WIREDGOV

Responding to the Office of the Children's Commissioner's report into child sexual exploitation, Councillor David Simmonds, Chairman of the Local Government Association's Children and Young People Board, said:

"The scale of this crime is truly shocking. Child sexual exploitation is an appalling criminal act and the ugly truth is that it can impact on children from any background or part of the country.

"This report highlights that more can be done to keep children safe from harm and offer them the protection they deserve.

"While these are uncomfortable lessons for the organisations tasked with looking after children they will help to ensure improvements are put in place to better protect young people in future.

"It's now vital that councils, the police, the health service and other agencies work more closely, and hand in hand with local communities, to stamp out this disturbing criminal behaviour.

"The LGA and the Children's Improvement Board are offering councils a range of practical support and we will continue to ensure the very best work and expertise that exists on preventing child exploitation and tracking down perpetrators is shared across the country.

"Raising awareness amongst parents and carers, and young people themselves will also help to prevent such terrible crimes from occurring as well as bringing more prosecutions and securing justice for victims.

"We will continue to work with the inquiry through its second phase as it looks at what measures are required to prevent children from being sexually exploited and how those measures should be implemented."

Author: LGA Press Office
Contact: Alison Purdy, LGA press office, Telephone: 020 7664 3333.