CLAIMS by a woman who lived in a Bradford care home as a teenager that staff knew she was being groomed will be thoroughly investigated, according to Bradford Council.

The woman, now 21, this week came forward with claims she was abused over a six year period, starting when she was 13 and living in a council home. Among her accusations are that staff encouraged her to "go out and see" the men who would go on to abuse her, who she described as being of Pakistani background.

Both Michael Jameson, the council's Director of Children's Services, and West Yorkshire Police, have come out to say they will investigate the matter.

The woman said her abusers would ply her with drink and drugs, and that staff at the home knew what was going on.

It is believed to be the first historic grooming allegation brought to the council's attention since the Rotherham abuse scandal last month.

Mr Jameson said staff at the home always reported the teen missing when she failed to return to the home, and that information about men she was socialising with was shared at multi agency safeguarding meetings, which involved representatives from the council, police and health services.

He said: "Bradford Council's Children's Services were involved with this young woman and brought her into care in 2008.

"We are taking her concerns seriously and will be investigating her allegations.

"From our initial investigations we know that she was living in a children’s home, not a secure unit, so the doors could not be locked and staff would not have been allowed to physically prevent her from leaving. But they did try to keep her safe and encourage her to stay in.

"She was always reported missing if she didn’t come back on time. Staff were gathering information about potential groomers, names and car registration plates.

"She was not encouraged to spend time with men or escape from the home - in fact, quite the opposite.

"The multi-agency arrangements for sharing intelligence on potential groomers now takes place on a daily basis at the Child Sexual Exploitation Hub, and is an improvement on what was in place in 2008 to better respond to men who target young people in care."

Geoff Dodd, West Yorkshire Police's Assistant Chief Constable, said the force planned to meet with her to "fully investigate the matter." He said they had been "slow to acknowledge some crimes in the past," but that things had improved. He said: "We have a co-ordinated community approach in each town and district, locally based and the help of voluntary organisations. We have moved resources to Safeguarding Units and multi-agency units – working alongside the voluntary sector.

"I want to reassure any victim who comes forward today and reports the crime to a West Yorkshire Police officer they will be believed and we will take positive action."