Home Secretary unveils new ‘centre for expertise’ to prevent child sexual exploitation

The Home Office will provide a £40m cash injection

Amber Rudd said that the Government had done more than any before it to tackle abuse and trafficking (PA)

The Home Secretary is to unveil a £40m plan aimed at preventing a repeat of the child sexual exploitation scandals seen in Rotherham, Rochdale and Oxford.

Amber Rudd’s cash injection will be used in part to set up a National Centre of Expertise for Preventing Child Sexual Exploitation – to assist police forces in such investigations in the future.

£20m of the fund will go to the National Crime Agency and £2.2m to charities working to protect children at risk of trafficking.

The Home Secretary Amber Rudd said the plan would improve the UK’s ability to fight such crimes.

“Children should be able to grow up free from the horrors of sexual abuse, exploitation and trafficking,” she wrote in an article for the Mumsnet website.

“Since 2010, the Government has done more than any other to tackle these horrific offences. We have increased support for victims of sexual abuse, invested in training and technology to improve law enforcement's response to abuse both on and offline, and brought in a tougher inspection regime to ensure all front-line professions are meeting their child protection duties.

“But there is more to do. The measures I am announcing today will further improve our ability to protect children and under my watch I am determined to bring those that would try to steal their childhood to justice."

Richard Watts, chairman of the Local Government Association's Children and Young People Board, welcomed the investment. “The measures announced today will make sure that we have the best evidence we can about preventing, tackling and helping victims to recover from child sexual abuse and exploitation,” he said, “and much-needed investment in services will help partners work together to keep more children safe."