Sue Berelowitz told CYP Now that there is still a perception among some directors of children’s services (DCS) that CSE was only a problem for areas with Asian communities because recent high-profile cases have involved offenders of Asian origin.
Berelowitz, who last year led an inquiry into exploitation in gangs, said: “I’m still in touch with DCSs who say ‘I don’t have any Asians in my area so it is not a problem’.
"The evidence at the moment is that there are undoubtedly very serious issues among some men from the Pakistan community.
"Our findings were that this is a national problem and not unique to a few communities. Anyone who thinks it is not should read the evidence."
Berelowitz’s concerns follow the publication last month of an independent inquiry report by professor Alexis Jay into CSE in Rotherham, which found at least 1,400 children had been victims of abuse between 1997 and 2013 and that children’s services and police missed numerous opportunities to stop it.
Berelowitz added: “The Jay report is historical – does that mean we can be confident everyone has woken up to it [CSE]?
“Everyone should assume it is happening on their watch. Where people are failing to be proactive, that’s a scandal.”
She added that DCSs should be working with local voluntary sector organisations to gauge the scale of the CSE risk in their area.
“There are very few local authorities and police forces that are really on top of it,” added Berelowitz.
However, John Cameron, head of child protection operations at the NSPCC, said many local authorities are carrying out CSE “stock takes” in their areas to ensure their understanding of the issue is sound and they are responding appropriately.
“I know a lot of social work managers and they are doing stock takes now,” he added.
In response to the Rotherham scandal, Ofsted has announced it is to carry out a series of inspections on how local authorities are tackling CSE. Ofsted said three of the CSE inspections will take place at authorities already scheduled to have an imminent unannounced inspection of their children’s services, while a further five will be selected to have a standalone CSE inspection.
Troubled families tsar Louise Casey will also lead an investigation into Rotherham Council’s handling of CSE post the Jay report.
To read an analysis of the lessons to learn from Rotherham, see the new issue of CYP Now or click here
