HAVE YOUR SAY: CSE cash investment shows Rotherham “is changing”

Fifteen CSE specialists will be hired by charity Barnardo’s to spot the signs in at-risk youngsters and help survivors rebuild their lives.

The model is similar to youth service Risky Business — commended in the Jay report but axed by Rotherham Borough Council in 2011.

The Government pledged £250,000 in February, when then local government secretary Eric Pickles said: “Risky Business is now missing from Rotherham. This should not continue.”

The council set aside £702,000 while the KPMG Foundation is investing £1.2 million, Barnardo’s £425,000 and the Department for Education £500,000.

Council children’s director, Ian Thomas (pictured) said: “We wouldn’t get big chunks of money from private sector-created organisations like the KPMG Foundation unless we showed real change.

“We’ve had to demonstrate that there’s been the green shoots of recovery in how we respond to referrals and work in partnership with police and health colleagues.”

The cash will also fund preventative education programmes and a base — away from council or police premises — for the three-year project.

Mr Thomas said: “Why Risky Business was successful was because it was seen as outside the council, at arm’s length.

“Building on what was good about Risky Business, this is about capturing what’s been learned over the past few years to deliver a service tailored to the needs of our children.

“Critically, we wanted to include victims and survivors from the inception because they possess experience and expertise that we don’t have.

“We also wanted to tap into the vast expertise of the oldest children’s charity in the UK.”

Job descriptions are being drawn up by Barnardo’s ahead of a targeted autumn start date.

Barnardo’s chief executive Javed Khan said: “We bring our combined expertise and experience to deliver this specialist service to help prevent this abuse from inflicting devastating damage on more young lives.”

Council leader, Cllr Chris Read, said: “Projects like this can make a real difference, reaching out to young people who might be at risk, building trust and supporting those who may become victims.”

Children’s minister Edward Timpson said the cash would play a vital part in the moral duty to support youngsters at risk of abuse.

Mr Thomas said special care was taken to avoid any conflict of interest with the main KPMG firm — the council’s external accountants.

Parent Sally-Jane — not her real name — said Risky Business had provided amazing support for her daughter from the age of 13.

She added: “I think it’s brilliant that Rotherham’s got this funding. We can’t change what’s happened but it’s a really good start to help future generations.

“But, personally, as a parent who’s been dealing with CSE for seven years, I have never come across or had any help from Barnardo’s.”