Story perspectives

UK Inquiry into Grooming Gangs Aims for Justice by 2029

4/3/2026

Center

Longfield Leads Inquiry

Baroness Anne Longfield chairs the UK's grooming gangs inquiry to uncover systemic failures enabling abuse.
The inquiry will assess ethnicity, culture, and religion in offenses and responses.
It has a £65 million budget and is due to conclude by March 2029.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood called the scandal one of the darkest moments.
Victims' voices will shape the inquiry as hearings are held and findings published.

Right

Maggie Questions Inquiry

Maggie Oliver, a whistleblower in the grooming gangs inquiry, remains skeptical of the inquiry's effectiveness despite improvements to the terms of reference.
She criticized the term "grooming gangs," arguing that "rape gangs" would better reflect the crimes and that victims are still being failed today.
Marlon West, a victim's father, fears the inquiry may become a "postcode lottery" for investigations, underscoring calls for accountability and recognition of survivors' trauma.

History

Historical Context

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) was established in 2015 following revelations of systemic failures in child protection, notably highlighted by the Rotherham abuse case, where over 1,400 children were exploited from 1997 to 2013. With a £65 million budget, the inquiry aims to address cultural dimensions of abuse and ensure accountability within institutions responsible for safeguarding children.

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Longfield Leads Inquiry

Baroness Anne Longfield chairs the UK's grooming gangs inquiry to uncover systemic failures enabling abuse.
The inquiry will assess ethnicity, culture, and religion in offenses and responses.
It has a £65 million budget and is due to conclude by March 2029.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood called the scandal one of the darkest moments.
Victims' voices will shape the inquiry as hearings are held and findings published.

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