Grooming gangs inquiry to examine Birmingham

The national inquiry into grooming gangs is to examine how organisations in Birmingham responded to the sexual exploitation of children, its chair has announced.

Baroness Anne Longfield CBE named Birmingham and Wales as the next areas the inquiry will investigate. She said information available about Birmingham provided "a strong basis for examining how organisations identify, share information about and respond to child sexual exploitation across a large metropolitan area".

What the inquiry will look at

Both investigations will examine the sexual abuse and exploitation of children by grooming gangs and how the organisations responsible for protecting children responded, including councils, police, health services and schools. In Birmingham, the investigation may extend to surrounding or connected areas as evidence is gathered.

In Wales, the inquiry will also look at how devolved arrangements work and how organisations in England and Wales work together across the border.

The council's response

The leader of Birmingham City Council, Councillor Roger Harmer, welcomed the decision, saying "every child deserves to be safe and every perpetrator must face justice".

A statement from the council, supported by all of the main political groups, committed to independently testing its current safeguarding arrangements, working with the police and launching a public awareness campaign.

About the inquiry

The Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs is a statutory inquiry with a budget of 65 million pounds and a three-year timescale. It has legal powers to compel witnesses to give evidence and organisations to hand over documents.

London, Oldham, Bradford and Keighley were announced in June as the first places it would focus on. More locations are expected to be announced, and the inquiry plans to hold its first public hearings by the end of this year.

Why it was set up

The inquiry follows years of concern about the sexual exploitation of children by groups of men in towns and cities including Rotherham, Rochdale, Telford and Oxford, and about failures by authorities to protect victims and bring offenders to justice. A national audit led by Baroness Casey in 2025 found that many victims had been let down, and recommended a national inquiry with legal powers.

Survivors at the centre

Survivors and campaigners have called for the inquiry to put victims' experiences at its heart and to make sure those who failed them are held to account. The inquiry says it will listen to survivors and has set up ways for people to share their experiences in confidence.

Getting help

Anyone who has been affected by child sexual abuse or exploitation can get support. The NSPCC helpline, on 0808 800 5000, offers advice to adults worried about a child. Childline, on 0800 1111, is a free and confidential service for children and young people. Adults who were abused as children can contact the National Association for People Abused in Childhood. In an emergency, call 999.

Concerns about a child's safety in Birmingham can be reported to the Birmingham Children's Trust or the police.

A city-wide commitment

Councillors from all parties have said they want the inquiry to establish the truth about what happened in Birmingham, and to make sure that lessons are learned so that children are better protected in future.

How to give evidence

The inquiry has said it wants to hear from survivors, families, professionals and anyone else with relevant information. Details of how to contact it, including confidential options for people who do not want to be named, are published on the inquiry's website on GOV.UK. Support is available for anyone who finds the process of sharing their experiences distressing.