Councillors to discuss abuse report findings
THE findings of a national inquiry into historic child abuse in Rochdale will be discussed by councillors at a meeting following next month’s local elections.
Published last week, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse report found that, over more than 30 years, children were being abused at Cambridge House boys hostel, Knowl View school, in the town centre, the bus station, and the notorious Smith Street public toilet directly across the road from the council’s own offices.
It found there was ‘no deliberate cover-up’ by institutions in regards to Knowl View, but concluded there was a ‘careless and wholly inadequate response to the serious sexual abuse of children’.
The inquiry didn’t make detailed findings on the implications on Rochdale council as an institution as a result of its report, because it wants to hear evidence from similar scandals at Nottinghamshire county council and Lambeth council before issuing them.
But it did find that the council ‘failed in its basic function to keep its children safe from harm, particularly sexual harm, both in and out of school’.
In a statement released this week the council said the report would be ‘considered by the council and its councillors so that a formal response can be given’.
It added: “The report released on April 12 highlighted significant historic failures of leadership and management and how council officers and school staff from the time covered by the report had failed to protect children.
“The council, which began its own independent review into the failings in 2014, apologised to the victims before the start of the IICSA hearings in October 2017.
“Although IICSA made no recommendations to the council, its report will be considered by the council and its councillors so that a formal response can be given. On 25 April the inquiry intends to publish an interim report on its work to date, which may make recommendations to all organisations covered.
“To the extent they relate to Rochdale or more generally, the council will also take this into account in its response.
“IICSA’s Rochdale report will be presented to a scrutiny meeting, which will include an opportunity for all councillors to discuss the findings.
“The council will also outline the significant changes that have been made in child protection services in the borough of Rochdale in recent years. Evidence of these were provided to IICSA but not included in its report.
“Since 2012 a number of Ofsted inspections have acknowledged the progress in improving child protection services that has been made by the council. All recognised that continual improve- ments had been made.
“Alongside this the Rochdale Borough Safeguarding Children Board (RBSCB) completes an annual audit of compliance with safeguarding requirements.
“The most recent example evidenced high levels of compliance with statutory safeguarding requirements across all agencies in the borough of Rochdale. The date and time of the meeting will be arranged after the local elections in May.”