This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-31130750

The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Rotherham Council 'not fit for purpose' over child abuse failings Rotherham Council 'not fit for purpose' over child abuse failings
(35 minutes later)
Rotherham Council is "not fit for purpose", an investigation into the local authority at the centre of the child abuse scandal has found.Rotherham Council is "not fit for purpose", an investigation into the local authority at the centre of the child abuse scandal has found.
Louise Casey's report found a culture of bullying, sexism, suppression and misplaced "political correctness" at the council. Louise Casey's report found a culture of bullying, sexism, suppression and misplaced "political correctness".
It also has a "deep-rooted" culture of cover-ups and silencing whistleblowers, she added.It also has a "deep-rooted" culture of cover-ups and silencing whistleblowers, she added.
She was asked by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles to inspect the council.She was asked by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles to inspect the council.
Ms Casey said the child sexual exploitation (CSE) team was poorly directed, suffered from excessive case loads, and did not share information between agencies.Ms Casey said the child sexual exploitation (CSE) team was poorly directed, suffered from excessive case loads, and did not share information between agencies.
She said: "This inspection revealed past and present failures to accept, understand and combat the issue of child sexual exploitation, resulting in a lack of support for victims and insufficient action against known perpetrators."She said: "This inspection revealed past and present failures to accept, understand and combat the issue of child sexual exploitation, resulting in a lack of support for victims and insufficient action against known perpetrators."
Council leader 'a bully'
The inspection team reviewed approximately 7,000 documents, looked in detail at case files and met with more than 200 people, including current and former staff, council members, partners, victims and parents.The inspection team reviewed approximately 7,000 documents, looked in detail at case files and met with more than 200 people, including current and former staff, council members, partners, victims and parents.
According to the report child abusers in Rotherham are identified but "little or no action is taken to stop or even disrupt their activities".According to the report child abusers in Rotherham are identified but "little or no action is taken to stop or even disrupt their activities".
The council has an "excessive deference" to South Yorkshire Police, something which prevented the use of council powers to tackle perpetrators and a lack of scrutiny over the police's actions. Rotherham Council demonstrated a "resolute denial" of the child abuse that was taking place, the report found.
Ms Casey said the local authority was "repeatedly told" by its own youth service what was happening.
It chose, she said "not only to not act, but to close that service down."
Attitudes within the council include dismissal of Professor Jay's findings, denial of knowledge of the "scale and scope" of CSE, blaming others and denial that CSE remains a serious problem in present day Rotherham.
The council also had an "excessive deference" to South Yorkshire Police, something which prevented the use of council powers to tackle perpetrators, and a lack of scrutiny over the police's actions.
Investigators were told that former council leader Roger Stone had been "a bully".
"What Stone said, went," a senior officer told the investigation. "Everyone was terrified of Stone."
A councillor said: "He is a bully in my opinion. In Labour group he would impress himself on people, male or female. A lot of women have felt a sense of suppression and macho culture."
Mr Stone declined to be interviewed by investigators but sent a statement instead.
Ms Casey, who is director-general for troubled families at the Communities Department, was asked to inspect the council in September.
1,400 children abused
Her report is the latest in a series of investigations following the publication of the Jay Report in August 2014.
Prof Alexis Jay found an estimated 1,400 children had been sexually abused in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013.
Children as young as 11 were raped by multiple perpetrators, abducted, trafficked to other cities in England, beaten and intimidated.
Staff at the council did not report issues for fear of appearing racist, Ms Casey's report found.
But the investigators said that by failing to take action against the abusers of Pakistani heritage, the council had "inadvertently fuelled the far right and allowed racial tensions to grow".
The report added that the lack of action had done a great disservice to the Pakistani community.
Two investigations by Commons committees have been launched since the Jay Report was published and a number of high-profile figures have resigned including Shaun Wright, South Yorkshire's police and crime commissioner, who had been a councillor in the town and responsible for children's services.
Roger Stone, the chief executive Martin Kimber and the council's director of children's services Joyce Thacker also quit.
Mr Wright also refused to be interviewed for Ms Casey's report and sent a statement saying he had been unaware of the extent of the abuse.
The National Crime Agency has taken over the investigation into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham and is in the preliminary stage of its inquiry.
Last month, Ofsted admitted to the Communities and Local Government Committee that its inspections of children's services in the town had been "not good enough".
Inspectors from the regulator failed to spot the extent of child sexual exploitation in the town over several years, rating the council as adequate.
Meanwhile, police watchdog the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is investigating 10 South Yorkshire Police officers over their handling of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham.