First two phases of Scottish grooming gangs review to take up to 18 months

The first two phases of a review into grooming gangs in Scotland will take up to 18 months, the watchdogs leading it have said.

The Scottish Government announced a review in December after facing pressure to call a public inquiry into the operation of grooming gangs in Scotland.

The Care Inspectorate, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS), Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education in Scotland (HMIE) were instructed to lead the probe.

In an update released on Monday, the bodies said it will take place in three stages, assessment, assurance and improvement.

The first phase will look at the scale of the issue, along with assessing the arrangements currently in place for the detection and prevention of grooming gang activity.

The second and third phases will look to understand what is working to prevent grooming gangs and what can be improved, including that which may merit a national response.

Throughout the review, the bodies will look at how well public bodies work together to prevent, identify and act on grooming gangs.

The timeline for the first two stages to be completed has been set at 18 months, with no time limit put on completion of the work.

The announcement comes as bosses at the four bodies met with the Chief Officers Group – made up of the senior members of health boards, councils, social work and policing – on Monday.

Jackie Irvine, the chief executive of the Care Inspectorate, said after Monday’s meeting: “Child sexual abuse and exploitation and child criminal exploitation are significant harms that have a devastating impact on survivors, their families and carers and wider Scottish society.

“Our meeting today, with a broad range of public protection representatives, set out the full scope of the national review.

“We will report the joint findings and conclusions at the end of each phase, with the first one culminating in the summer.”

Craig Naylor, the Chief Inspector of Constabulary, said: “This national review will gather evidence which will support Scottish Government Ministers’ considerations of whether there should be a future public inquiry into group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation.”

But Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr hit out at the length of time the review will take, questioning why the Government do not favour calling a public inquiry.

“This lengthy wait for a decision is completely unacceptable for Scottish victims of grooming gangs.

“If the SNP are serious about tackling child sexual exploitation, they must stop hiding behind reviews and commit to a full, independent inquiry now.

“John Swinney set up this review to kick the can down the road, and the question he has to answer is, why?

“His Justice Secretary lied to parliament to make the case against a grooming gangs inquiry, and now the review he set up is allowing him to stall for time again.

“Victims want and deserve answers now. The First Minister is betraying them by standing in the way of an inquiry being established.”