Yvette Cooper MP, Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary, commenting on the Government’s announcement on child protection said:

“We all agree we need a stronger child protection system that properly listens to children. The Prime Minister has a real opportunity to improve child protection. But these changes don't go far enough.

"Stronger laws are needed to protect children. The Government should bring forward a legal duty to report child abuse, a new specific offence of child exploitation and new child abduction warning notices - however, ministers voted against these last week.

"Most important of all, we desperately need proper, compulsory sex and relationship education in schools to teach young people about consent and healthy relationships- however, the Government is continuing to refuse to bring it in.

"Support for victims is vital, but the delays in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services remain too long.

"It’s right for this to be a priority for the police and the taskforce, and joint inspections are welcome. But many forces are struggling to cope at the moment and that will be harder if the Government goes ahead with its plans to cut another 1,100 police officers next year.

"David Cameron needs to also do more to tackle the growth in online abuse. We know the National Crime Agency has details of between 20,000 and 30,000 people accessing online child abuse images and yet under 1,000 have been arrested.

“For too long, too many victims of child abuse have been dismissed, their voices ignored and the crimes committed against them left uninvestigated. In Rotherham, Oxfordshire, Rochdale, in the NHS, in the BBC, in care homes and schools, children were let down.

"We need a radical overhaul of our child protection system – but I fear this is still a missed opportunity to get all the reforms we need.”