It would be a "serious mistake" to think Rotherham-style child abuse is not happening here, according to the study of child protection arrangements by the Care Inspectorate, commissioned by the Scottish Government.
Estimates of prevalence based on reports by adults of abuse in childhood suggest many more should be listed on child protection registers, said the body that scrutinises care services.
The implication is that many or even most cases of child abuse are being missed by Child Protection Committees (CPCs), the bodies responsible for co-ordinating police, council and health board action in each local authority.
Professor Alexis Jay, the Government's former chief inspector of social work and author of the damning report into widespread child abuse in Rotherham, said there was no reason to think similar levels of abuse were not happening in Scotland.
The report said that while the committees and other agencies were working very effectively in many areas, there was a danger many at-risk children were not being spotted. The committees should "consider carefully the reasons why there are very low numbers of children and young people being placed on the Child Protection Register because they are at risk of sexual abuse," it said. (more...)
No comments:
Post a Comment