Slow progress towards better safeguards

Protection from abuse for children living away from home has
improved over the past 10 years. But help for children who have
been sexually abused has not improved, and abusers are no more
likely to be brought to justice now than then, says a new research
study.

The review of progress since the publication of the Utting
report People Like Us found that although legislation and guidance
have been strengthened, there is a gap between policy and
practice.

The report, published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, warns
against relying too heavily on police checks when recruiting people
to work with children, and endorses the Bichard (Soham)
Inquiry’s call for better use of “soft” information about
potential abusers.

There has been no improvement in conviction rates for those who
sexually abuse children, says the report, and this is undermining
efforts to prevent potential abusers from working with
children.

Some groups of children, including disabled children, children
in mental health settings and children in custody, are still very
vulnerable, warns the report.

• www.jrf.org.uk