Committees

Tom Crowther KC to be questioned on Child Sexual Exploitation inquiries

28 March 2025

In January, the Government announced that Tom Crowther KC would develop a framework for locally led, victim centred, inquiries into child sexual exploitation. He chaired the Independent Inquiry into Telford Child Exploitation between 2019 and 2022.

A police operation into child prostitution in Telford found that girls as young as 13 had been sexually exploited and groomed. The Telford report was commissioned by Telford & Wrekin Council to investigate failings by local agencies in dealing with child sexual exploitation. It worked with victims to develop its terms of reference and developed procedures to make participation less confrontational. 

The report estimated 1,000 children had been exploited between 1989 and 2019. It made 47 recommendations with the overarching aim of improving outcomes for children. These included specific recommendations for council, education, policing, health and the night-time economy. The report also called for improvements to complaints handling, information sharing and data collection. 

In this session, the Home Affairs Committee will explore the impact the Telford report has had on the local response to child sexual abuse and how it can serve as a template for wider child sexual exploitation inquiries. It will examine how the national framework for child sexual exploitation is being developed and how it will be implemented. 

The session will also be an opportunity to explore wider issues relating to child sexual exploitation, including a ‘duty of candour’ and the role of the Inspector of Constabulary and the Child Sexual Exploitation Taskforce.

Witnesses

From 2.30pm:

  • Tom Crowther KC, Chair, Independent Inquiry into Telford Child Sexual Exploitation 

Further information

Image: Oldham Council