Agencies "missed opportunities" to help girls caught up in a sexual exploitation ring, an independent inquiry has found.
Yesterday, five men were found guilty of sexual offences against girls in Derby in one of the biggest child abuse investigations Derbyshire Constabulary has ever tackled.
Details of the case can now be made public after reporting restrictions were lifted.
Eleven men initially faced more than 70 charges relating to 26 victims in three trials.
Detective Superintendent Debbie Platt, who led the police enquiry said: "This was the most complex case of child abuse the Derbyshire Constabulary has ever faced.
"Without the close working relationship between partners and the bravery of the girls who were victims of this horrendous sexual exploitation, the case would never have come to court.
"Most of the girls who became victims were in their early teens and were from difficult backgrounds. These men preyed on their vulnerability. The girls were looking for love and support and they believed the perpetrators of these vile crimes would give them what they craved. Instead they were raped, abused and intimidated.
"Before and during the trial these girls have shown amazing courage and determination to see the men who subjected them to unbelievable cruelty brought to justice."
Assistant Chief Constable Alec Wood added: ""Officers who are specialists in dealing with child exploitation were shocked by the scale of the abuse they uncovered and the impact it had on the girls who were the victims of these callous men.
"There has been a lot of publicity about the dangers of internet grooming but I don't think the public are so aware of the dangers men like these pose to young people they meet face-to-face. Boys are at risk just as much as girls are.
One of the victims, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said: "They first approached me during one afternoon and took me to a park. Even in the beginning I thought they were scary but I was insecure and lonely.
"My advice to other girls is don't take anyone at face-value. Question their motives and report anything you're not happy about. The police will take you seriously and they will know you are telling the truth. It is nothing to be ashamed of."
Video
The first part of the CCTV footage (above) shows Mohammed Romaan Liaqat buying vodka at a petrol station. Liaqat was found guilty of one rape, among other charges.
The second part is footage of Mohammed Romaan Liaqat and Abid Mohammed Saddique cruising the streets of Derby in a BMW. The girls in the CCTV are not victims. They walked away and were never traced by the police. Saddique was found guilty of four rapes.
Community Care will be following up this story in the course of today. This will include a detailed look at what the serious case review says and its lessons for professionals. Check back on www.communitycare.co.uk for updates.
Why in the original story is the headline "Social Workers" failed? Is Community Care a subsidiary of the daily mail? Looking across the country, if the journalists bothered to research anything, they would discover a fairly consistent picture of vulnerable young people, whose needs are not recognised by universsal services, being targetted. By the time social workers are asked for services it is very complex. From a magazine that is supposedly for the Social Care Sector, this coverage is very poor. Are you not able to see the positives that have come out of what has happened or is it too easy just to criticise with such a headline.
Anon, I understand your concerns, but the serious case review clearly states that "with hindsight more prompt and decisive action should have been taken by children’s social care to protect them from harm".
We fully recognise the pressures social workers are under and regularly campaign to improve their working conditions and practice, but we cannot ignore high profile cases such as this.
We are currently phoning all the agencies involved in this case to find out more learning can be had from this appalling case. We will be publishing more content shortly on this and will do everything we can to support our readers. Already, we've published a link to our Inform guide on what social care professionals can do to spot the signs of sexual exploitation among young people as it's clearly an area where there's a need for more training.
"There is a balance to be struck between the need to consider the wishes and feelings of the young person when planning for their care as looked after children, and the requirement to protect them from harm. With hindsight more prompt and decisive action should have been taken by children’s social care to protect them from harm." (P.10)
You have quoted selectively as a journalist is want to do. A Failing of journalism if you like. You have not even asked the weight of the "prompt and decisive action" and how long the delay was, and whether this was significant or a "failing" and whether this was a universal "failing". It's easy for journalists and SCR writers to talk the talk.
Why dont you walk the walk? See if you can effect some change and make delicate and difficult decisions for children dumped in residential with little skills with a background of attachment difficulties etc etc http://www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/social-work/step-up-to-social-work
Digger, I take my hat off to social care professionals who do a really hard job in difficult circumstances. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
But of course journalists can't quote everything in a report - our job with news stories such as these is to get you the information quickly and follow up with analysis and practical content to support the profession.
I really like this thoughtful blog from my colleague Judy Cooper on the structural challenges facing social care at the moment.
http://www.communitycare.co.uk/blogs/childrens-services-blog/2010/11/derby-scr-and-the-gathering-stormclouds.html
Bravo to the Derby undercover police team. As a residential children service manager, I have lost count of the number of such cases the my team and I would have reported to the police and be left frustrated and powerless to bring the culprits to book or to provide the needed protection for such children. Not discounting the issues relating to inadequate social work assessment and support raised in the case, my personal experience indicates that the fault is often within the police rather than with social workers. I can recall the number of time when my staff had diligently compile evidence and pass them on to the police and nothing is done about it. On the other side are also the genuinely concerned police officers who also feels that they are often paralyzed and frustrated by the system. The UK needs a very robust child protection system that goes beyond paying lip service to safeguarding vulnerable children. The current child protection system is woefully faulty and requires effective reconfiguration. The law enforcement agencies nationwide needs to do more to support the child protection services or social services should consider the use of private investigators in the protection of vulnerable children from such predators. This case is only a tip of the iceberg; talk to residential children workers and social workers to find out the scale of the problem - especially within Greater London.
Sorry Ruth but I am still waiting having read the SCR exec summary, how Community Care can justify a headline of "Social Workers failed teenage girls abused by sex predators". Its a Daily Mail headline, an unnuanced attention grabber/seeker.
Shame on you.