Mark Whitehead 03 March 2015

Council staff could face prison for failing to protect children

Public officials who fail to act on suspicions of child abuse could face five-year prison sentences under new measures unveiled today.

Prime minister, David Cameron, said council chiefs, social workers and teachers who fail to protect children could face criminal action to help ‘eradicate the culture of denial’.

He warned that those who turn a blind eye to child sexual abuse out of a ‘warped sense of political correctness’ would face criminal prosecution in the wake of the Rotherham grooming scandal.

Police forces would be ordered to treat child sexual abuse as a ‘national threat’ equivalent to terrorism and organised crime.

The announcement came ahead of an independent inquiry which is expected to find that 300 children were sexually exploited by gangs in Oxfordshire over 15 years.

The Local Government Association (LGA) said social workers, teachers and local and national politicians should be held to account if they fail to protect vulnerable children but warned that ‘we need a million eyes and ears to look out for our young people’.

Cllr David Simmonds, chairman of the LGA’s children and young people board, said: ‘We need a culture change in the way the grooming and abuse of young people is recognised by both professionals and members of the public, to give anyone who comes into contact with it the confidence to report their concerns.

‘Families and communities need to feel reassured their children are not at risk. We need to feel certain everyone in society recognises that teenagers cannot consent to their abuse and are victims of sexual crime.

‘We need a million eyes and ears to look out for our young people to do this, everyone must be aware of the complexities of child abuse.’

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Adult Social Worker Mental Health

London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and London Borough of Wandsworth
£38,976 - £52,767
Mental Health Social Worker
Recuriter: London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and London Borough of Wandsworth

Director of Finance (Deputy Section 151 Officer)

Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames Council
up to salary max £121,445 per annum
We are now seeking a Director of Finance and Deputy Section 151 Officer to play a pivotal role Hybrid / Kingston Upon Thames
Recuriter: Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames Council

Principal Engineer - Adoptions

West Northamptonshire Council
£49,587 - £52,860
We are seeking an experienced and motivated Principal Highways Engineer to join our Highways Development Management team at West Northamptonshire Council. This is a senior role leading on the assessment, negotiation, and delivery of highway works linked t Northampton
Recuriter: West Northamptonshire Council

Head of Highway Operations

Derbyshire County Council
Grade 15 £63,002 - £69,103 per annum
As we begin to implement our new structure, we have an exciting leadership opportunity as the head of our new operations service. Derbyshire
Recuriter: Derbyshire County Council

Trainee Roadworker Driver

Derbyshire County Council
Grade 5 £25,185 - £25,583 per annum
We’re looking for Roadworker/trainee LGV drivers to be part of our team undertaking all aspects of highways maintenance and improvement works Derbyshire
Recuriter: Derbyshire County Council
Linkedin Banner