Recent headlines have conveyed the scandals of Rotherham, Rochdale, Oxford and Manchester, but child sexual exploitation (CSE) is by no means restricted to these parts of England.
The NSPCC's Protect and Respect service - for young people who have been exploited or are at risk - operates in 10 areas of the UK and has helped 638 children since 2012. Countless more need help, but the supply of specialist children's services cannot meet the demand.
Ofsted has judged many areas' services to be "underdeveloped", directing particular criticism toward Rotherham (cypnow.co.uk, 19 November). But just as the problem of CSE is not exclusive to this town, neither are the challenges faced by its social workers.
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