Oldham CSE Report: What did it investigate?

The report was released this morning

What was the scope of the report?

The long-awaited report into child sexual exploitation in Oldham has been published this morning.

The remit of the Oldham-specific aspect of the review focussed on historical allegations relating to child sexual exploitation and consider whether the council, with its partner agencies provided an appropriate response to protect children.

The assurance review specifically considered, (but was not limited to) allegations that have circulated on social media of inappropriate access to young people involving shisha bars, taxi companies and children’s homes.

It also looked at the extent to which historical actions and employment records have been adequately investigated in the case of known offenders who were previously employed within Oldham public services.

In particular, the following concerns were examined:

• Allegations on social media about the risks posed to children from local shisha bars 2011-2014
• Allegations about the nature and extent to which adults had inappropriate access to children and young people resident in Children’s Homes 2011-2014
• Allegations about the nature and extend of the use of local taxi service to access children and young people for the purposes of sexual exploitation 2011-214
• Allegations or concerns expressed in relation to specific cases. The review will in particular consider complaints made in a letter by an individual complainant to the Leader of Oldham Council in November 2019 and copied to the Mayor of GMCA. about the handling of her case during 2005/06.
• The cases of known offenders previously employed within Oldham Council and the extent to which the historical actions and employment records have been adequately investigated by the Council.

In addition, the review considered specific cases that fall outside of the 2011-2014 timeframe.

This morning, The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester, Bev Hughes, Leader of Oldham Council, Cllr Amanda Chadderton, Chief Constable of GMP, Stephen Watson and Independent Reviewers Malcolm Newsam and Gary Ridgeway presented the key findings.

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