Bradford to hold review into historical child sex abuse

The serious case review will be "informed by the experiences" of victims of child sex abuse

A serious case review will be held into historical child sex abuse (CSE) in Bradford.

The chair of the city's Safeguarding Children Board has said she will commission an independent person to conduct the review.

In a document seen by the BBC, Jane Booth said the inquiry would examine how agencies in Bradford had responded to CSE in the past.

Bradford Council said it would be "keen" to receive the findings.

Ms Booth said she had made the decision to convene a "serious case review to look at how Bradford agencies have responded to CSE in the past".

This would be "informed by the experience of victims", she said.

Ms Booth added: "We will hold agencies to account for the quality of the service they delivered and challenge them where their actions or inaction did not protect children."

Fiona Goddard, 25, waived her legal right to life-long anonymity to discuss her case

In a case earlier this year, nine men were jailed for raping and abusing two teenage girls living in a children's home in Bradford from 2008.

One of the victims in the case, Fiona Goddard, who waived her right to life-long anonymity, has said she wants a public inquiry.

"It needs to be an independent one, not done by social care," she said.

Adrian Farley, executive member for children's services at Bradford Council, said the authority welcomed the review as an "important part of learning lessons of the past".

He said as the review had been commissioned by the independently chaired Safeguarding Children Board it would be "inappropriate" to comment further.

"We would be really keen to receive the findings and ensure lessons have been learned," Mr Farley added.