Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of local authorities in England and Wales have plans in place for tackling potential child sexual exploitation.

The independent report of the Office of the Children's Commissioner (OCC)'s Inquiry into Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) in gangs and groups, published on 26 November 2013, found that 98% of Local Safeguarding Children's Boards (LSCBs) in England considered CSE to be a strategic priority and that 57% of LSCBs had agreed a joint CSE strategy with their partner agencies.[1] These figures were taken from evidence gathered by the OCC in early 2013. The OCC are planning to review the position later this year. Current statutory guidance on CSE says that LSCBs should ensure that specific local procedures are in place covering the sexual exploitation of children and young people and that the needs of the children affected are considered when local services are planned and commissioned.[2] LSCBs should set up a sub-group, reporting to the Board, to drive progress on CSE. The guidance does not place a requirement on LSCBs to develop a CSE strategy, but this has come to be regarded as best practice. It does, however, say:

‘Sexual exploitation should be covered in local needs assessments and, where it is a significant issue, the LSCB should help ensure it is regarded as a priority'.

More recently, the Tackling Child Sexual Exploitation Action Plan, published by the Department for Education in November 2011, set out actions to help LSCBs to prioritise CSE, including to ‘develop an effective local strategy ensuring there is a co-ordinated multi-agency response to child sexual exploitation, based on a robust, thorough risk assessment of the extent and nature of CSE locally'.[3]

The Department for Education is not responsible for child protection in Wales.

[1] If only someone had listened – final report of the Office of the Children's Commissioner's Inquiry into Child Sexual Exploitation in Gangs and Groups, http://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/content/publications/content_743

[2]https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/278849/Safeguarding_Children_and_Young_People_from_Sexual_Exploitation.pdf

[3]https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tackling-child-sexual-exploitation-action-plan