The inquiry will look at cases spanning the last 30 years to aim to understand patterns of abuse.
It vows to “not shy away” from investigating any factor that led to the abuse and exploitation of victims – including culture, ethnicity and religion. It promises to hold people to account, if necessary.
It will also conduct local investigations – Oldham has been confirmed as among the first areas. A framework for selecting further areas will be published within three months.
Baroness Longfield, chair of the Statutory Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs, said: “Children across England and Wales were and are sexually abused and exploited. When they asked for help, they were too often disbelieved, dismissed, or blamed. That is the reality this inquiry exists to address.
“Victims and survivors have every right to ask whether this inquiry will be any different from those that came before. My answer is this: where we can, we will publish our findings as we go, not in a single report years from now. There will be no opportunity for institutions to quietly manage what we find.
“We will follow the evidence wherever it leads. We will not flinch from uncomfortable truths.”