How to make sure the new grooming gangs inquiry is the last

Louise Casey’s recent report on grooming gangs and child sexual exploitation in England and Wales lays bare institutional failings. It highlights that, at present, victims cannot rely upon the criminal justice system – and that it has badly let them down in the past.

One of Lady Casey’s 12 recommendations is a new national inquiry into child sexual exploitation. This inquiry would review reported cases that did not result in prosecution, and review police and children’s services to identify children at risk. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has accepted this recommendation, and a statutory inquiry will go ahead into child sexual exploitation and grooming gangs.

As an activist and researcher with over 20 years’ experience focused on violence against women and children, if this new inquiry is to go ahead, I believe its remit must be clear and it must be delivered promptly: within the next two to three years. Importantly, it must avoid duplicating the previous independent inquiry into child sexual abuse, led by Alexis Jay and published in October 2022. It is a sign of institutional failure that those recommendations have still not been implemented.

Professor Jay’s inquiry revealed the failure of many schools, local authorities and other institutions to protect and safeguard the children in their care. Survivors and experts criticised a widespread lack of effort on the part of the police, local safeguarding authorities and the government to better protect children from sexual abuse.

The inquiry made 20 recommendations for action, including mandatory reporting of abuse by people who work with children, and better, more unified data on victims and perpetrators. However, there has been little evidence of such action taking place in the intervening years. None of those recommendations have been fully implemented.

One of the problems facing this new inquiry is how to address the current crisis of confidence and doubt over whether the government will heed these calls for change. In January 2025, Jay questioned whether a national inquiry was the most effective way to address the inherent problems associated with investigating and prosecuting the perpetrators, as well as supporting the victims, of child sexual exploitation.

The findings of her 2022 review revealed ample evidence that schools, police officers, council chiefs and social services acted improperly. It found that they failed to protect victims and those at risk of becoming victims, either by victim blaming or turning a blind eye.

But since Jay’s report was released, survivors of child sexual exploitation remain inadequately supported. This has compounded distrust of, and dissatisfaction with, the police and local systems of government.

Ultimately, the consequence of these multiple government failures is that victims of child sexual exploitation are reluctant to reach out to law enforcement. They fear they will be disbelieved or even blamed for what happened to them. Casey’s recent review states that victims have to live with “an overall system that compounds and exacerbates the damage, [and] rarely acknowledges its failures to victims”.

Heeding calls for change

Identifying the failures of the police and local authorities is key to this process. Victims I have spoken to over the years have described being “fobbed off” – told that something was being done when in fact their cases were not progressing at all.

Some action is underway. Since January 2025, the police have reopened for review more than 800 historic cases of group-based child sexual abuse.

In response to Casey’s review, the Home Office has announced that the National Crime Agency has been tasked with working with police forces to deliver “long-awaited justice” for victims whose cases have not yet progressed through the criminal justice system. It is also intended to improve how local police forces investigate such crimes.

But in my opinion, other factors must also be considered as part of these processes. Above all, adequate training for all professionals involved in identifying, investigating and prosecuting these cases is critical to preventing children from becoming prey.

Healthcare providers, for example, must be equipped with the skills to make sure concern about a child leads to action. They often come into contact with exploited children and so need to know how to identify victims and the signs of exploitation. Hospital staff should be aware of the controlling behaviour that may be displayed by predatory groomers.

This will also provide an opportunity to develop multi-agency screening tools that enable health professionals to help all victims. Some may require care due to pregnancy or injuries arising from the abuse.

Casey’s report is a diplomatically framed, national snapshot audit. All who are concerned about child sexual exploitation can find points with which they agree.

Nevertheless, even if positive legislative changes are implemented, disjointed, dysfunctional practices will continue if education is not put in place. The police, social workers, educators, health workers and community workers should receive effective, consistent training about the issues faced by children who are at risk of exploitation.

Until the government holistically addresses child sexual exploitation, its efforts to shift the dial will remain no more than a sticking plaster. The new inquiry should thus ensure the issues underlying these crimes are fully investigated and addressed. The legal system must bring perpetrators to justice and support all victims on the path to seeking justice and accountability.

David Owen, 1961-2025.

In tribute to David Owen, Forum Member for the MSc in Social Work, who died on 21 February 2025, his colleagues Mark Williams, Jon Symonds, Aggie Bezzina, and Mim Cartwright offer a remembrance.

David’s involvement with the social work programme dates back to about 2007, when he joined as a member of The Forum; a group of people with lived experience of using social work services. During his time as a Forum Member, David interviewed countless applicants for the programme and taught hundreds of students about his own experiences of social work. David was the Co-Chair of the Forum between 2011-2015 and represented the voice of lived experience in annual programme reviews.

David was involved in the Forum for longer than many staff have been at the university and was much loved by all. It was always a pleasure to work on interview panels with him as we met applicants for the course. He was kind and generous, but always clear about the importance of social justice in the people who wanted to join the profession.

David was also a keen contributor to lectures and group work. Through the sharing of his life experiences, he strongly conveyed the message to students that social workers share a common humanity with the people they work with.

David Owen

He encouraged students to work at building honest and genuine relationships with people; respecting the personhood of every individual they work with, while also advocating for human rights.

While being serious about his role on the programme, he was also great fun. His fellow forum member, Mark Williams, writes:

“David was very quiet and a polite gentleman. David had a very quick sense of humour, I can’t remember the number of times we had been in meetings that were quite serious and David said something and everyone in the meeting would laugh. David will be very much missed by the forum. I want to thank David for his hard work and many laughs over the years.”

Everyone who worked with David will remember him as a true ‘gentle man’. He was kind and thoughtful, but also confident to speak his mind when he saw injustice. He was the sort of person who, when he spoke, you knew you needed to listen. All of us will miss him.

Alongside his work at the university, David actively contributed to his community through his voluntary work at Paul’s Place and as an active member of the Scouts. He is survived by his father, sister, and brother.

New research shows impact of migration on home ownership

Migrants who settled in their destination country are much less likely to be rent or mortgage free (48%) compared with those who returned to their origin country (84%), new research shows.

Findings from a first-of-its-kind study into migration and housing tenure indicate that settlers into multiple European countries are less likely to have a home of their own, both compared with the wider populations of the destination countries and those who never left (stayers) or who returned to their country of origin (returnees).

These findings are drawn from the pioneering 2000 Families Survey which conducted personal interviews with 5980 individuals nested within 1770 families who originated from Turkey.

The Survey located men who moved from Turkey to Europe as guestworkers and their comparators who stayed behind, and traced their families across Turkey and Europe up to the fourth generation.

Mortgage and rent-free living

The results show that 79% of the returnees, 56% of the stayers and 50% of the settlers own a house (with or without a mortgage) where they currently live.

Looking at those who have no mortgage on their property, or who live rent free, this applies to more than four fifths of the returnees (84%) and two thirds of the stayers (69%) but less than half (48%) of the settlers.

Mortgage holders in different housing markets

There are, however, tenure differences based on the housing market type of the destination country.

In countries with a regulated rental regime that places less emphasis on home ownership, such as Austria, Germany and Switzerland, the proportion of homeowner settlers (with or without a loan or mortgage) is, at 40%, not incomparable to the wider populations of these countries.

This is also true for countries with a regulated expansion regime, such as France and Belgium, that produce better homeownership outcomes for higher income groups. Here, 71% of settlers are homeowners, as compared with 63% and 73% of the wider populations in France and Belgium, respectively.

Strikingly, however, in countries with a liberal expansion regime that are renowned for their support of disadvantaged groups to buy their own homes, such as Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands, the proportion of homeowners is as low as 42% among the settlers while the figures for the wider national populations stand at 64% in Denmark, 83% in Norway, 70% in Sweden and 67% in the Netherlands.

Second homes

The research also shows that 51% of the settlers in Europe, mostly comprised of the first goers, possess a house in Turkey either jointly or individually. The analysis reveals that 64% of the settlers who own a house in Europe, and 42% of the settlers renting there, have part or full ownership of a house in Turkey.

Research implications

Lead author Dr Sebnem Eroglu, from the School for Policy Studies, said:

“Under the guest-worker agreements, labourers (typically men) from Turkey, and other Balkan   and Southern European countries, were invited to contribute to the building of Northern and Western Europe. Despite their significant contributions to their economies and societies, the guestworkers and their descendants settled in Europe often find themselves disadvantaged against the destination country populations as well as their stayer and returnee counterparts.”

“We have found that returnees display the highest share of homeownership whereas the settlers’ share remains the lowest. This finding indicates the significance of migration in helping the returnees accumulate financial resources and convert them into housing assets in the country of origin whilst supporting the past research which documents the barriers faced by migrants in European housing markets – albeit to varying degrees.”

“It is striking that in the countries with a liberal expansion regime, where one would expect greater home ownership amongst the settlers, the figures remain significantly lower than the wider populations of the destination countries. A more positive picture emerges in the housing markets of other destinations, though still not as good as for those who returned to Turkey or never left.”

Co-authors

Eroglu, Sebnem
Bayrakdar, Sait (Dr, Warwick)
Guveli, Ayse (Prof, Warwick)

Additional information

See article published in Housing Studies journal: Full article: Understanding the consequences of international migration for housing tenure: evidence from a multi-site and intergenerational study

Photo by Wynand van Poortvliet on Unsplash

 

Could e-cycling assist individuals who have had a breast cancer diagnosis to be more physically active? 

This study aimed to explore the potential role of e-cycling for individuals with a breast cancer diagnosis. It looked at physical activity engagement levels amongst those undergoing treatment, their perception of e-bikes after a taster session and if there is an optimal time to introduce e-cycling during treatment.
 
The project initially began as a dissertation topic for one of the postgraduate students on the MSc Nutrition, Physical Activity and Public Health programme, in collaboration with academic and research staff, and has subsequantally been published in The International Journal for Environmental Research and Public Health.
 
by Jessica Bourne, Miranda Armstrong and Kirsty Way. 

The importance of physical activity in tackling breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, generating substantial financial burdens through healthcare and lost productivity. Public Health interventions are crucial in addressing these issues.

Several risk factors contribute to developing breast cancer and survival rates. Being physically active is one lifestyle behaviour that has been shown to help aid recovery and lower your risk of cancer coming back. Exercise also helps alleviate many of the common side effects of cancer treatment, including fatigue, low mood, and lack of energy.

Physical activity guidelines for individuals with a breast cancer diagnosis are the same as for the adult population. That is, to accumulate 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week (like brisk walking) or 75 minutes of vigorous activity (like jogging), plus strength training twice a week. Meeting these recommendations before and after a breast cancer diagnosis can cut the risk of breast cancer recurrence by almost half, and your risk of dying from breast cancer by nearly one-third.

However, despite the known benefits, physical activity engagement decreases following a breast cancer diagnosis, with around 50% of women not meeting guidelines. There are several reasons why women might not be physically active during treatment. These include physical limitations like shoulder problems from surgery, feeling tired and lacking energy, and not having a good space or time to exercise. Gentle exercise can help alleviate many of these symptoms so, finding activities that make getting moving easier is important.

The Potential of E-bikes

Female on e-bikeElectrically assisted bicycle (e-bikes; also known as pedelecs), provide electrical assistance to the user only when they pedal. They have become increasingly popular recently and help users to ride further with less effort. E-cycling may increase physical activity levels due to users riding them more often and for longer distances than conventional bicycles. This is despite the reduced physical effort associated with riding an e-bike in comparison to a conventional bicycle. Researchers have also found that engaging in e-cycling has a favourable impact on fitness and mental health. Given the reduced physical exertion of e-cycling in comparison to regular cycling and the promising health outcomes, e-cycling maybe an acceptable physical activity for individuals diagnosed and or being treated for breast cancer. However, no research to date has examined the perception of e-cycling among these individuals.

We conducted one-on-one interviews with 24 women who had been diagnosed with breast cancer (mean age = 57 years). On average individuals were approximately 3-years since diagnosis. We held two interviews with each individual: one before trialling an e-bike and one after. E-bike taster sessions lasted 1-hour and were conducted by qualified cycling instructors in the community. All equipment required for the taster session was provided. We looked for themes across the interviews that captured the thoughts and feelings of these individuals.

Overcoming the side-effects of treatment

The cancer treatment individuals received had a large impact on their activity levels. This was due to reduced energy, feelings of weakness, fatigue and a general lack of motivation to be active. For women who were previous cyclists, e-bikes were seen as a way of helping them to get back on the road due to the extra help provided. Women commented that the prospect of e-cycling provided a sense of independence. It was also a chance to regain their identity which they had lost due to the breast cancer diagnosis. Often women were anxious about how much effort e-cycling would need. Following the taster session women commented on the ease of e-cycling and felt it would not lead to feelings of exhaustion. While some participants saw e-bikes as a way to stay active even on low-energy days, others were cautious. They worried about pushing themselves too hard and compromising their health. Women felt it was important to listen to their bodies and prioritise rest on days when fatigue was high. For those individuals e-bikes could be a great option on good days, but sometimes taking it easy was the best choice.

A boost for the body

After the taster session many participants felt that e-cycling had raised their heart rate, and they were able to have a ‘good workout.’ They said that they worked harder than expected despite the assistance of the e-bike. Individuals felt e-cycling played a type of ‘psychological trick’ on them and their willingness to cycle. The ability to change the level of assistance was extremely important to this group. It meant they could alter their exertion level based on how they were feeling. This assistance meant that tackling hills was not a concern.

Not just about the workout

Participants said e-cycling could help with fitness, strength, and boosting their circulation. Improved circulation can help treatment drugs work better. However, they felt the biggest advantage of e-bikes was psychological. Being outdoors and breathing in the fresh air made people want to keep e-cycling. Many who first thought e-bikes weren’t for them, changed their minds after completing the taster session. They found e-cycling to be an enjoyable way to exercise, making them more likely to give it another go in the future. For some women, who often felt out of control during treatment, riding the e-bike was empowering. Feelings of achievement motivate people to sticking with exercise, especially during cancer treatment. It is also good for keeping active in the long term.

Social Interaction

A key reported benefit of e-cycling was the social opportunities that e-cycling provides. Many had not been able to cycle with others since their diagnosis, but e-bikes made it possible to join in again. The shared experience of cycling with others created a sense of encouragement and made it even more enjoyable. The electrical assistance evened out everyone’s speed. This reduced users’ anxiety about being too slow or comparing themselves to others.

This social connection is more than just having fun with friends. It can also be a powerful motivator to keep exercising. Studies show that we are more likely to stick with something if we do it with others who are cheering us on. E-bikes provide a perfect opportunity for that social support system, making physical activity less like a chore.

The downsides of e-cycling

The biggest barrier that participants mention about e-cycling was the potential financial investment. For many this would stop them from considering engaging in e-cycling in the future. Related to this were concerns around theft. Discussions arose around fear and anxiety associated with parking an e-bike in a public space for fear it would not be there on return. Several other e-bike perception studies have also reported this. Environmental changes to the availability of parking facilities for bicycle users may therefore need to change for them to become more popular.

Towards an individualised approach

Despite the challenges, e-bikes emerged as a promising option for boosting physical activity among individuals being treated for and recovering from breast cancer. E-bikes can help to overcome many barriers associated with regular cycling. They also offer both physical and mental benefits. Participants responded positively to e-bike taster sessions. This suggests that they could be a valuable tool for encouraging exercise in this group. Yet, the best time to introduce an e-bike intervention in this population is hard to pinpoint. Different patients have different experiences of breast cancer and receive different treatments. Therefore, an individual approach might be best.

Read the published study here.