The reports published this week by the Children's Commissioner would distress even the most hardened front-line worker. But unfortunately, what they have to say no longer surprises.

Report after report, news story after news story, make it clear that sexual abuse and exploitation of children is widespread and happens in every community; whether a leafy London suburb or on a poor northern housing estate.

The scale of sexual violence experienced by young women and girls, in particular those who have some association with gangs, is shocking. But what is particularly worrying is that many of the professionals tasked with keeping young people safe are repeatedly failing them.

Some of the failure can be attributed to the lack of understanding of the problem and how to tackle it. But this failure is also a result of negative attitudes of some professionals towards young people and troubled teenagers in particular.

Our research and work with young people confirms this. We know teenagers are less likely to receive a child protection response than younger children because professionals see them as more resilient and able to cope, even if this isn't the case.

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