Councils have warned a £40m package of Government measures to protect children and young people from sexual abuse, exploitation and trafficking, is not enough.
The measures include £7.5m until 2020 for a new centre of expertise on child sexual abuse - a consortium of health, law enforcement and social care experts who will be able to provide guidance for tackling abuse.
There will also be £20m for the National Crime Agency to tackle online child sexual exploitation and £2.2m for organisations working to protect children at risk of trafficking.
Home secretary Amber Rudd wrote: ‘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.’
Jenny Coles, of the Association of Directors of Children's Services, said: 'We must also look to address the cultural, moral and social issues that sit at the heart of this abuse, for example, the over-sexualisation of children, young people and women in the media, as a matter of urgency.'
The Local Government Association (LGA) warned more money and a ‘coordinated long-term strategy’ was needed to tackle child sexual exploitation.
Chair of the LGA’s children and young people board, Cllr Richard Watts, said: ‘It is important the Government recognises the wider funding pressures facing social workers and others trying to deliver services for vulnerable children, with councils facing a £1.9bn funding gap in children’s services by 2020.
‘While funding individual programmes of work is positive, a coordinated long-term strategy and funding to protect all children is vital.’