Jail Threat For Child Abuse Case Neglect

Sexual abuse of children will be reclassified as a "national threat", with jail sentences for public sector workers who fail to protect youngsters, under Government plans.

It is among a series of proposals unveiled by the Prime Minister in response to abuse scandals in towns and cities where children have been consistently let down.

The crime of "wilful neglect" would be extended to cover children's social care and education, with unlimited fines for individuals and organisations shown to have failed in their duties.

At a Downing Street summit later David Cameron will say: "Children were ignored, sometimes even blamed, and issues were swept under the carpet - often because of a warped and misguided sense of political correctness.

"That culture of denial which let them down so badly must be eradicated.

"Today, I am sending an unequivocal message that professionals who fail to protect children will be held properly accountable and council bosses who preside over such catastrophic failure will not see rewards for that failure."

Education Secretary Nicky Morgan told Sky News the prison sentence threat would affect teachers and social workers.

She insisted her department was putting in place measures to help authorities better address the issue of child abuse, including the training of children's social workers.

It comes as a damning report into the sexual torture of girls in Oxford is about to be published.

Like previous reviews in Rotherham and Rochdale , it will confirm missed opportunities to end the suffering and that youngsters were cast adrift by an inept social care system.

Seven men were jailed for a total of 95 years in May 2013 for grooming, trafficking and systematic sexual abuse of young girls in Oxford .

Since the gang members were arrested, social care has been shaken up in Oxford and a unit known as "Kingfisher" established where social workers and police officers work side by side.

Detective Inspector Laura McInnes said: "Child sexual exploitation is everywhere. When I first started on the team I wondered if we would find enough work and I have been overwhelmed by the amount of work that is coming in.

"I think for any area that perhaps feels that they have not got a problem I would say you probably aren't looking hard enough for it."

Every police patrol is now focused on looking for the signs or behaviours that may mean young people are exposed to abuse.

Sue Evans, social care team manager, told Sky News: "In previous years we did not properly understand the grooming process and the way it eroded the decision making capacity of a child.

"We do now understand that and we have responded in a way that gives all agencies the best chance of ending the hold abusers can gain over children."

More than 200 children deemed to be at risk of abuse in the Thames Valley have been referred to the Kingfisher team since it was created.

Founder of Enough Abuse UK, Marilyn Woods, told Sky News: "Anyone believing this crime can never happen again is naive, unrealistic, uninformed and wrong.

"Attempting to smooth over the here and now reality, misinforms the public and is ultimately damaging for all."

A new national helpline for whistleblowers will also be set up under the Prime Minister's proposals along with new funding for groups working with survivors.