A HIGH-ranking Victorian education official was a senior figure in a town where a massive child sexual exploitation scandal is now rocking the UK.

Dr Sonia Sharp is the Education Department’s deputy secretary of education and early childhood development and leader of the early childhood and school education group.

From 2005-2008 she was director of children’s services at Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, South Yorkshire.

A damning report has found at least 1400 children were sexually exploited in the town from 1997 to 2013.

The report says by 2005, nobody in authority could say “we didn’t know”.

Dr Sonia Sharp, who has worked for the department since 2012, issued a statement to the Herald Sun. She said the report was “painful reading”.

“You can’t be a director of children’s services and not take responsibility for what happens to children. I am sorry that these children and young people suffered terrible abuse and I wish we could have done more to prevent the abuse of children and young people in Rotherham.”

When she took on the role she was briefed on the town’s sexual exploitation problem.

Tackling sexual exploitation became a key priority for her, she said.

kathryn.powley@news.com.au