Failing across board on child sex abuse

AN investigation into how eight councils across the country, including Oldham, tackle child sexual exploitation has found failures across the board.

The Ofsted inspection, which included scandal-hit Rotherham and Rochdale, highlighted areas of good practise in Oldham but said more needs to be done.

The report, which gives a collective conclusion on the eight local authorities rather than individually, praised Oldham’s Keeping Our Girls Safe (KOGS) project, a voluntary organisation that works alongside the council and Local Safeguarding Children Board to support girls in the community.

The Ofsted inspection — launched on the back of the Rotherham scandal — found 56 Oldham young people being supported as potential victims.

Oldham’s MASH (Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub) brings together police, social workers, health workers, victim support volunteers and domestic violence and drugs specialists who work together and share information to identify and protect potential victims of CSE.