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| Child care home rules 'may have helped paedophiles' | Child care home rules 'may have helped paedophiles' |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| "Absurd" secrecy rules applying to children in care homes may have helped paedophiles target them, Education Secretary Michael Gove has said. | "Absurd" secrecy rules applying to children in care homes may have helped paedophiles target them, Education Secretary Michael Gove has said. |
| Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Gove described a "wall of silence" when he tried to get information about homes. | Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Gove described a "wall of silence" when he tried to get information about homes. |
| The education secretary was acting in the wake of the Rochdale grooming scandal in which a group of men were jailed for targeting young girls. | The education secretary was acting in the wake of the Rochdale grooming scandal in which a group of men were jailed for targeting young girls. |
| The government is to publish a report on children's homes in England later. | |
| 'Bewildering regulations' | 'Bewildering regulations' |
| Mr Gove described a situation where it was very difficult to gather basic information about care homes and the children in them. | Mr Gove described a situation where it was very difficult to gather basic information about care homes and the children in them. |
| He said he believed this could have hindered the police and helped individuals and groups seeking to harm children. | He said he believed this could have hindered the police and helped individuals and groups seeking to harm children. |
| The education secretary said his department was unable to gather details about where children's homes were located and who was responsible for them. | The education secretary said his department was unable to gather details about where children's homes were located and who was responsible for them. |
| The regulator Ofsted was not allowed to pass information to the police because of data protection rules and what Mr Gove called other "bewildering regulations". | The regulator Ofsted was not allowed to pass information to the police because of data protection rules and what Mr Gove called other "bewildering regulations". |
| Mr Gove said gangs that targeted children in places such as Rochdale did have this information. | Mr Gove said gangs that targeted children in places such as Rochdale did have this information. |
| He said: "They knew where the homes were; they knew how to contact the children - at the fish and chip shop, the amusement arcade, in the local park, or just by hanging around outside the houses. | He said: "They knew where the homes were; they knew how to contact the children - at the fish and chip shop, the amusement arcade, in the local park, or just by hanging around outside the houses. |
| "In the name of 'protecting children' by officially 'protecting' their information, we had ended up helping the very people we were supposed to be protecting them from. | "In the name of 'protecting children' by officially 'protecting' their information, we had ended up helping the very people we were supposed to be protecting them from. |
| "We shielded the children from the authorities who needed to be looking out for them. An 'out of sight, out of mind' culture developed." | "We shielded the children from the authorities who needed to be looking out for them. An 'out of sight, out of mind' culture developed." |
| 'Indefensible' | 'Indefensible' |
| Mr Gove said he had been been determined to change the situation, resulting in the publication of Friday's detailed report. | Mr Gove said he had been been determined to change the situation, resulting in the publication of Friday's detailed report. |
| He said it was "indefensible" that almost half of children in homes were placed outside their local authority area, and more than a third over 20 miles away. | He said it was "indefensible" that almost half of children in homes were placed outside their local authority area, and more than a third over 20 miles away. |
| "So, too, is the fact that more than half of children's homes are in areas with above-average crime levels," he added. | "So, too, is the fact that more than half of children's homes are in areas with above-average crime levels," he added. |
| The report is set to reveal that councils spent an average of £4,000 a week to put a child in a home. | The report is set to reveal that councils spent an average of £4,000 a week to put a child in a home. |
| It will show that almost one in three homes are believed to have fallen below the government's minimum standards. | It will show that almost one in three homes are believed to have fallen below the government's minimum standards. |
| Nine men from Rochdale and Oldham in Greater Manchester were jailed in 2012 for running a child sexual exploitation ring. | Nine men from Rochdale and Oldham in Greater Manchester were jailed in 2012 for running a child sexual exploitation ring. |
| The men, who exploited girls as young as 13, were given sentences of between four and 19 years. | The men, who exploited girls as young as 13, were given sentences of between four and 19 years. |