The sexual exploitation of children: it couldn’t happen here, could it?

This thematic inspection was commissioned to evaluate the effectiveness of local authorities’ current response to child sexual exploitation. The report draws on evidence from inspection and case examination in eight local authorities and from the views of children and young people, parents, carers, practitioners and managers. In addition, themes from the aligned inspections of 36 children’s homes and the collation of findings from the 33 published inspections of services for children in need of help and protection, children looked after and care leavers and reviews of Local Safeguarding Children Boards contributed to the findings.