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Behind every one of the terrible headlines that have resurfaced these past weeks is a child who has been failed and a system that has sidelined their experience and their voice.

Holding local services accountable for how they protect the most vulnerable children is essential but must also be supported by strong national leadership. Any new evidence uncovered from this audit by Dame Louise Casey must be carefully and thoroughly investigated – nothing can be off the table when it comes to pursuing justice for victims and to preventing further harm to children living at risk now. I look forward to supporting this work as it progresses swiftly – particularly regarding gaps in data gathering, which my office is actively investigating.

As adults, our responsibility to protect children from harm extends beyond designing services and systems that reflect their needs. We must also take much greater care in how we address these issues publicly, because children are witness to this discourse in a way that was not true for previous generations. Verbal abuse or personal insults have no place in policymaking, especially when it is in the service of keeping children safe.

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