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Proposed legislation to protect children and people with learning difficulties from sexual abuse will only be effective if the Crown Prosecution Service pursues more cases in court, Conservative Party delegates were told.

Speaking at a Mencap fringe meeting on preventing abuse of people with learning difficulties, Angela Browning MP said the police and CPS were in a very difficult position regarding the conviction of abusers.

"The CPS often reject taking the case to court because their legal advice is that it is difficult to secure a conviction," she said. "I wish the CPS would put more cases through court just to see what the result is."

Fred Broughton, chairperson of the Police Officers Federation, said the CPS should look at alleged abuse cases more closely. Currently, the CPS decides whether a criminal case is heard on the basis of the likelihood of a conviction.

"They should be more sympathetic about how difficult it is to get to the truth," he said, and called for courts to be better prepared to help witnesses who have learning difficulties give evidence.

The NSPCC has announced that it is to release guidelines on how caring organisations can identify child abuse carried out by their own staff.

The guide, which is likely to be released later this month, will be accompanied by a website.

Philip Noyes, director of public policy at the NSPCC, said the proposed new laws on sexual abuse of vulnerable people shouldn't give people working in care a false sense of security.

"Organisations must put in safeguards themselves to look at workers and volunteers working with children and vulnerable adults," he said.