Home Secretary yesterday committed to a
mandatory reporting duty, subject to consultation, for those
working or volunteering with children to report child sexual
abuse, after the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse
(IICSA) heard heart-breaking testimony from thousands of victims
let down by professionals turning a blind eye to their suffering.
Mandatory reporting was one of the key recommendations made by
the IICSA report to crack down on child sexual abuse and address
the systemic under-reporting of this crime.
The first step to introducing the duty is a call for evidence
which will be open to professionals, volunteers, parents, victims
and survivors, and the wider public. It will be the start of
extensive consultation to ensure everyone’s views are represented
ahead of implementing the new duty.
said:
Child sexual abuse is one of the most horrific crimes facing our
society, it devastates victims, families and whole communities.
The protection of children is a collective effort. Every adult
must be supported to call out child sexual abuse without fear.
That’s why I’m introducing a mandatory reporting duty and
launching a call for evidence. We must address the failings
identified by the Inquiry and take on board the views of the
thousands of victims and survivors who contributed to it.
I would encourage everyone to engage with the process once it
starts – it is important to have a national conversation about
this to help to shine a light on this terrible – but too often
hidden – crime.
The call for evidence will be published alongside the
government’s full response to the Inquiry shortly.
To immediately support professionals who work with children, we
are providing £600,000 to the NSPCC whistleblowing helpline. If a
professional has concerns that their organisation isn’t reporting
or handling child abuse cases appropriately, they can contact the
NSPCC whistleblowing helpline for support.
The helpline was launched in 2016 following Professor Alexis
Jay’s report into the child sexual exploitation in Rotherham.
Since then, it has provided advice to 1,062 individuals and led
to over 300 referrals to the police.
Additional funding is also going to be made available for the
NSPCC’s adult helpline, which is for anyone who is concerned
about the welfare of a child. The helpline has established
procedures and protocols around referring reports to statutory
safeguarding partners, including children’s services and
policing, so that they can be investigated and acted on.
The government is also speeding up the process for members of the
public to find out if someone they know has committed child abuse
in the past in order to better protect vulnerable people from
predators close by.
Known as Sarah’s Law in memory of 8-year-old Sarah Payne, who was
murdered by a previously convicted sex offender in 2000, the
updated guidance for the Child Sex Offender’s Disclosure Scheme
will make it easier for the public to raise a concern online and
reduce the timeframes for police to respond to enquiries, which
will help the public get the information they need sooner and
protect children from harm.
Dr Sara Payne MBE, the mother of Sarah Payne, said:
After the news of my Sarah’s murder in 2000, I promised her that
her death would not be in vain or forgotten or indeed, only
remembered for the manner of her death. Since 2010, after years
of campaigning, so many children have been protected in her name,
a much more fitting epitaph to my princess.
I would like to thank my family, my own dedicated Phoenix team
and the Home Office Sarah’s Law team for helping us all to reach
this day, where I am pleased to announce the latest Sarah’s Law
updates for 2023.
There is always more to do. This is an historical ‘turning point’
day today for child protection and I for one, sincerely welcome
these much-needed changes to Sarah’s Law 2023, as we all know
keeping up with ‘sex offenders’ is not and will never be
‘enough’.
Further information on the changes to Sarah’s
LawOnline applications
The introduction of online applications will make it easier for
the public to request information. The public still has the
option of applying over the phone, by calling 111, or in person
at a police station.
Shorter timeframes
The timeframe for applications to be processed to completion is
reduced from 44 days to 28 days. The guidance is clear that when
immediate risks are identified the police should take action
immediately.
Formalising proactive disclosure processes
This will help ensure that the police provide information to the
right people at the right time to protect children from harm. The
‘right to know’ route is now formalised within the guidance, so
that Sarah’s Law processes can be followed when police are made
aware of the need to make a disclosure even when an application
hasn’t been made.
Incorporating discretion into communication
methods
Police forces will be able to complete some stages of the process
by video or phone call.
Aligning processes with the Domestic Violence Disclosure
Scheme (DVDS)
If someone applies to one scheme, but there is information to
disclose for the other scheme the police can share that
information under the “Right to Know” route without asking the
person to apply again.
