Government commits to ‘long-term' funding for Centre of Expertise to tackle child abuse
Neil Puffett
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
A proposed national Centre of Expertise in tackling child abuse will be around for the long-term, children's minster Edward Timpson has vowed amid concerns about potential levels of funding.
Speaking in parliament, Timpson said the government remains committed to the institution, first announced as part of a child sexual exploitation (CSE) action plan published in March.
Levels of funding for the centre will be announced at the next spending review, which is expected to take place in the autumn.
“Irrespective of the spending review – always dangerous words to put in the same sentence – my fellow ministers across government are determined that the centre will be not a short-term initiative but a long-term driver of practice improvement,” Timpson said.
Timpson described the establishment of a new centre of expertise as a “real opportunity to build a shared understanding of how best to address and tackle child sexual abuse”.
He said it will not just help government to make decisions around tackling CSE, but will also support and improve practice by social workers, the police, the NHS, youth workers, schools, and early years settings.
“Local areas say that they are frequently told what 'failure' looks like but no one has articulated what 'good' looks like,” Timpson said.
"So we need to learn not only from areas where things have gone wrong but from areas where things have gone well.
"We need to garner that knowledge from parts of the country where all professionals are striving to do their best for children and young people; where agencies work closely, and share data and intelligence; where action is taken swiftly; and where services are provided to help victims and to bring perpetrators to justice.”
Timpson added that government is continuing to explore what form the centre should take.
He said it is looking to learn from other organisations that have driven evidence-based practice, including “what works” centres, such as the Education Endowment Foundation, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the Early Intervention Foundation.
“We want to understand what has worked in terms of governance, funding and working with local areas, so that we can make the most of this endeavour and do it in such a way that everybody feels they are part of it and have invested in it as a long-term solution.”
Timpson was responding to comments by Labour MP Graham Allen, who initially recommended the creation of an Early Intervention Foundation to government in 2011.
Speaking during the debate Allen said: "A national institute should not have to go around with a begging bowl, or cap in hand; it should be secure in its future so that it can undertake this tremendously important work."
Following the debate Allen said he was happy with the government’s commitment to a Centre of Expertise.
“Instead of one-off belated responses to cases there will be a coherent long-term strategy to discover and replicate ‘what works’ to help victims and diminish perpetration,” he said.
“Government is to be congratulated for adopting this strategic approach in creating a Centre of Excellence which over coming years will save thousands of children from life-wasting abuse.”