Victorian Government defends senior official Sonia Sharp over link to Rotherham sexual abuse scandal in UK

Updated

The Victorian Government is standing by the appointment of a senior state education official who has been linked to a shocking child abuse scandal in northern England.

An independent report released this week blamed police and local authorities in Rotherham for failing to prevent the sexual exploitation of at least 1,400 children over a 16-year period between 1997 and 2013.

The report outlined rape, trafficking and severe mental and physical abuse involving children as young as 11, and included cases of children being made to witness violent rapes, and others being doused with petrol and threatened with being set alight.

It has led to calls for the resignation of the deputy secretary of Victoria's Education Department, Dr Sonia Sharp, who was a director of children's services in the Northern England town between 2005 and 2008.

The department maintains she is an outstanding leader and said her experience in England has helped strengthen Victoria's system.

Victorian Health Minister David Davis said the normal processes were followed when she was hired, but he would not say if she should stay in the position.

"I think that's a matter for ministers, but my point here is that I'm informed that the recruitment process has operated in the normal way, the recruitment process was a straight-forward, normal recruitment process," he said.

But Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews said the Government had questions to answer about the appointment of Dr Sharp.

"I think it absolutely raises questions about the recruitment policies, it raises questions about ongoing arrangements at the highest levels in the education department under the Liberal Government," Mr Andrews said.

"This is not some junior bureaucrat, this is a senior, perhaps almost the most senior person... that is charged with the welfare and protection, the nourishment, the advancement, the education of our kids, there's answers that need to be provided to this and the Premier and the Minister are the ones to provide them.

'We feared this was the tip of an iceberg'

Dr Sharp, who is also a committee member of Australia's National Centre Against Bullying, said she did what she could to improve the situation in the city.

"As soon as I commenced in April 2005 as Rotherham's first director of children's services, I was briefed by politicians, senior managers and frontline staff about the issue of sexual exploitation of young people," Dr Sharp said in a statement.

"We knew that there were many children in the community at risk and feared this was the tip of an iceberg.

"There was a lot to do: shifting attitudes, raising the quality of services for these vulnerable children, improving early identification and strategies for prevention and, importantly, getting agencies to work together to achieve convictions."

But she said she did take some responsibility for what happened in Rotherham.

"You can't be the director of children's services and not take responsibility for what happens to children," she said.

"I regret every case of exploitation of vulnerable girls that was not prevented, but feel strongly that our collective efforts led to gradual but essential improvements in the situation for many young people."

Sonia Sharp 'an outstanding leader': Education Department

The Victorian Education Department maintained Dr Sharp was an "outstanding leader".

The department secretary, Richard Bolt, said the report into Rotherham contained important changes made by Dr Sharp that led to systematic improvement in the UK.

"I have no doubt that Sonia tackled the issue of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham with maximum commitment, professionalism and focus," Mr Bolt said in a statement.

"In the report there are numerous references to important changes made under Sonia's management that led to sustained and systemic improvement.

"There is considerable evidence not included in the report which reinforces my view."

He said Ms Sharp had shared the lessons from Rotherham with the department since she began in 2012 and the experience had helped her strengthen the Victorian system.

"Her experience and advocacy has been critical in strengthening my department’s focus on educating and developing Victoria's vulnerable children," he said.

A spokesperson for the National Centre Against Bullying also stood by Dr Sharp.

"Sonia Sharp is a representative of the Victorian Education Department on the National Centre Against Bullying. The Department have been long term supporters of the initiative," the spokesperson said in a statement.

"Sonia is known internationally for her work on tackling bullying in schools and was invited to share this knowledge with the National Centre Against Bullying."

Topics: child-abuse, education, state-parliament, vic, united-kingdom

First posted