The independent investigation into Grooming Gangs has revealed the initial regions targeted for detailed local scrutiny. Oldham, Bradford and Keighley, and London are the first areas selected for examination by the Statutory Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs, with additional locations to follow shortly. This £65 million inquiry aims to delve into the operations of grooming gangs and assess the responses of law enforcement, councils, health services, social care services, and schools.
Furthermore, the inquiry will assess whether areas previously reviewed for grooming gang activities, such as Telford, Rochdale, Oxford, and Rotherham, have implemented the recommended changes. Oldham was identified for investigation last year, with ongoing evidence collection. Concerns in Bradford and Keighley, raised by victims, survivors, campaigners, elected officials, and others, will now be directly scrutinized by the Inquiry.
In London, the Inquiry will focus on identifying and addressing group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse by grooming gangs, including London’s connections with surrounding areas. It will consider ongoing efforts, including those by the London Assembly. The Inquiry is also releasing its Victims and Survivors Charter, outlining support for sharing experiences and influencing the inquiry’s direction.
Any criminal evidence discovered will be forwarded to Operation Beaconport, a national police initiative launched last year to review previously closed cases. Baroness Anne Longfield, former children’s commissioner for England, leads the inquiry, armed with legal authority to compel witness testimonies and demand document submissions.
Baroness Longfield emphasized the inquiry’s mission to uncover the reasons behind state failures in addressing abuse incidents, hold accountable those who neglected victims, and ensure that past recommendations are implemented to safeguard children. National Accountability Hearings are set to commence soon to evaluate institutional responses to grooming gangs and Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse findings over the past two decades. The aim is to prevent future inquiries into grooming gangs through comprehensive actions based on past lessons.