Government commits £8m to national Centre of Expertise to tackle child abuse

Contract details published by the Home Office reveal that grant funding of up to £2m will be available in the current 2016/17 financial year to establish the project, with “indicative future funding” of up to £2m per a year available for a further three financial years up until 31 March 2020.

The institution – which was first announced as part of a child sexual exploitation (CSE) action plan published in March 2015 – will be tasked with identifying and sharing high quality evidence on what works to prevent and tackle child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation.

Last month, the government defended a lack of progress on delivering elements of its CSE strategy, of which the national Centre of Expertise is one element.

Karen Bradley, Home Office minister for preventing abuse, exploitation and crime, said tackling child sexual abuse and exploitation is a "top priority" for the government.

She added that the national Centre of Expertise will create a shared understanding of what works to prevent child sexual abuse.

“Victims and survivors of abuse are more than ever feeling confident to report their experiences and we will continue to deliver measures to tackle child sexual exploitation,” she said.

Children’s minister Edward Timpson has previously said that the centre will be a “long-term driver of practice” rather than a short-term initiative.

Organisations interested in tendering for the contract have been given until 8 June to apply.