Ofsted investigates children's home at centre of sex abuse ring

The privately-owned children's home accused of failing to protect a victim of the Rochdale sex abuse ring is being investigated by standards watchdogs, reports the Independent.

Inspectors turned up unannounced at the single-occupancy home which is now part of a group owned by an Anglo-American private equity company.

The education watchdog Ofsted, which is responsible for standards in care homes for children, is also "reviewing" its inspection plans for other homes in the same group.

After the conviction of nine Asian men last week for the grooming and sexual abuse of teenage girls in Rochdale, it emerged that one victims was the sole resident of a home in the town billed by its owners as offering "intense and individual" care costing £250,000 a year. In reality, the girl regularly went missing and during this time was sexually exploited by men.

The Green Corns home at the centre of the Rochdale allegations provided a staff of six to look after the victim of the grooming gang, who was 14 when she arrived.

At the time when the abuse was at its height, an Ofsted inspection found that it was not employing enough qualified staff and specific training was required on sexual exploitation.

Owners, Advanced Childcare, that had no involvement with Green Corns at the time of the abuse, last week said it was undertaking a "full review of policies, procedures and systems" at the homes.