Title

CHILDREN'S SERVICES

Council apologies for failing to spot signs of historic exploitation

Kirklees MBC has apologised for failing to protect two girls from abuse after an independent review found opportunities were lost to protect them from exploitation.

Kirklees MBC has apologised for failing to protect two girls from abuse after an independent review found opportunities were lost to protect them from exploitation.

The review into historic child sexual abuse was conducted by social work expert Mark Peel.

Kirklees' director of children's services, Mel Meggs, said: ‘We are truly sorry that these two girls were not protected in the right way.'

Council chief executive, Jacqui Gedman, said: ‘We commissioned Dr Peel's report because we were determined to gain a fully independent view of our practise at the time of these cases.

'We have been completely open in our desire to examine our own actions and make every improvement we possibly can.

'We absolutely agree with Dr Peel that a small number of the cases could, and should, have been handled differently at the time and, on behalf of the council, I want to apologise to the girls that we let down.'

CHILDREN'S SERVICES

How not to damage democracy

By Philip Whiteman | 16 October 2025

Jason Lowther, Paul Joyce and Philip Whiteman look at the lessons from previous models of local government support, and say that the intervention process mus...

CHILDREN'S SERVICES

EXCLUSIVE SURVEY: 'Women are being failed'

By Dan Peters | 18 September 2025

One in 10 local authority female staff have experienced inappropriate touching by a manager, a landmark sexual harassment survey by trade union Unite has found.

CHILDREN'S SERVICES

Preventing abuse from happening must be our ultimate goal

By Rachael Wardell | 04 July 2025

As leaders of children’s services prepare to gather for their annual conference next week, Rachael Wardell says the full commitment of all public agencies, g...

CHILDREN'S SERVICES

Councils need to step up and get a grip on CSE

By Heather Jameson | 19 June 2025

There has been political inaction across the major parties on child sexual exploitation, spanning central and local government – and it must not be allowed t...

Popular articles by Laura Sharman