Mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse

The Home Office has issued a call for evidence on mandatory reporting, inviting those with an interest to respond by Monday 14 August. 

Mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse: call for evidence - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) 

The geographical scope of the call for evidence is England. However, crime, policing and criminal justice are non-devolved matters, so Welsh Government officials are engaging with the Home Office and WG Police Liaison Unit to consider its implications in Wales. The WG Police Liaison Unit is intending to collate and submit a response from Policing in Wales (Chiefs and Commissioners). Safeguarding Boards may also wish to contribute their views. 

Home Office are seeking views on how implementing a duty to report, such as that proposed within IICSA Recommendation 13, is likely to impact children, organisations, and affected workforces and volunteers. 

Particular considerations are:

• whether a duty to report should remain targeted on child sexual abuse, or be extended to cover other forms of abuse and neglect.
• whether a duty should be on individuals (as recommended by IICSA), or whether accountability should be at organisational level, or both.
• whether a duty should cover only known incidents or also include suspected abuse.
• what additional support individuals or organisations that are subject to the duty may need in order to understand and comply.
• any circumstances in which it may be necessary to disapply the duty, and what type of sanction might be appropriate. 

Copying any response to the Welsh Government at our safeguardingandadvocacy@gov.wales mailbox will help inform our policy development here in Wales, building on our own recent consultation and response to IICSA.