The children's commissioner for England has demanded the Government opens a child protection authority immediately.
Dame Rachel de Souza's call comes four years after the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse – the most comprehensive investigation of its kind in UK history – recommended the creation of a long-promised independent child protection authority.
A Department for Education (DfE) consultation on the creation of a national body to improve child protection in England closed three months ago and Whitehall is still analysing feedback.
Dame Rachel's call comes as 'sadistic' high school teacher Jamie Varley was told he will die in jail after murdering his adopted baby, 13-month-old Preston Davey, during a sex attack in 2023.
She said: ‘This Government has committed to doing it. That authority would have the power to hold all these people accountable who work with children and make sure they do their job and make sure the lessons are shared and learned.
‘Now I've been waiting for this child protection authority to be set up. There's been a consultation. It's gone too slow.
‘My demand today to the Government is get it open today. That is what we need. We need a child protection authority with teeth to hold accountability and make sure the system isn't fragmented.'
Dame Rachel added: ‘We need to do better. What we need is action. I want that child protection authority set up today so that we can make sure there's proper data sharing.'
The DfE has been approached for comment.
