May 2012 saw the conviction of nine men, accused of running a child grooming ring in the town of Rochdale. This case brings to light a form of child abuse that has until recently not received significant attention. Child grooming refers to actions taken by an adult to befriend and establish an emotional connection with a child, with a view to lowering the child’s inhibitions to facilitate sexual exploitation.
The extent of the exploitation in the Rochdale case caused many to wonder how such crimes could go undetected. According to news reports, the victims in the Rochdale case were not unknown to the local authority. Many came from troubled backgrounds and some were living in council estates or children’s care homes. Those close to the case have noted that the victims appear to have been targeted because of their vulnerability. One victim was living in a children’s care home in Rochdale when she was raped by members of the grooming gang. She reportedly made several written requests to the staff of the children’s home to be moved to a different area so that she would no longer be at risk. However, it was several months before she was moved and staff do not appear to have taken action to protect her.
It is also reported that in 2005 police and social workers received a report from a sexual health adviser detailing the kidnapping and rape of a girl in Rochdale, but no further action was taken. In 2008, a teenage girl complained to police that she had been sexually exploited. Police took her complaint seriously and investigated two men, however the Crown Prosecution Services (CPS) declined to prosecute as the victim was considered an “unreliable witness”. As a result, police dropped the investigation which would not resume until a year later when another victim made a similar complaint. The CPS decision not to prosecute was not overturned until 2011.
The police, CPS and the local authority’s children’s services department appear to have had several opportunities to intervene to stop the organised grooming in Rochdale, and the CPS failure to prosecute the complaint from 2008 is currently under investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission. Several questions arise from this case: are the frameworks in place to protect vulnerable young people effective; and what should be done differently to ensure that they do not slip through the cracks?
Arrangements to safeguard
Under section 11 of the Children Act 2004, local agencies, including the police and children’s services, are under an obligation to make arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. This includes taking action to protect a child or young person they suspect may be suffering, or at risk of suffering, significant harm. It appears that a number of persons in positions of authority, including those working in the children’s home where one of the Rochdale victims lived, failed in upholding their s.11 obligations. Part of the solution may lie in better training – it is vital that frontline practitioners are equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to identify potential victims of grooming. Practitioners should receive training to ensure they are capable of identifying signs of abuse arising from grooming as part of the child protection training required by many who work with children. Equally important is knowing how to respond to such concerns. Practitioners must be familiar with the procedures in place regarding how to handle concerns of abuse so that they take appropriate action.
Children and young people should also be educated about child grooming to avoid being victimised, and made aware of the support and services available. Those working in social care services for vulnerable children must be available and approachable to them, and must closely monitor the wellbeing of those children they work with, and be able to act on concerns. While child grooming is not a new form of abuse, it is clear that new approaches are needed to effectively combat it.
Legal Update is produced in association with experts at Coram Children’s Legal Centre www.childrenslegalcentre.com
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