SDLP Foyle MLA Sinéad McLaughlin has called for answers after it was revealed that the Western Trust failed to keep any records of the number of children in its residential care that were subject to suspected sexual exploitation in 2017/2018 or 2018/2019.
Responses received from the Northern, Southern, Western and Belfast Trusts to Freedom of Information Requests revealed that the Western Trust is unique among those Trusts in failing to keep records during these two years.
The response from the Western Trust details that in 2021/22, eleven children in the residential care of the Western Trust were subject to suspected sexual exploitation.
Said the Foyle MLA: “Sexual exploitation is a heinous crime and it’s incumbent on all of us to do everything in our power to make sure that no child ever falls victim to such appalling acts.
“It is deeply concerning and disturbing that there appears to have been a total failure by the Western Trust to keep records on the number of children in its care that were subjected to suspected sexual exploitation for two years.
“I find it absolutely unacceptable to think that the Trust could have failed in its duty to properly record the extent of this horrendous crime against vulnerable young people in these years.
“This is particularly concerning given the recent concerns that were raised in relation to the number of young at-risk people having gone missing in the Western Trust.
“Over the past number of years, I know that initiatives have been put in place to try to combat this crime including through early intervention and prevention and taking a comprehensive and well-resourced approach.
“However, the truth is that we can only measure the success of these interventions if we understand the trends in the longer-term scale of the problem.
“Quite often, the cases we know about are often also feared to only be the tip of the iceberg as young people may struggle to come forward.
“I will be writing to the Chief Executive of the Western Trust asking for answers as to why this was the case and what steps have been taken to ensure all settings in the Trust are now recording accurately the number of children that may fall victim to this terrible crime”.
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