Sharpening the commercial edge
The case for well-managed council commercial activity is one that needs to be defended if we want a mature and sustainable local state, argues Jonathan Werran.
More training needed to identify child sexual abuse ‘swiftly’, council chiefs say
09/06/2021 Council leaders call for more training to be given to those working with children and young people so that victims of child abuse can be identified ‘swiftly’. |
Listening to the voices of survivors
13/11/2020 Nujoji Calvocoressi describes how the voices of survivors are central to the Inquiry’s work, and argues that if things are to change, it’s essential we listen to those voices. |
Spike in child abuse since pandemic
06/11/2020 Ofsted’s chief inspector has warned of an increase in the number of child injuries and deaths uncovered by local authorities since the onset of the pandemic. |
Child abuse survivors' experiences of support services
21/08/2020 Alison Spence, lead researcher at the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, looks at abuse survivors’ experiences of support services. |
Most sexual abuse survivors struggling to access support, inquiry finds
13/08/2020 Three quarters of child sexual abuse survivors have been unable to access any support services, new research has found. |
Social workers to be placed in schools to spot children at risk
22/05/2020 The Government has committed £6.5m to place social workers in schools to help spot the signs of child abuse and neglect. |
Survey highlights child abuse could go unreported during lockdown
18/05/2020 Child abuse could go unreported during lockdown as a quarter of adults do not know where to go for help, a survey has found. |
We can’t let the loudness of lockdown drown out the voices of the most vulnerable
29/04/2020 Emma Lewis describes why now more than ever we must shine a light on the experiences of those who cannot speak up for themselves. |
‘We’re not in it for the money’
14/04/2020 Emma Lewis, a member of the Victims and Survivors Panel at the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, explores what redress really means for survivors. |
New programme launched to support fight against ‘witchcraft allegations’
20/03/2020 The centre dedicated to fighting female genital mutilation (FGM) has launched a first-of-its-kind e-learning programme to address the startling rise of witchcraft allegations against children. |
Local agencies 'woefully ill-equipped' to stop child abuse
04/02/2020 Children are being left at risk because local agencies – including social care – are often ‘woefully ill-equipped’ to prevent and respond to child sex abuse in families, four inspectorates have warned. |
Future Forum North: Rotherham flood response hampered by scandal
06/12/2019 The child abuse scandal in Rotherham continues to cast a long shadow over the work of the council - even affecting its work to tackle last month’s flooding. |
Child abuse linked to faith rises by ‘a third’, council chiefs warn
14/11/2019 The number of children identified by councils as having been abused for reasons associated with belief has risen by a third in three years, the LGA reports. |
'It should’ve been a place of safety'
07/11/2019 Beth Mooney and Grace Ablett examine the extent of child sexual abuse in children’s homes and residential care. |
Abuse ‘endemic’ in children’s homes
07/11/2019 An independent inquiry has found physical and sexual abuse was endemic in children’s homes and residential care homes. |
Nottinghamshire councils apologise for ‘decades’ of child abuse
01/08/2019 Nottinghamshire councils have apologised for letting survivors ‘down in worst possible way’ after an inquiry found hundreds of children were abused in care. |
Council apologises for failing to protect girls from grooming gang
11/06/2019 Kirklees Council has apologised for failing to protect two girls from abuse, after an independent review found opportunities were lost to protect them from exploitation. |
Domestic abuse services ‘struggling’ due to budget cuts
01/04/2019 Nearly 60% of women accessing domestic abuse support services have children and one in 15 are pregnant, according to a new report. |
Child abuse costs taxpayers over £1bn
06/03/2019 Action must be taken to protect children from domestic abuse which is costing the nation millions of pounds, a welfare charity has demanded. |
Nine men convicted of child sexual exploitation
27/02/2019 Bradford council has insisted that safeguarding young people is its ‘top priority’ after nine men were convicted of child sexual exploitation. |
Police arrest 55 in connection with child sex abuse cases
15/01/2019 Police have arrested 55 men in connection with historical child sex abuse cases in West Yorkshire. |
Child cruelty and neglect crimes double in past five years
04/12/2018 The number of child cruelty and neglect cases recorded by police have doubled over the last five years, a children’s charity has warned. |
Council offers convicted sex offender access to victim’s child
28/11/2018 Rotherham Council has come under fire after offering a convicted sex offender access to the child of one of his victims. |
‘Lessons have been learned’ after child abuse case, council says
22/10/2018 Kirklees Council insists ‘lessons have been learned’ in the wake of what has been described as a seven-year campaign of rape and abuse in Huddersfield. |
Home Office announces £13m fund to support vulnerable children
22/08/2018 Councils have welcomed £13m of funding to help vulnerable children but warned cuts to children’s services are making it ‘difficult’ to help families. |
Brokenshire to end intervention at Rotherham Council
24/07/2018 Rotherham Council looks set to regain full control of its services, after communities secretary James Brokenshire said he was 'minded' to end intervention. |
Telford takes decisive action
07/06/2018 Clive Jones hits back at recent news coverage surrounding child sexual exploitation in Telford and Wrekin. |
Inquiry into child sexual abuse warns of ‘lack of transparency’
26/04/2018 There has been a ‘lack of transparency’ on the part of some leaders in relation to failures to protect children from sexual abuse, inquiry finds. |
Former council leader ‘lied’ about child sexual abuse, inquiry finds
13/04/2018 The inquiry into child sexual abuse in Rochdale has accused the former leader of the council of lying and said his refusal to accept responsibility was ‘shameful’. |
Council leader welcomes independent inquiry into child sexual abuse
27/03/2018 The leader of Telford & Wrekin Council, Shaun Davies, has welcomed the decision to bring an independent inquiry into child sexual abuse to Telford. |
Councils join new alliance to help people report child abuse
16/03/2018 Local councils have joined forces with police chiefs, charities and the Government to help encourage the public to report suspicions of child abuse. |
Mandatory reporting calls rejected by Government
05/03/2018 Ministers today rejected calls for the mandatory reporting of suspected child abuse – claiming an effective case for a new law has not been made. |
Rotherham's children's services rated 'good' in dramatic turnaround
29/01/2018 Rotherham Council’s children’s services have been rated as ‘good’ by Ofsted, following three years of Government intervention in the aftermath of the child sexual exploitation scandal. |
Calls for independent panel to administer compensation for child abuse
12/12/2017 Compensation for survivors of child abuse in Lambeth should be decided by an independent panel rather than the council, a councillor has warned. |
Councils dealing with 500 child protection investigations every day
12/12/2017 The number of child protection investigations being started by councils has risen at an ‘alarming’ rate of more than 500 a day, according to new figures. |
Council to launch £100m scheme for sexual abuse survivors
08/12/2017 Lambeth LBC is set to launch a £100m redress scheme for survivors of historic sexual, physical and psychological abuse. |
Over 14,000 FGM cases recorded in two years, NHS reveals
06/12/2017 The NHS has recorded more than 14,000 new cases of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) over the past two years, new data reveals. |
Councils face child sex abuse compensation claims
28/11/2017 Two local authorities are facing a string of compensation claims following the exposure of historical sexual abuse linked to staff at council-run care homes. |
Child sexual exploitation case reveals ‘missed opportunities’ to intervene
03/11/2017 A serious case review into the sexual exploitation of teenage girls in Somerset has found ‘missed opportunities’ for earlier intervention by the council. |
Children’s charity report’s increase in domestic abuse
02/11/2017 Children’s charity providing financial support to children in crisis has reported grants awarded to families affected by domestic abuse rose by quarter. |
This issue of Public Property examines how how flexible workspaces can lead the way in regeneration for local authorities, Why local authority intervention is key to successful urban regeneration schemes and if the Government’s challenge of embracing beauty is an opportunity for communities.
The March issue also takes a closer look at Blackburn with Darwen Council's first digital health hub to help people gain control over health and care services.
