Update: Professor Alexis Jay made reference in her report to the fact that a small group of frontline staff in Rotherham had recognised the severity of child sexual exploitation in the early 2000s but that they were not listened to. The individuals in the group were not named in Prof Jay’s report so were unknown to us when this article was first posted. Erica Leach, child protection co-ordinator from 1998 to 2003, has since told us she was part of this group. Reference to her in the text of the article has therefore been deleted. We are happy to make the position clear.