IT feels uncomfortable to say that a sharp rise in the number of recorded sexual offences against children in England and Wales is positive news - but it really does represent progress.

The increase does not mean that more children are being abused. It means that more victims are coming forward and more abusers are being brought to justice.

The taboo which has surrounded child abuse for generations has helped to protect those who preyed on youngsters but times are changing.

If there is good news to be found in the high profile cases of historic child abuse, such as those which saw the likes of Jimmy Savile and Rolf Harris locked up, it is the fact that previously silent victims have been encouraged to come forward.

It is also fair to say that police forces have placed greater emphasis on tracking down child abusers to the extent that there were 31,000 offences recorded in the year up to April 2014 - up 8,500 on the previous year.

There is, of course, also a danger that a greater number of false claims will be encouraged by the publicity surrounding celebrity cases but that risk has to be weighed against the importance of bringing more child abusers to justice.

It is the view of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) that, despite the increase in reported cases, it remains only a fraction of the true number of people who have been abused and still cannot find the strength to come forward.

We must, therefore, continue to ensure that the vital work of the NSPCC is properly supported and that police have the expertise and resources to go on bringing child sex abusers to justice.