. Change for hundreds of thousands of children can’t come soon enough.”