How to Fix Local Roads: Sustainable Road Maintenance Solutions for Local Government
Explore expert insights on sustainable road maintenance and pothole repair, and learn how local government can fix the road network with proactive strategies.
Grooming gangs report warns of ‘collective failure’
16/06/2025 There has been a ‘collective failure’ to address questions about the ethnicity of perpetrators when it comes to child sexual exploitation, Casey report finds. |
Rochdale grooming gang convicted of raping girls
16/06/2025 Seven members of a Rochdale grooming gang have been found guilty of charges including rape and indecency with a child. |
Abuse audit delayed
03/06/2025 A nationwide audit of child abuse has been delayed, safeguarding minister Jess Phillips has confirmed. |
EXCLUSIVE: LGA tells councils to hold fire on grooming response
22/05/2025 The Local Government Association has urged councils not to respond to a request from a private inquiry into grooming gangs as it considers the implications. |
Health organisations call for smacking ban
16/05/2025 An open letter signed by 13 leading health organisations has been sent to Government demanding that the ‘reasonable’ defense of physically punishing children is abolished. |
Social workers back smacking ban
30/04/2025 Social workers and other safeguarding professionals have called for an end to the physical punishment of children in England. |
Norfolk councils sued over alleged abuse in children’s home
14/03/2025 Former residents of a children's home in Norfolk are taking legal action against local authorities over allegations of historic physical and sexual abuse. |
Local areas failing to address racism in child safeguarding
11/03/2025 Local areas are failing to address the safeguarding needs of Black, Asian and Mixed Heritage children, a new report into child safeguarding has found. |
Child sexual abuse identification at 30 year low
07/03/2025 Safeguarding professionals are protecting the lowest number of children at risk of sexual abuse in three decades despite a rise in convictions, data reveals. |
Questions over grooming inquiries' legal backing
17/01/2025 Concern has been raised over the legal backing for local inquiries into child sexual exploitation. |
Burnham backs ‘limited’ national inquiry into abuse
10/01/2025 Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has voiced his support for a ‘limited’ national inquiry into child grooming gangs. |
Jay distances herself from fresh inquiry calls
07/01/2025 The former head of a national inquiry into child sexual abuse has warned against ‘politicising' the issue. |
Child neglect ‘normalised’, professionals warn
28/08/2024 Child neglect has become ‘normalised’ amid financial strain on families and a lack of early support, a major children’s charity has heard. |
Levelling up sexual health services to protect children
14/08/2024 Sue Bunn, Commercial Director, Inform Health, looks at how sexual health services are levelling up to better protect children from harm. |
Grooming gangs unit arrests 550 child predators
21/05/2024 A specialist grooming gangs unit has helped arrest over 550 suspected child predators over the last year, according to the Home Office. |
Safeguarding panel calls for register of home-educated children
15/05/2024 An expert child safeguarding panel has joined calls for a statutory register of children who are electively home educated. |
Mandatory reporting exemptions a 'fudge'
13/05/2024 Ministers’ decision to exempt instances of child abuse from a new reporting law means they have dodged the mandatory duty demanded by a national inquiry. |
Child sexual abuse review to inform new strategy
09/05/2024 Findings of a review of Walsall Safeguarding Partnership’s strategy after the largest child sexual abuse case investigated by police will now be published. |
Kent CC faces legal action over alleged abuse
06/02/2024 Nine former residents of a children's home in Kent are suing the county council over abuse allegations. |
Worcestershire council contacted 36 times before child’s death
29/01/2024 Worcestershire County Council was contacted multiple times about the welfare of nine-year-old Alfie Steele, who was killed by his mother and her partner. |
Newsom report reveals Rochdale exploitation failings
15/01/2024 Failings by officials at Rochdale Council and senior police meant vulnerable girls were targeted by a child sexual abuse gang for years, report has concluded. |
Court provides clarity on duties owed to children at home
21/12/2023 Court rules that Wolverhampton did not have a duty of care to protect a child because it could not be established they had assumed responsibility for them. |
The role of councils in supporting child victims of abuse
20/12/2023 Dr Jo Casebourne, chief executive of Foundations, discusses the crucial role local authorities play in supporting child victims of domestic abuse. |
Child trafficking victim owed back payments
19/12/2023 A child trafficking victim is entitled to back payments after the Home Office and Barnet Council left him without adequate care and support, High Court finds. |
Cruelty to children doubles in five years
08/12/2023 The number of reported cases of children in England being subjected to cruelty or neglect has doubled in the last five years, a children’s charity has warned. |
Child abuse inquiry chair criticises Government response
23/10/2023 The chair of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) has warned ministers’ response to her recommendations has been ‘weak’. |
Councillor charged over child grooming allegations
30/08/2023 A Scottish Labour councillor has been suspended from the party after he was charged over allegations of child grooming. |
Case review requirement ignored
27/07/2023 Safeguarding partners in Walsall have admitted failing to send a serious case review to the education secretary as required. |
Ministers promise CSA compensation scheme
23/05/2023 Ministers have promised a compensation scheme for survivors of child sexual abuse (CSA) including those abused in council care. |
Safeguarding overhaul called for after ‘horrific’ child abuse case
20/04/2023 Council leaders have called for more powers to hold partners to account after a review into the abuse of children with disabilities at Hesley Group of homes. |
Safeguarding review of child sex abuse case withheld
11/04/2023 Walsall Safeguarding Partnership (WSP) will not be publishing its review into the largest child sex abuse case investigated by West Midlands Police. |
Child sexual exploitation taskforce announced
03/04/2023 PM Rishi Sunak has announced the establishment of a new taskforce of specialist police officers to help investigate child sexual exploitation and grooming. |
10,000 cases of child exploitation ‘tip of iceberg’, charity warns
27/10/2022 More than 10,000 cases of child exploitation have been recorded by councils over the last year but this is just the ‘tip of the iceberg’, charity warns. |
Councils face ‘mandatory reporting’ of child sexual abuse
20/10/2022 Local authorities and their partners face a legal requirement to report child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSA) under hefty proposals outlined by an independent inquiry. |
Facing up to historic child sex abuse
05/10/2022 Alan Collins, a partner in the abuse team at Hugh James Solicitors, calls on local government to step up and be accountable for child sexual exploitation. |
Support for county lines victims gets £5m boost
26/09/2022 Services aimed at supporting victims of county lines gangs received a multi-million-pound bump over the weekend. |
Council calls for removal of child sex abuse councillor
13/09/2022 Derry City and Strabane councils contacted the NI Electoral Office yesterday to discuss the disqualification of a councillor convicted of child sex abuse. |
Cost of living crisis to lead to ‘catastrophic’ winter
07/09/2022 The cost of living crisis will have a ‘catastrophic’ impact with an increase in the number of children entering care and a rise in domestic violence. |
Victims of child abuse sent to care homes 350 miles away
30/08/2022 Local authorities in England and Wales are being forced to send some of the most vulnerable children to care homes in Scotland, new research has revealed. |
Children’s charity raises alarm over modern slavery
12/08/2022 A charity has called for action as figures show record numbers of children are being referred to the authorities as suspected victims of modern slavery. |
Council apologises for child sexual exploitation
13/07/2022 Telford & Wrekin Council has apologised ‘wholeheartedly’ after an inquiry concluded more than 1,000 children were sexually exploited over at least 30 years. |
Child sexual exploitation inquiry clears council of cover up
20/06/2022 An inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham has found that there were serious failings in the handling of some cases but no cover up by the council. |
Child cruelty and neglect up by 25%
10/06/2022 Child cruelty and neglect offences increased by a quarter last year as the country emerged from the pandemic, a children’s charity has revealed. |
Review calls for creation of local child protection units
26/05/2022 A review into the deaths of Star Hobson and Arthur Labinjo-Hughes has recommended that specialist units with a child protection focus should be established. |
Report warns of stark variation in the identification of child sexual abuse
20/04/2022 Some local areas are failing to identify and respond to child sexual abuse, a new report has warned today. |
Stopping child exploitation
06/04/2022 Iryna Pona, policy and impact manager at The Children’s Society, looks at the issue of children and modern slavery. |
‘Shocking figures’ reveal only 185 modern slavery prosecutions
30/03/2022 There have only been 185 prosecutions under modern slavery legislation despite tens of thousands of children being referred for support in exploitation cases. |
Children still not safe from sexual abuse in schools, inquiry finds
01/03/2022 Children are not as safe as they should be from sexual abuse in residential schools, a damning new report has warned today. |
Councils guilty of ‘extensive failures’ when identifying child abuse
02/02/2022 An inquiry has identified ‘extensive failures’ in the way councils tackle child sexual exploitation, especially when it comes to abuse perpetrated by networks. |
Abused school pupils threaten council with legal action
25/01/2022 Former pupils of a council-run school are considering legal action against Lincolnshire County Council after two former staff members were convicted of abuse. |
Over 16,000 children face abuse over Christmas
23/12/2021 More than 16,000 children will be victims of domestic abuse over the Christmas fortnight alone, a children’s charity has warned. |
Council chiefs welcome new measures to improve children’s social care
16/12/2021 Local authority leaders have welcomed new measures aimed at stopping poor quality supported accommodation providers and rooting out bad practice. |
Cuts undermine fight against child criminal exploitation
16/12/2021 Local authority leaders have warned that cuts to local government funding have made it difficult to tackle child criminal exploitation. |
Society has allowed child sexual abuse to exist - now we must do more to help those affected
13/10/2021 Kit Shellam says that while it is vital we make progress in preventing the sexual abuse of children, we must also support those who have been abused and who continue to live - and suffer - in silence. |
Police criticised for handling of child abuse cases
01/09/2021 Police criticised for delaying alerting children’s social care when they have found children living in houses where they might be vulnerable to abuse. |
Calls for more funding as child abuse increases
20/08/2021 Incidents involving death or serious harm to a child have risen in the past year, leading to calls for further funding. |
Children abused for decades under care of Lambeth Council, inquiry finds
27/07/2021 Hundreds of children were subjected to decades of cruelty and sexual abuse while in the care of Lambeth Council, a damning inquiry has found. |
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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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‘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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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'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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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‘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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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Telford takes decisive action
07/06/2018 Clive Jones hits back at recent news coverage surrounding child sexual exploitation in Telford and Wrekin. |
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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. |
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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’. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
