Vic govt defends ex UK public servant

The Victorian government has defended hiring a senior public servant who copped criticism for failing to act on child abuse in the UK.

A deputy secretary in Victoria's Education Department, Dr Sonia Sharp, was named in a recent British report into the abuse in Rotherham, in northern England.

Dr Sharp was a director of children's services in the region between 2005 and 2008.

The independent report blamed local police and authorities for failing to prevent the abuse of at least 1400 children between 1997 and 2013.

Health Minister David Davis says he is not the minister responsible and would not say whether Dr Sharp should resign, but said he believed the normal recruitment process was followed.

But Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews said he was not sure about that.

"I think it absolutely raises questions about the recruitment policy. It raises questions about on-going arrangements at the highest levels in the Education Department," he said.

Dr Sharp released a statement in which she said regretted every case of exploitation of vulnerable girls.

"But (I) feel strongly that our collective efforts led to gradual but essential improvements in the situation for many young people," she said in the statement.