Key takeaways from grooming gangs report

The report highlights flaws in data collection, which it says means it is not possible to assess the scale of the issue.

It cites the Complex and Organised Child Abuse Dataset which identified around 700 recorded offences of group-based child sexual exploitation in 2023, saying this is the only figure on group-based child sexual exploitation.

The report says this is highly unlikely to reflect the true scale of the issue, given this crime is under-reported and suffers from confusing and inconsistently applied definitions.

One key data gap highlighted by the report is on ethnicity, which is described as “appalling” and a “major failing”.

It says the…