Gloucestershire agencies 'failed to keep abused girl safe'

A teenage girl with severe learning difficulties was sexually exploited for three years because agencies did not keep her safe, a report has found.

A serious case review found agencies' response in Gloucestershire had been "characterised by drift and delay".

That was despite the girl being at risk of "significant harm" and "extensive" work being done to protect her.

Gloucestershire County Council said it "should have done better" and was "truly sorry".

Other agencies named in the report by the Gloucestershire Safeguarding Children Executive (GSCE) included the police, local NHS and the girl's school and college.

According to the report, there were 149 significant events involving the girl, referred to as "Lauren" in the report for legal reasons.

Those included allegations of rape, sexual assault and sexual exploitation from February 2016 until she was taken into foster care in March 2019.

Over those three years, Lauren made at least 23 allegations of sexual assault to police, 10 of which concerned rape. Only one has resulted in a prosecution.

She was found to have the cognitive age of an eight-year-old and unable to consent to sex but agencies were slow to realise she was being abused.

According to the report some police officers and other officials implied that Lauren was "promiscuous" and had contributed to the abuse.

Those assumptions were "completely inappropriate" said the GSCE.

It said issues of sexual exploitation must be "addressed directly" and that agencies must avoid "victim blaming language".

The GSCE's report said staff at her school spotted signs of neglect including untreated head lice and rotten teeth.

Lauren lived with her father despite his "poor engagement" with services and concerns that he was "not able to keep [her] safe and protected from sexual predators" said the report.

He was asked to monitor her mobile phone use as the abuse escalated.

But instead he bought her an interactive watch that meant she could receive and send messages more easily.

Andy Dempsey, director of partnerships and strategy at Gloucestershire County Council, said: "We have done significant work to make sure any young person in similar circumstances now would be supported very differently and without delay."

Gloucestershire Constabulary's assistant chief constable Craig Holden said the force was "committed to working with partners to address and learn" from the serious case review.

"We would like to reassure people that we do take all allegations of abuse extremely seriously and work closely with colleagues from across the agencies to investigate and keep victims safe," he said.