LANCASHIRE county councillors are being reminded they are responsible for ensuring the Rotherham and Rochdale gang-grooming scandals are not repeated in the authority area. A group of elected members will attend a special briefing session on Thursday (Oct 9) on child sexual exploitation. Details of a rolling programme of training for were revealed after Blackburn with Darwen announced new drive to remind its councillors of their responsibilities towards vulnerable young people. In March 2008, following the Lancashire Telegraph’s ‘Keep Them Safe’ campaign, the borough set up the Engage team with Lancashire Police to tackle child sexual exploitation and a growing threat of girls being groomed by gangs of often Asian older men. It was extended to Hyndburn and Ribble Valley, Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale. County Council children’s boss Matthew Tomlinson said: "We have a clear and robust approach to tackling the issue of child sexual exploitation. "Three multi-agency teams have been created, one for each police division, which include police, health, social care and voluntary agencies, who work closely together to help protect our children and young people from being sexually abused. "We also have a rolling programme of briefings and updates for county councillors.”
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