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

The Casey Commission: True stories that shift policy

By Jess McGregor | 26 November 2025

As the National Children and Adults Services Conference gets under way in Bournemouth today, Jess McGregor praises Baroness Casey for bringing clarity of pur...

CHILDREN'S SERVICES

Review finds council failures ahead of Sara Sharif murder

By William Eichler | 14 November 2025

Children’s services in Surrey failed to identify abuse suffered by 10-year-old Sara Sharif before her murder, a safeguarding practice review has found.

CHILDREN'S SERVICES

Failures continue at Grenfell council, peers find

By Joe Lepper | 11 November 2025

Housing challenges are continuing at the council at the centre of the Grenfell tragedy, a Local Government Association (LGA) peer review has warned.

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...

Popular articles by Laura Sharman