Independent report

The report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, part K and annexes (accessible)

Updated 9 June 2023

Part K

A summary of the Inquiry’s recommendations

K. 1: Child sexual abuse

The nature and scale of child sexual abuse

1. Children are sexually abused every day in England and Wales. In the year ending September 2021, police forces recorded a total of 67,675 sexual offences against children. One recent estimate – described as “conservative” – suggested that around 500,000 children are abused in a single year. Another estimate suggested at least 15 percent of girls and 5 percent of boys are sexually abused before the age of 16. The abuse includes sexual exploitation by groups, involving the most degrading and destructive acts, including being repeatedly raped or sexually assaulted, sometimes over months or years. There has been a rapid escalation in the number of children being groomed on social media platforms as online-facilitated abuse and sexual exploitation increasingly overlap. As the government’s April 2019 Online Harms White Paper observed, the “sheer scale of CSEA [child sexual exploitation and abuse] online is horrifying”. The internet has been used to live stream the sexual abuse of children from around the world for as little as 93 pence.

2. Each act of sexual abuse is a crime. In 2021, the National Crime Agency estimated that there were between 550,000 and 850,000 individuals in the UK who posed varying degrees of sexual risk to children. Chief Constable Simon Bailey, at that time the National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Child Protection and Abuse Investigations and now retired, told the Inquiry that the police were seeing “an exponential increase in reports of abuse”, but also “levels of depravity that are – if they could get worse, are getting worse. We are seeing babies being subjects of sexual abuse”.

Improving the understanding of the scale of child sexual abuse

3. As set out in the UK government’s Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Strategy (2021), child sexual abuse offences, including indecent image offences, recorded by police increased approximately 267 percent between 2013 and March 2020. It recognised that:

“it is difficult to truly understand the scale of offending and how many victims and survivors remain unidentified because of under-reporting, under-identification of victims and survivors by agencies, and a lack of robust survey data”.

4. Limitations with current methods of data collection have hampered the Inquiry’s ability to conduct a realistic assessment of how many of the 12.7 million children in England and Wales have been sexually abused, or are at risk of sexual abuse, by whom and in what settings. There is no consistent approach to the recording of data, with different organisations developing their own approaches to categorising and recording child sexual abuse. There are also high levels of non-reporting. The Inquiry is in no doubt, however, that the scale of child sexual abuse and exploitation is considerably greater than is currently recorded.

5. The government’s Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Strategy (2021) recognised that “the quality and extent of data that is collected on offender and victim characteristics, including, but not limited to, age, gender and ethnicity, is inadequate”. Public agencies rely on accurate and detailed data to make the best strategic and operational responses for the protection of children. This is not possible if the nature of the abuse and changing patterns are not well understood. The Inquiry therefore recommends improvements to the data collected about child sexual abuse by the introduction of a single core data set.

Recommendation 1: A single core data set

The Inquiry recommends that the UK government and the Welsh Government improve data collected by children’s social care and criminal justice agencies concerning child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation by the introduction of one single core data set covering both England and Wales.

In order to facilitate this, these agencies should produce consistent and compatible data about child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation which includes:

• the characteristics of victims and alleged perpetrators of child sexual abuse, including age, sex and ethnicity;
• factors that make victims more vulnerable to child sexual abuse or exploitation; and
• the settings and contexts in which child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation occur.

Data concerning child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation should be compiled and published on a regular basis. This should be capable of being collated nationally as well as at regional or local levels.

K. 2: Prioritising the protection of children

6. The effective protection of children from harm is an essential feature of a civilised society. Despite this, child sexual abuse occurs in many institutions, contexts and settings. The Inquiry’s work revealed physical violence as well as neglect and emotional harm that individually, or in combination, created an environment in which sexual abuse could take place. Many institutions did not respond effectively, or at all, to child sexual abuse. A number of examples did not involve finely balanced decisions but were cases where action was obviously necessary and often urgent but none was taken. Reputations tended to be valued above the interests of children.

Reforming the system for safeguarding and child protection

7. The legal and policy requirements for child protection and safeguarding are often complex. This complexity can lead to assumptions that every aspect of child protection and safeguarding is already covered by existing frameworks. That is not the case. An additional problem was the failure to implement and comply with the child protection arrangements that were in place.

8. The cornerstone of the system is multi-agency working. When child protection concerns arise, the relevant local authority has a statutory duty to make enquiries and decide whether to take any action to safeguard or promote the child’s welfare. The police are responsible for investigating allegations of criminal offences of child sexual abuse. If there is sufficient evidence to proceed and it is in the public interest to do so, the Crown Prosecution Service will authorise a prosecution. Nonetheless, despite successive policy initiatives to work better together, the statutory agencies have not always collaborated efficiently and effectively. On occasions, this has been marked by an absence of collective leadership by statutory agencies.

9. Scrutiny and inspection arrangements are also important features of the current system, with a number of organisations playing an important role in the oversight of child protection and regulation. Although there is a regime for thematic inspection of child protection across the statutory services, external and independent statutory scrutiny of child protection practice is in some ways fragmented. Inspection activity does not always identify poor practice, particularly given the necessarily wide-ranging nature of many inspections. Some private or voluntary institutions receive little, if any, independent assessment of their child protection practices.

10. The challenges are considerable and growing. As the UK recovers from the consequences of a worldwide pandemic and as the scale of online-facilitated child sexual abuse increases, those challenges are likely to last well into the future.

Child Protection Authorities for England and for Wales

11. Child protection must be given a much-needed and enhanced focus as well as a consistency of approach. It should not be subsumed into other areas of practice within institutions or be permitted to drift into institutional obscurity. There is a very real risk that unless there is long-lasting and focussed vigilance, institutions may continue or revert to poor practice and, worse still, actively downplay child sexual abuse. To address and respond to the complex challenges of child sexual abuse at local and national levels, the Inquiry recommends the establishment of independent Child Protection Authorities for England and for Wales.

Recommendation 2: Child Protection Authorities for England and for Wales

The Inquiry recommends that the UK government establishes a Child Protection Authority for England and the Welsh Government establishes a Child Protection Authority for Wales.

Each Authority’s purpose should be to:

• improve practice in child protection;
• provide advice and make recommendations to government in relation to child protection policy and reform to improve child protection; and
• inspect institutions and settings as it considers necessary and proportionate. The Child Protection Authorities in England and in Wales should also monitor the implementation of the Inquiry’s recommendations.

Introducing a cabinet Minister for Children

12. The introduction of the Child Protection Authorities should be coupled with the introduction of a cabinet Minister for Children, to provide a sharper focus on critical issues within government and the cohesive leadership, focus and influence needed. A minister at cabinet level would be able to work across government departments to enable the welfare of children to remain a high priority, bringing the diverse strands of policy development together and giving a voice to the child’s perspective.

13. To signify the importance attached to the effective leadership of child protection, the Inquiry therefore recommends that the UK government establish a Minister for Children with cabinet status. The position will cover a wide range of responsibilities for children’s welfare, including child protection, so that children’s safety and well-being receive the attention they deserve.

14. Given the ministerial arrangements in Wales, the Inquiry’s recommendation is couched differently, to provide an appropriate degree of flexibility in its implementation.

Recommendation 3: A cabinet Minister for Children

The UK government

The Inquiry recommends that the UK government creates a cabinet-level ministerial position for children.

The Welsh Government

The Inquiry recommends that the Welsh Government ensures that there is cabinet-level ministerial responsibility for children.

Attitudes to child sexual abuse

15. Alongside elevating the status of children in the political sphere, public awareness about child sexual abuse must be improved. Myths and stereotypes about child sexual abuse are still held by many. The Inquiry has seen recent examples of sexual abuse or exploitation being characterised as the result of children’s ‘lifestyle choices’. As a result, some children and young people have been given the impression that they were not believed to be worthy of protection, creating and perpetuating notions of ‘deserving’ and ‘undeserving’ victims of child sexual abuse.

16. While child sexual abuse remains a difficult subject to discuss, it is important to bring those discussions into the public arena so that young people are well informed, and can navigate the risks of abusive and exploitative sexual relationships. While some – particularly professionals, such as youth workers – are well equipped to have these discussions, children and young people should feel able to raise these subjects more routinely with their families, teachers and peers. The Inquiry therefore recommends that there should be a wide-ranging programme to increase public awareness of child sexual abuse.

Recommendation 4: Public awareness

The Inquiry recommends that the UK government and the Welsh Government commission regular programmes of activity to increase public awareness about child sexual abuse and the action to take if child sexual abuse is happening or suspected in England and in Wales.

The programmes should:

• challenge myths and stereotypes about child sexual abuse;
• make maximum use of different approaches including, but not limited to, public information campaigns, the use of positive role models and creative media, such as television drama; and
• be supported by continuous evaluation to measure their impact.

K. 3: Empowering children and young people

17. Society’s response to child sexual abuse reflects its attitude towards children. Adults frequently thought children were not telling the truth when they tried to disclose abuse. For a variety of reasons, adults disbelieved children and crimes committed against children were minimised.

18. While the measures by which the State protects vulnerable children from abuse have developed, engagement directly with children and young people has been slow. Their views are increasingly sought and taken into account, and their rights and entitlements are taken more seriously than they were in the past. Their technological literacy has had a demonstrable impact on traditional power dynamics, as the Everyone’s Invited movement illustrated. Educating children about the risk of sexual abuse and the identification of those risks play an important role in keeping them safe, but the responsibility for taking steps to address these risks rests with adults and institutions.

19. Some children and young people are more vulnerable to sexual abuse than others.

For example, disabled children are almost three times more likely to experience sexual violence than non-disabled children. Children with complex needs may struggle to overcome communication difficulties, either because of the nature of a disability or because their carers may not understand their method of communication.

20. There is also a lack of knowledge, understanding and awareness about the sexual abuse of vulnerable children. In particular, many professionals, carers and the wider community need a better understanding of sexual exploitation involving children with disabilities to ensure that the risks to those children are identified and appropriate action taken.

Children in custody

21. Children in custody are particularly vulnerable to abuse, especially as they include a high proportion of “highly complex, high-needs young people”. Some children come from unstable family backgrounds, some have experienced sexual abuse prior to being in custody. Many have emotional, behavioural or educational problems, including mental health difficulties.

22. This combination of challenging behaviour and vulnerability often presents difficulties in safely managing and caring for these children and young people. As a result, there are occasions when staff in custodial institutions consider it necessary to physically restrain children. The use of force against children contributes to the perception that an institution condones violence, which is likely to discourage reporting of sexual (and indeed other) abuse. Any review of the relevant guidance and related techniques should concentrate on restraint that does not inflict pain of any kind. The deliberate infliction of pain as a method of control is wrong.

Recommendation 5: Pain compliance

The Inquiry recommends (as originally stated in its Sexual Abuse of Children in Custodial Institutions: 2009–2017 Investigation Report, dated February 2019) that the UK government prohibits the use of any technique that deliberately induces pain (previously referred to by the Inquiry as ‘pain compliance techniques’) by withdrawing all policy permitting its use in custodial institutions in which children are detained, and setting out that this practice is prohibited by way of regulation.

Looked after children

23. Children in the care of local authorities (known as ‘looked after children’) – especially those in residential care and in foster care – are particularly vulnerable to sexual abuse and exploitation. Experiences of trauma while living in the parental home are likely to have occurred. The Inquiry heard a number of examples of the abuse of children in care. Its investigations into children in the care of Lambeth Council and the Nottinghamshire

Councils found abuse akin to that uncovered by inquiries of the 1990s, with the true number of victims of child sexual abuse likely to be higher than the local authorities had been able to identify.

24. Young people are uniquely placed to identify what needs to change to keep them safe, with an acute awareness of problems in their care planning, distance from their birth family and living in inappropriate locations. However, those who are in care are in a different legal position from those who are not. Decisions are made on their behalf by local authorities, which act as their ‘corporate parent’ and organise their placement with alternative carers.

25. While courts can make orders under the Children Act 1989 to limit or mandate how parents exercise their parental responsibility, a court has no such ability in respect of a child in care. The legal position of children in care should be improved, so that they can be empowered to challenge aspects of local authority decision-making for themselves. The Inquiry therefore recommends an amendment to the Children Act 1989, to provide a route by which looked after children can apply to the family courts for orders to mandate or limit a local authority’s exercise of its parental responsibility.

Recommendation 6: Children Act 1989

The Inquiry recommends that the UK government amends the Children Act 1989 so that, in any case where a court is satisfied that there is reasonable cause to believe that a child who is in the care of a local authority is experiencing or is at risk of experiencing significant harm, on an application by or for that child, the court may:

• prohibit a local authority from taking any act (or proposed act) which it otherwise would be entitled to take in exercising its parental responsibility for the child; or
• give directions for the purpose of determining a specific question which has arisen, or which may arise, in connection with any aspect of the local authority’s exercise of parental responsibility for a child.

K. 4: Creating a more protective environment for children

26. No system can guarantee the eradication of child sexual abuse. There are measures that institutions, organisations and settings which work with or come into contact with children should take to help to create a protective environment for children. Key to this is vetting applicants to recruit the right people, putting effective child safeguarding policies and procedures in place, and providing appropriate training and monitoring to ensure those policies are understood and implemented.

27. The Inquiry has made many recommendations to improve protective measures. It has also identified several key areas in which increased professional regulation would improve child protection. Workforce regulation requires those who work with children to comply with professional standards of competence, ethics and integrity set by an independent regulatory body defined in legislation. Although certain workplaces are regulated to ensure adherence to appropriate standards, individuals working in those institutions are not necessarily subject to any form of workforce regulation.

Regulation of the workforce: education

28. Regulation of the education workforce varies considerably between England and Wales, but neither has a comprehensive system of regulation. For example, in Wales, registration with the Education Workforce Council is not compulsory for those who work in the independent (fee-paying) education sector and as a result those who are unregistered are not covered by its misconduct jurisdiction. In England, although there is professional regulation of those engaged in ‘teaching work’, there is no longer a system of registration for the education workforce. Disciplinary regulations do not apply to the approximately 500,000 teaching assistants and learning support staff as they are “subject to the direction and supervision of a qualified teacher or other person nominated by the head teacher”.

29. The government has announced an extension of the teacher misconduct regime in 2022, but it does not appear that this will address these issues or the Inquiry’s previous recommendations in March 2022 in The Residential Schools Investigation Report.

Regulation of the workforce: children’s homes

30. The Inquiry’s investigations regarding the sexual abuse of children looked after by local authorities highlighted sexual abuse of children in residential care by staff. There were also failures by staff to identify and act upon clear signs that children were being sexually abused and exploited by adults or other children, and failures to respond appropriately to allegations of abuse.

31. There have been a number of changes to local authority practice over time. While Ofsted will assess the fitness of a person to manage a children’s home, it is not a workforce regulator. It may deregister a children’s home, but it does not have any disciplinary function by which to regulate registered managers and hold them to professional standards of competence and conduct. There is also no system of registration for the approximately 35,000 workers in care roles in England. In Wales (as well as in Scotland and Northern Ireland), children’s social care workers must register with a regulatory body.

32. In April 2018, the Interim Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (the Interim Report) recommended the introduction of arrangements for the registration of staff working in care roles in residential care settings. In July 2021, the government agreed, in principle, that professional regulation of staff in children’s homes in England could provide an effective additional means of protecting children and that it would keep the recommendation under review. This response is inadequate. Workforce regulation is necessary in order to better protect children in residential settings, including those in secure children’s homes.

The Inquiry therefore reiterates its recommendation that all staff working in care roles in children’s residential care settings, including secure children’s homes, are subject to registration with an independent regulatory body.

Recommendation 7: Registration of care staff in children’s homes

The Inquiry recommends (as originally stated in its Interim Report, dated April 2018) that the UK government introduces arrangements for the registration of staff working in care roles in children’s homes, including secure children’s homes.

Registration should be with an independent body charged with setting and maintaining standards of training, conduct and continuing professional development, and with the power to enforce these through fitness to practise procedures.

Regulation of the workforce: custodial institutions

33. Children in custodial institutions are “very vulnerable children in a very dangerous place”.

34. In March 2019, the Inquiry’s Sexual Abuse of Children in Custodial Institutions: 2009–2017 Investigation Report highlighted concerns that the workforce in custodial institutions is unregulated and that staff lacked specialist training, skills and qualifications. A requirement was introduced in March 2022 that all staff working with children in the secure estate must undertake specialist training to gain qualifications for working with young people and children.

35. While this is welcome, it is unacceptable that there are still no sector-wide standards for those working with such a vulnerable cohort of children. A Youth Custody Service review in October 2019 proposed that it should develop a code of conduct for all adults in the youth custody sector, and that guidance and supervision should include professional conduct. This falls far short of professionalising the workforce through registration with an independent body, as recommended by the Inquiry in February 2019 in its Sexual Abuse of Children in Custodial Institutions Investigation Report.

36. In November 2021, the Ministry of Justice stated that it had reviewed evidence collected through a targeted consultation on professional registration, and was considering the issue. In May 2022, more than three years after the Inquiry’s recommendations regarding the children’s secure estate were published, the Inquiry was informed that the Ministry of Justice was considering the review and would subsequently publish a response to this recommendation. No timescale for the response has been provided.

37. A requirement for all staff with responsibility for the care of children in the secure estate to register with a regulatory body would improve the quality of care and the protection of highly vulnerable children. The Inquiry reiterates its recommendation regarding the professional registration of staff in roles responsible for the care of children in young offender institutions and secure training centres.

Recommendation 8: Registration of staff in care roles in young offender institutions and secure training centres

The Inquiry recommends (as originally stated in its Sexual Abuse of Children in Custodial Institutions: 2009–2017 Investigation Report, dated February 2019) that the UK government introduces arrangements for the professional registration of staff in roles responsible for the care of children in young offender institutions and secure training centres.

Recruitment, vetting and barring

38. Another central aspect of protecting children is the use of safer recruitment procedures for those who come into contact with children, whether through paid or voluntary work. Throughout its investigations, the Inquiry encountered examples of poor recruitment practice, including failures to obtain the appropriate record checks, in many settings, including schools, local authorities and religious organisations. Often people classed as ‘volunteers’ were allowed open access to children without any vetting, as a result of which children were exposed to unnecessary risk of harm.

39. In February 2022, the Home Office announced that it had commissioned an independent review of the disclosure and barring regime to provide assurance on its effectiveness, to identify key issues of concern about the current regime, and to assess and advise on risks and opportunities. The review, which will include recommendations for improvement, is due to be completed by summer 2022. While this review may lead to significant and wide-ranging changes to the existing regime of disclosure and barring, the Inquiry has identified important deficiencies relating to the current system.

40. Obtaining the appropriate level of Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check – a disclosure ‘certificate’ – is an important element of safer recruitment as it contains information about an individual’s criminal record. It is not, however, generally compulsory for employers to obtain a DBS check on a prospective employee and the regime is framed in terms of ‘eligibility’ for a particular level of check. The DBS issues four types of certificate (basic, standard, enhanced and enhanced with a barred list check), the extent of the check for each depending upon the role to be undertaken.

41. The DBS has the power to bar any person it considers to pose a risk of harm to children from undertaking ‘regulated activity’ with children in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

42. The concept of ‘regulated activity’ was created and defined in the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006. It has a complex definition, including specific activities, positions and certain work in specified establishments (such as schools) which involves frequent or close contact with children. Regulated activity does not mean, however, that the activity itself is regulated by any supervisory body or that the worker engaged in such activity is regulated by a professional regulatory body. Very many of those engaged in regulated activity with children are working in occupations that are not subject to workforce regulation.

43. Where certain work falls within the definition of regulated activity with children, staff or unsupervised volunteers are eligible for an enhanced certificate with a barred list check (which is not available as a standalone check). Increasingly, very little police intelligence is included on enhanced certificates. As it is the addition of this information which distinguishes the enhanced certificate from a standard certificate, this omission diminishes the value of enhanced certificates.

Improving access to the barred list

44. There are a number of circumstances in which a barred list check would clearly be desirable in order to protect children better but is not permitted under the current disclosure regime.

45. It is the employer’s responsibility to determine whether a role falls within the definition of regulated activity and to apply for the appropriate level of check, but the majority of queries received by the DBS from employers concern uncertainty about whether a role amounts to regulated activity. In 2012, the definition of regulated activity was narrowed to exclude those people with roles which are subject to “day to day supervision” by another person who is engaging in regulated activity. As a result, a role may involve a degree of close contact with children but may not fall within the statutory definition of regulated activity (such as volunteers supervised to a greater or lesser degree by a member of staff). Enhanced certificates together with barred list checks can only be requested by an organisation which is registered by the DBS as a regulated activity provider. This is a limitation on access to the children’s barred list, preventing for example self-employed people and those engaging their services from obtaining relevant checks.

46. All employers of adults who work with children (whether paid or voluntary) should be able to check whether applicants have been included on the children’s barred list, in order to help to ensure that children are kept safe from those who pose a risk of harm. The Inquiry therefore recommends its greater use.

Recommendation 9: Greater use of the barred list

The Inquiry recommends that the UK government enables any person engaging an individual to work or volunteer with children on a frequent basis to check whether or not they have been barred by the Disclosure and Barring Service from working with children. These arrangements should also apply where the role is undertaken on a supervised basis.

Improving notifications to the Disclosure and Barring Service

47. Employers have a legal duty to notify the DBS (known as making a ‘referral’) when they have dismissed or removed an individual from undertaking regulated activity or when an individual has resigned from such a role, where there is concern that the individual may pose a risk of harm to children.

48. Despite this, the DBS has indicated that it does not receive the number of referrals it would expect from employers. Similarly, supervisory authorities (workforce and workplace regulators and inspectorates) have the power to refer individuals to the DBS to consider for inclusion on the barred list, but do not have a legal duty to refer or to share information with the DBS unless in response to a specific request. The DBS has developed information- sharing protocols with some workforce regulators, but not all inspectorates or regulators routinely share information with the DBS about resignations and dismissals in circumstances where child protection or safeguarding concerns have been raised.

49. In its Interim Report, the Inquiry recommended that the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 be amended to place keepers of relevant registers under a duty to refer information about practitioners who had been removed from the register to the DBS. It also recommended that, upon receiving the referral, the DBS should be under a duty to automatically bar the practitioner from working with children. In July 2019, the government responded, stating that the Home Office had asked the DBS to continue its “close engagement” with professional bodies and regulators to ensure effective information-sharing takes place.

50. The Inquiry remains concerned that individuals who have ceased working in a setting with children and who have acted in a manner which indicates they may pose a risk of harm to children are not always referred to the DBS, enabling them to move on to a different setting without potential risk of harm being considered. The Inquiry therefore recommends that action is taken to improve regulated activity providers’ compliance with their statutory duty to refer concerns about the suitability of individuals to work with children to the DBS.

Recommendation 10: Improving compliance with the statutory duty to notify the Disclosure and Barring Service

The Inquiry recommends that the UK government takes steps to improve compliance by regulated activity providers with their statutory duty to refer concerns about the suitability of individuals to work with children to the Disclosure and Barring Service, including:

• all relevant regulators and inspectorates include compliance with the statutory duty to refer to the Disclosure and Barring Service in their assessment of safeguarding procedures during inspections;
• the National Police Chiefs’ Council works with relevant regulators and inspectorates to ensure that there are clear arrangements in place to refer breaches of the duty to refer to the police for criminal investigation; and
• an information-sharing protocol is put in place between the Disclosure and Barring Service and relevant regulators and inspectorates.

Disclosure for those outside the UK

51. DBS checks on citizens or residents of England and Wales cannot be accessed by employers based overseas. The non-statutory International Child Protection Certificate (ICPC), which some overseas organisations choose to utilise, does not include access to the DBS children’s barred list. These territorial limitations on the DBS disclosure regime facilitate predatory offenders from England and Wales obtaining employment working with children overseas.

52. In its Children Outside the UK Phase 2 Investigation Report, the Inquiry recommended that the geographical reach of the DBS be extended. In its response, the Home Office indicated that it considered that the information provided on an ICPC was broadly similar to that on an enhanced certificate. The absence of barred list information on the ICPC creates a significant risk to the safety of children in the UK and abroad. The Inquiry therefore reiterates its recommendation that the disclosure and barring regime should be extended to those working with children overseas.

Recommendation 11: Extending disclosure regime to those working with children overseas

The Inquiry recommends (as originally stated in its Children Outside the United Kingdom Phase 2 Investigation Report, dated January 2020) that the UK government introduces legislation permitting the Disclosure and Barring Service to provide enhanced certificates with barred list checks to citizens and residents of England and Wales applying for:

• work or volunteering with UK-based organisations, where the recruitment decision is taken outside the UK; or
• work or volunteering with organisations based outside the UK, in each case where the work or volunteering would be a regulated activity if in England and Wales.

Safeguarding and child protection policies

53. All organisations which work with children or whose members may come into contact with children should adhere to basic child protection standards and have suitable safeguarding policies and procedures in place. While there is a requirement for institutions in certain sectors to set policies, others are under no legal obligation to do so, despite children visiting their facilities, attending their events or otherwise being involved in the organisation. For example, a child might go to school during the day, play football with a club in the afternoon, attend a prayer group in the evening and then spend time at night on a social media platform. Of these four activities and settings, only the school has a legal obligation to have child protection and safeguarding policies and procedures in place.

54. Variation between organisations is inevitable, given the different types of settings and institutions which work with children. It would not be realistic or helpful to propose one single set of safeguarding and child protection policies for all institutions, but there are a number of useful sources which provide a starting point for an appropriate policy.

55. It is critical that safeguarding and child protection policies should be clear and easy to follow and implement. They should set out how the organisation will protect children from harm, ensure child protection concerns can be raised and respond to allegations or incidents, including reporting to the relevant authorities. They should also be subject to regular scrutiny or review to monitor their implementation and effectiveness. This will assist in protecting children from individuals who may seek to establish relationships of trust and authority with children in order to create opportunities for abuse. In due course, this may be a matter on which the Child Protection Authorities recommended by the Inquiry could assist.

K. 5: Identifying and reporting child sexual abuse

56. Child sexual abuse may come to the attention of institutions in different ways and at different times. Sometimes the child may make a disclosure, but many do not disclose what has happened to them until years, sometimes decades, later. Child sexual abuse almost invariably happens in private, making the chances of witnessing abuse or observing obvious physical injuries resulting from the abuse rare.

Identifying child sexual abuse

57. The ability of adults to identify children who are being sexually abused or are at risk of sexual abuse is fundamental to the institutional response. Institutions and organisations – as well as those working in them such as carers, social workers, doctors and teachers – should have procedures and training in place to identify potential indicators of child sexual abuse or exploitation. Despite this, the Inquiry encountered numerous examples of failures to both identify and report abuse to the police or social services. These matters should be dealt with in the policies and procedures of an institution, and may be aided further by the Inquiry’s recommendations for a public awareness campaign and for the introduction of mandatory reporting.

58. While there is no typical child abuser, there are similarities in the ways perpetrators behave, particularly in the methods used to groom children. Enabling institutions, and individuals working in them, to understand warning signs and indicators of potential child sexual abuse exhibited by a perpetrator is an important preventive measure.

Detecting online child sexual abuse

59. The number of perpetrators accessing child sexual abuse images continues to grow. Techniques for detecting child sexual abuse images vary depending on whether the image has previously been identified by law enforcement or industry as a child sexual abuse image (a ‘known’ child sexual abuse image). Technological tools are used to detect such imagery.

60. In the US, where known child sexual abuse images are detected, there is a legal obligation for the matter to be reported. Where that report relates to the UK, the matter is passed to the National Crime Agency, which responds to the most serious reports itself and passes others to local police forces for investigation. This form of mandatory reporting has had a significant positive impact on the way US institutions report child sexual abuse material and an equally positive impact in assisting UK law enforcement to identify perpetrators based in the UK. Once the Online Safety Bill is passed, UK companies will be under a duty to report any child sexual exploitation and abuse content directly to the National Crime Agency.

61. Pre-screening, however, enables internet companies to prevent child sexual abuse images from ever being uploaded to platforms and social media profiles. The image cannot therefore be viewed or shared; this prevents access to the material and therefore much of the resulting harm. As a result, in its The Internet Investigation Report (published in March 2020), the Inquiry recommended that the government should require internet companies to pre-screen for known child sexual abuse images before material is uploaded. In its response, the government referred to the Interim Code of Practice on Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (Interim Code) and its “expectation that all companies will prevent access to known child sexual abuse material”.

62. This does not go far enough in circumstances where the technology to pre-screen exists and is effective in preventing known child sexual abuse material from being made available to users.

63. In due course, it will be for the Office of Communications (Ofcom) as the online safety regulator to issue the code of practice, but it is not clear how long it will take for the Bill to come into force, what provisions will be enacted and in what precise form. It is imperative that pre-screening is utilised to its fullest extent. The Inquiry therefore recommends that pre-screening for known child sexual abuse images should be a mandatory feature of the code of practice.

Recommendation 12: Pre-screening

The Inquiry recommends that the UK government makes it mandatory for all regulated providers of search services and user-to-user services to pre-screen for known child sexual abuse material.

64. A number of notable impediments to the future detection of child sexual abuse material remain. One of the most significant impediments to detection is end-to-end encryption, the process of converting information or data into a code that makes it unreadable to unauthorised parties. While the Interim Code acknowledges the threat posed by encryption and requires companies to consider the potential harm, it falls short of proposing any solution to the problem. In November 2021, the government announced that £555,000 had been awarded to five projects as part of the Safety Tech Challenge Fund, one of which was to develop an integrated plug-in for encrypted social platforms to detect known child sexual abuse material. Such technological advances are positive steps to be encouraged and may contribute to changes proposed to the Online Safety Bill giving Ofcom the power to issue a company with a Notice to use “best endeavours” to develop technology to prevent, identify and remove child sexual abuse material, including on services that are encrypted.

Reporting child sexual abuse

65. The Inquiry heard numerous examples of individuals who received disclosures or were aware of child sexual abuse yet failed to report this to statutory authorities.

66. One prominent reason that individuals and institutions failed to report child sexual abuse to statutory authorities was a desire to protect an individual or institution from reputational damage. When concerns arose that were politically or professionally inconvenient for an individual to report, they sometimes did not do so. Failing to report an allegation of child sexual abuse out of a misguided sense of wanting to ‘protect their own’, a shared sense of defensiveness or a fear that making a report would bring their community into disrepute also featured in the evidence received. In other instances, factors such as confusing or subjective procedures for handling reports of child sexual abuse led to reports not being made.

67. Many of the individuals who failed to report abuse to the police or social services, in the instances examined by the Inquiry, may have failed to meet their professional or moral obligations, but they did not break any laws in doing so. The Inquiry therefore considers that systemic change is needed to ensure reporting of allegations of child sexual abuse.

68. A number of other countries have introduced legislation which places specified persons, or members of the public, under a statutory obligation to report child abuse or neglect to a designated agency. This is commonly referred to as ‘mandatory reporting’. Victims and survivors, some senior religious leaders and some organisations argued strongly in favour of mandatory reporting, which is also supported by a body of international evidence.

Mandatory reporting for England and for Wales

69. Having considered a range of views during its investigations and the various possible approaches to a scheme, the Inquiry has concluded that mandatory reporting is required so that those who work with children in certain roles are under a legal duty to report child sexual abuse to the police or social services.

70. The core elements of the Inquiry’s recommendation are that:

• as well as an obligation to report witnessed or disclosed child sexual abuse, there should be an obligation to report abuse based on well-recognised indicators of child sexual abuse;

• criminal liability should attach where there is a failure to make a mandatory report in certain specified circumstances;

• those engaged in regulated activity or positions of trust as well as police officers should be subject to a law of mandatory reporting; and

• reports should be made to local authority children’s social care or the police.

Recommendation 13: Mandatory reporting

The Inquiry recommends that the UK government and Welsh Government introduce legislation which places certain individuals – ‘mandated reporters’ – under a statutory duty to report child sexual abuse where they:

• receive a disclosure of child sexual abuse from a child or perpetrator; or

• witness a child being sexually abused; or

• observe recognised indicators of child sexual abuse.

The following persons should be designated ‘mandated reporters’:

• any person working in regulated activity in relation to children (under the Safeguarding and Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, as amended);

• any person working in a position of trust (as defined by the Sexual Offences Act 2003, as amended); and

• police officers.

For the purposes of mandatory reporting, ‘child sexual abuse’ should be interpreted as any act that would be an offence under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 where the alleged victim is a child under the age of 18.

Where the child is aged between 13 and under 16 years old, a report need not be made where the mandated reporter reasonably believes that:

• the relationship between the parties is consensual and not intimidatory, exploitative or coercive; and

• the child has not been harmed and is not at risk of being harmed; and

• there is no material difference in capacity or maturity between the parties engaged in the sexual activity concerned, and there is a difference in age of no more than three years.

These exceptions should not, however, apply where the alleged perpetrator is in a position of trust within the meaning of the 2003 Act.

Where the child is under the age of 13, a report must always be made.

Reports should be made to either local authority children’s social care or the police as soon as is practicable.

It should be a criminal offence for mandated reporters to fail to report child sexual abuse where they:

• are in receipt of a disclosure of child sexual abuse from a child or perpetrator; or

• witness a child being sexually abused.

K. 6: The justice system response to child sexual abuse

71. The criminal and civil justice systems play an important role in the way the State responds to child sexual abuse.

The criminal justice system

72. Investigating and prosecuting those who commit criminal offences involving the sexual abuse of children is rightly a matter of significant public interest. Inadequate responses of the police, Crown Prosecution Service and courts therefore featured in many of the Inquiry’s investigations and was a matter frequently raised by Truth Project participants when giving their accounts. The length of time taken to investigate and prosecute child sexual abuse cases was, and remains, a matter of significant concern. Delay within the criminal justice system adds to the harm caused by the abuse itself, and can have a profound impact on victims, survivors and complainants as well as those against whom allegations have been made.

73. While it is unrealistic to expect that law enforcement will be able to prevent all offences of child sexual abuse from being perpetrated, there are steps that can be taken to make abuse as difficult as possible to commit and in doing so reduce the risk of harm to children.

A sexual harm prevention order may be made by a court after a person has been convicted of a sexual offence, such as rape, sexual assault or possession of indecent images of children. A sexual risk order may be made where there has been no conviction but the court “is satisfied” that the individual has engaged in “an act of a sexual nature as a result of which it is necessary to make such an order”. The police also use child abduction warning notices – which do not require a court order – to make it more difficult for the offender to meet with the child. For the use of such tools to be effective, the police need to access such information easily, and the terms of the notice or order need to be monitored. Better evidence is also required about the extent to which these notices and orders are being issued.

74. The Inquiry identified a number of failings by police forces investigating allegations of child sexual abuse. For example, there were failures to investigate fully due to assumptions about the credibility of the child. Some children, particularly those in care, were often considered as being less worthy of belief which led to a less than thorough investigation.

Victims and survivors’ experiences of the criminal justice system were often affected by the knowledge, skills and attitude of individual officers. Allegations must be properly investigated in fairness to both the complainant and the accused. Investigations into child sexual abuse should not be driven by an investigator’s view about whether the complainant is worthy of belief, or any subjective view about the veracity of the complaint. All allegations need to be taken seriously and dealt with professionally.

75. Not every allegation of child sexual abuse will enter the criminal justice system. Only an estimated 7 percent of victims and survivors informed the police at the time of the offence and only 18 percent told the police at any point. Where allegations are reported to the police, fewer still result in a conviction. Some of the cases examined by the Inquiry identified procedural and legal errors – as well as delays – in the Crown Prosecution Service decision-making process. Where the allegation predominantly relies on the account of the complainant, as very frequently occurs in child sexual abuse cases, this can create difficulties in meeting the evidential test for bringing a prosecution.

76. Between 2016 and 2020, the numbers of both prosecutions and convictions fell by around 25 percent. This is seemingly indicative of a broader decline in the number of prosecutions for offences of rape, such as that recorded in the End-to-End Rape Review Report on Findings and Actions (the Rape Review, June 2021). The Rape Review identified a number of factors contributing to the decline in cases reaching a court, including “delays in investigative processes, strained relationships between different parts of the criminal justice system, a lack of specialist resources and inconsistent support to victims”.

Victims’ experience of the criminal justice system

77. Delays within the system and in ensuring that victims, survivors and complainants are able to give their best evidence and are supported throughout the process remain specific causes of concern. In addition to delays at the investigative and charging stage, for the year ending 31 December 2021, it took an average of 252 days for a case of child sexual abuse at the Crown Court to be completed. The emotional strain that delay places on victims and survivors and the accused cannot be underestimated. Such delays may lead some individuals to withdraw their allegations, which will typically mean that a prosecution is not possible.

The government’s 2021 Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Strategy acknowledges “the importance of swift case progression for victims’ and survivors’ wellbeing”, although it does not set out any specific plan to minimise delay. Measures have been introduced to try to minimise delay on victims and complainants, but it is unclear whether they will succeed in doing so. At the end of December 2021, there were 58,818 outstanding cases at the Crown Court, the entirety of which cannot be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic as there was already a backlog of 37,434 cases pre-pandemic resulting from cuts to budgets for the criminal justice system.

78. Delay is a challenge facing the criminal justice system as a whole, but improving the experience of victims and survivors is more easily addressed. While the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime in England and Wales (Victims’ Code) sets out “the services and a minimum standard for these services that must be provided to victims of crime”, it is not uniformly adhered to and there is no mechanism to monitor and enforce compliance with the Code.

79. In April 2018, the Inquiry’s Interim Report recommended a joint inspection of compliance with the Victims’ Code. The first national compliance report was due in early 2020, but in October 2020 the Ministry of Justice indicated that the operational demands of the COVID-19 pandemic had meant that further development of the Victims’ Code compliance monitoring framework had not been possible.

80. Evidence gathered subsequently by the Inquiry suggests that the Victims’ Code is still not being consistently applied and followed. There are also ongoing concerns about access to special measures, which seek to improve the quality of a witness’s evidence given in court.

In December 2021, the government launched a consultation on the Victims Bill to “build on the foundations provided by the Victims’ Code to substantially improve victims’ experiences of the criminal justice system”. In June 2022, the government responded to the consultation and committed to “enshrine the Victims’ Code in law” and to place criminal justice agencies

“under a duty to review their compliance with the Victims’ Code – using data and victim feedback to improve their performance”. This includes bringing in legislation so that “criminal justice inspectorates carry out regular joint inspections on victims’ issues”.

81. However, legislative change will not happen immediately. In the interim, greater focus is required on compliance with the Victims’ Code. The Inquiry therefore reiterates its recommendation that there should be a joint inspection regarding compliance with the Victims’ Code.

Recommendation 14: Compliance with the Victims’ Code

The Inquiry recommends (as originally stated in its Interim Report, dated April 2018) that the UK government commissions a joint inspection of compliance with the Victims’ Code in relation to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse, to be undertaken by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services, His Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation.

The civil justice system

82. Victims and survivors may separately bring a civil claim and face a number of difficulties when seeking to obtain compensation via the civil justice system.

83. Claims can be brought directly against an abuser but are usually brought against the institution in which the abuse took place or against those responsible for that institution.

It can be unclear whether the defendants have public liability insurance in place, as a result of which, in April 2018 and September 2019, the Inquiry made recommendations about the establishment of a public liability register.

84. Much of the approach during the process turns on the attitude of the defendants and their relationships with their insurers and their solicitors. In recent years some insurance companies have developed guidance to assist their claims handlers in dealing with child sexual abuse claims. A code of practice, recognising the long-term emotional and psychiatric or psychological effects of child sexual abuse on victims and survivors, is awaited from the Local Government Association (the national membership body for local authorities).

85. Even when claims succeed or are settled, many victims and survivors are dissatisfied with the outcome as they do not ordinarily obtain an explanation or apology for what had happened to them. This likely reflects that the primary purpose of a civil claim is to obtain financial compensation, which does not always align with objectives such as having their ‘day in court’ and obtaining some acknowledgement. Claims may be settled without an admission of liability, acceptance of responsibility or an apology; for some victims and survivors, these may be more important than financial compensation.

he limitation period

86. Most claims are modest in value and many claims do not result in compensation being paid. A significant number of claims are prevented from proceeding by statutory time limits, known as limitation periods, after which time claims can no longer be pursued. There is an extendable three-year limitation period for personal injury claims relating to sexual abuse. In all cases involving children, the limitation period does not start to run until the claimant reaches the age of 18, giving all claimants until at least the age of 21 to commence legal proceedings. Very few victims and survivors of child sexual abuse bring claims before the expiration of the limitation period and therefore, if the defence of limitation is raised, they must very often ask the court to exercise its discretion to allow their claims to proceed.

87. The Inquiry has received evidence that the defence of limitation operated unfairly as a barrier at three stages: in claims being taken on by lawyers, because often funding cannot be obtained unless it is likely that the claim will succeed; when valuing and settling claims, given the risk of losing on the grounds of limitation; and at trial, when limitation issues can be both intrusive for claimants and difficult to predict in terms of outcome. As accepted by a number of defendant solicitors and insurers, limitation therefore presents a barrier to justice for victims and survivors.

88. The Inquiry has considered a number of ways in which the current regime might be changed, as it was clearly not designed with the needs of victims and survivors of child sexual abuse in mind. They have different needs and require different treatment from personal injury claimants more generally. The very nature of child sexual abuse can make it difficult for victims and survivors to discuss their experiences. Other jurisdictions around the world have reformed the law of limitation relating to child sexual abuse claims. The Inquiry recommends that the limitation period should be removed in all cases involving child sexual abuse, other than those that have been dismissed or settled, while preserving the right to a fair trial.

Recommendation 15: Limitation

The Inquiry recommends that the UK government makes the necessary changes to legislation in order to ensure:

• the removal of the three-year limitation period for personal injury claims brought by victims and survivors of child sexual abuse in respect of their abuse; and
• the express protection of the right to a fair trial, with the burden falling on defendants to show that a fair trial is not possible.

These provisions should apply whether or not the current three-year period has already started to run or has expired, except where claims have been:

• dismissed by a court; or
• settled by agreement.

They should, however, only apply to claims brought by victims and survivors, not claims brought on behalf of victims and survivors’ estates.

K. 7: Supporting victims and survivors

89. The support needs of victims and survivors of child sexual abuse vary greatly and can change over time, triggered at different points in their lifetime, sometimes in unpredictable ways. They might need practical support about how to report abuse and obtain medical assistance, advocacy support and therapeutic support such as counselling and psychotherapy. For some, recovery may be dependent on being able to understand their history and they therefore need access to their records.

Current support services

90. Accessing the right support at the right time from the most appropriate service can be difficult for both adult and child victims and survivors. Support services can be accessed by those involved in the criminal and civil justice process or from the health service or specialist voluntary sector organisations. On occasions, services may also be accessed via the institution where the sexual abuse occurred.

91. For those who become involved in the criminal justice system, the Victims’ Code gives them the right to be referred to support services and to have services tailored to their needs. The Inquiry heard evidence of the positive support offered by specialist independent sexual violence advisers and also by the ‘Barnahus’ or Child House model. This model provides a single service-point for forensic interviews with the child, medical examination, therapeutic services and family counselling or support in a child-friendly environment. However, the quality and availability of support varies considerably between local areas.

92. The Inquiry heard that during civil proceedings victims and survivors will not always have access to the support they need. In 2019, the Inquiry recommended the introduction of a code to ensure that victims and survivors bringing civil claims can access therapy and support as soon as possible. The International Underwriting Association of London has been working to introduce such a code, which the Inquiry hopes can be issued in the near future.

93. Support can be provided by the health service, such as GPs and Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services (CYPMHS, but referred to in this report by its previous acronym CAMHS). There is, however, often a high threshold for treatment. Victims and survivors also told the Inquiry that health services were often only accessible if the impacts of abuse that they experienced matched a specific physical or mental health problem recognised by the NHS.

94. Cope and recover services – which include therapy as well as support such as advocacy and employment advice – provided by charities and voluntary organisations are often highly rated but can be difficult to access. Many suffer from short-term funding and availability varies considerably between local areas, creating “a postcode lottery”.

95. Some victims and survivors do not wish to access therapy from the institution where the abuse may have occurred. However, some institutions offer formal support in the form of access to advice, therapy and counselling. Initiatives such as ‘Safe Spaces’ (funded by the Church of England, the Church in Wales and the Catholic Church, and operated by Victim Support) are welcome, but there is often inconsistency and inadequacies in the provision of or referrals to services such as counselling and therapy by institutions. As a reflection of their moral responsibility for abuse, institutions should provide – either directly or by commissioning – therapeutic support for victims and survivors who would like to access such support.

Improving support services

96. Therapeutic services are beneficial to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. Indeed, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommends therapeutic interventions for children, young people and families following episodes of sexual abuse, including services such as trauma-focussed cognitive behavioural therapy, counselling, and socio-educative and creative therapy.

97. There are, however, a number of problems. Victims and survivors are not consistently directed towards relevant support services by institutions connected to the abuse or by other statutory agencies, and there are different statutory duties and referral mechanisms.

There is variation in the availability of support services nationally and locally. Victims and survivors can often experience long delays waiting for support, ranging from months to years. The number of sessions available differs dramatically depending on the type of support accessed and where in the country the support is being accessed. Support may be inaccessible to those without a qualifying medical diagnosis or the right personal circumstances. Specialist services – reflecting for example, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation and age – are often difficult to obtain.

98. This reflects, in part, the fragmented and complex funding and commissioning of support services across England and Wales from the public, private and voluntary (or third) sectors. The Ministry of Justice has acknowledged that the support available to children and young people who have experienced sexual abuse encompasses a wide range of services, funded by several different national and local commissioners, which can lead to variations and inconsistencies in local provision. It makes accessing support difficult and confusing for victims and survivors.

Support to child victims

99. Recent research shows that early interventions are effective at reducing the impact of child sexual abuse and preventing significant mental health problems in later life. Timely support can reduce long-term detrimental impacts. Conversely, delayed or inadequate support can have serious consequences, such as physical or mental health issues, dependency issues, or antisocial or criminal behaviours. As well as simplifying access to support services for all victims and survivors, there is an urgent need to provide specialist therapeutic support for children who have experienced sexual abuse. The Inquiry therefore recommends the introduction of a national guarantee to enable child victims of sexual abuse to access specialist therapeutic support in a timely way.

Recommendation 16: Specialist therapeutic support for child victims of sexual abuse

The Inquiry recommends that the UK government and the Welsh Government introduce a national guarantee that child victims of sexual abuse will be offered specialist and accredited therapeutic support. There should be sufficient supply of these services so that children in all parts of England and Wales can access support in a timely way.

These services should be fully funded. Responsibility for commissioning these services should be given to local authorities.

There must be no eligibility criteria for children to access these specialist therapeutic services other than having been a victim of child sexual abuse.

Access to records

100. Victims and survivors who wish to understand their past – including decisions about their care, the circumstances in which the abuse took place and why the abuse was able to continue – often wish to access their records. Relevant records may include social care records and safeguarding records, as well as for example safeguarding policies and procedures, personnel records and details of investigations or disciplinary procedures. Many records are also often of significance in criminal and civil proceedings. The absence of records hindered a number of police investigations into allegations of child sexual abuse considered by the Inquiry. Some records were simply missing, others had been destroyed in accordance with retention policies in place at the time.

101. Retention periods vary across institutions, as permitted under data protection legislation. However, the retention of records by institutions in the context of child sexual abuse cases is particularly important, as years may elapse before victims and survivors feel able to disclose sexual abuse. The Inquiry encountered cases where records had been destroyed in accordance with the retention policies in place at the time. By the time victims and survivors wished to access them, it was too late.

102. Specific records relating to child sexual abuse should also be subject to a longer retention period, to allow for delayed disclosure and to recognise the difficulties that may be faced by victims and survivors in being able or ready to access this information.

Longer retention periods exist in other areas. For example, records relating to adoption are retained for 100 years, and those concerning a looked after child are kept until his or her 75th birthday.

103. Victims and survivors have also faced difficulties when requesting their records from institutions under subject access provisions, including long delays, procedural hurdles, and poor communication and explanations from the institutions. They may also need practical and emotional support when exercising their legal rights, as records may bring back traumatic memories and cause distress.

104. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) already has a general code setting out how organisations should respond to subject access requests. The Inquiry recommends that the Secretary of State directs the ICO to address the issue of access to records about child sexual abuse.

Recommendation 17: Access to records

The Inquiry recommends that the UK government directs the Information Commissioner’s Office to introduce a code of practice on retention of and access to records known to relate to child sexual abuse.

The retention period for records known to relate to allegations or cases of child sexual abuse should be 75 years with appropriate review periods.

The code should set out that institutions should have:

• retention policies that reflect the importance of such records to victims and survivors, and that they may take decades to seek to access such records; • clear and accessible procedures for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse to access such records; • policies, procedures and training for staff responding to requests to ensure that they recognise the long-term impact of child sexual abuse and engage with the applicant with empathy.

K. 8: Making amends

105. It is clear from the Inquiry’s investigations that, over many decades, there have been serious and wide-ranging failures by both State and non-State institutions to protect children from child sexual abuse and exploitation or the risk of such abuse in a broad range of settings. Appropriate and meaningful reparation and redress, including by the State, may help alleviate some of this impact.

Acknowledgement, apologies and assurances

106. Acknowledgement that sexual abuse occurred is often an important form of reparation for victims and survivors. Recognition may be provided by individuals, institutions and wider society. Institutions often dismissed or did not sufficiently act on disclosures or reports of abuse, from both children and adults, and refused to meet with victims and survivors. They also responded without compassion or respect, reacted defensively and were driven by concerns about legal liability and reputations rather than concerns for those who have been abused. While some institutions have begun recently to acknowledge the abuse experienced by so many in their care, in many instances this came after decades of poor responses and refusals to acknowledge that child sexual abuse had occurred.

107. Similarly, apologies are a valuable form of reparation for victims and survivors. They must, however, be genuine, meaningful and, if requested, face-to-face. Those apologies that are accompanied by significant change are likely to have the most impact.

108. Some institutions are reluctant to apologise due to concerns that an apology may amount to an admission of liability and be relied upon in civil litigation. In September 2019, the Inquiry recommended that the government should amend the Compensation Act to make clear that institutions may apologise for abuse by persons for whom they may be vicariously liable without those apologies amounting to admissions of legal liability. In March 2021, the government made a commitment to consult on the issue of apologies.

No consultation has yet been launched but it is expected to take place in 2022.

109. Some victims and survivors want to be given assurances that the institution would not let child sexual abuse happen to other children. Informing victims and survivors about preventive steps which have been taken to protect children since the abuse occurred can be of real significance. Not only can it reassure the individual who has been abused, but it can also help institutions prioritise the identification of failings in order to prevent future abuse.

Financial redress

110. Victims and survivors are entirely justified in seeking redress. While no amount of money can fully compensate a victim for child sexual abuse, it can provide reparation and help them to access valuable support and therapy.

111. Victims of ‘violent crime’ in England and Wales (as well as Scotland) may be awarded compensation under the publicly funded Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme. The Interim Report (April 2018) and the Inquiry’s Accountability and Reparations Investigation Report (September 2019) made several recommendations to improve access to the Scheme for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. Despite these changes, concerns about the Scheme remain. Its continued focus on ‘crime of violence’ fails to take into account that child sexual abuse, particularly online sexual abuse, may occur without physical contact. Under the 2012 Scheme, no award is made to applicants who have unspent criminal convictions for offences that resulted in certain sentences or orders. This fails to recognise the impact of child sexual abuse and, specifically, that abuse may have directly contributed to instances of offending; there is often, for example, a close link between sexual exploitation, grooming and criminal behaviour. There is also a two-year time limit for making a claim. Although this may be extended where there are ‘exceptional circumstances’, such a period is inadequate for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse.

112. The Inquiry therefore recommends further changes in relation to the focus on crimes of violence, the provisions relating to ‘unspent convictions’ and the time limits for applications to the scheme.

Recommendation 18: Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme

The Inquiry recommends that the UK government changes the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme to:

• include other forms of child sexual abuse, including online-facilitated sexual abuse;
• amend the rule on unspent convictions so that applicants with unspent convictions are not automatically excluded where offences are likely to be linked to the circumstances of their sexual abuse as a child; and
• increase the time limit for child sexual abuse applications so that applicants have seven years to apply from (a) the date the offence was reported to the police or (b) the age of 18, where the offence was reported whilst the victim was a child. In either circumstance, the claims officer’s discretion to extend the time limit remains.

A single redress scheme for England and Wales

113. A single redress scheme has a number of benefits over existing systems of civil justice and criminal compensation in England and Wales, which often do not provide the accountability and reparation sought by victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. Existing systems can be difficult to access and some of the rules may deter or prevent victims and survivors from pursuing their claims; the process can also be protracted and re-traumatising.

114. In order to acknowledge the State’s responsibility to protect children from sexual abuse and the consequent harm experienced over many decades, the Inquiry recommends that a national redress scheme be established in England and Wales. The current systems of financial redress should continue to exist alongside this scheme. It will provide much- needed public acknowledgement and practical reparation to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse.

115. While it will be for the government to consider the detailed rules of, and funding for, a national redress scheme, the Inquiry’s recommended approach encompasses the following key components:

• the scheme should be for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse and exploitation that occurred in England and Wales, including that perpetrated by other children;

• there should be a clear connection between an institution in England and Wales (whether State or non-State) and the sexual abuse experienced by the individual;

• the scheme should apply to child sexual abuse that took place prior to its establishment and be open for a period of five years;

• the scheme should not allow an applicant to receive money twice for the same matter;

• the scheme should comprise a two-tier system, the first being a modest, fixed flat-rate recognition payment with the option for applicants who wish to provide more details and evidence to apply for a second-tier payment;

• the process must be accessible, straightforward and sensitive to the needs and vulnerabilities of victims and survivors of sexual abuse; and

• the scheme should be funded by central and local government, in accordance with devolved funding principles, with voluntary contributions sought from non-State institutions.

This is underpinned by the need for the scheme to be as simple and non-adversarial as possible.

Recommendation 19: Redress scheme

The Inquiry recommends that the UK government establishes a single redress scheme in England and Wales, taking into account devolved responsibilities.

The detailed rules of, and funding for, this redress scheme should reflect the following core elements.

Eligibility

• Victims and survivors of child sexual abuse and exploitation that occurred in England and in Wales should be eligible to apply.

• Applicants must have experienced child sexual abuse and exploitation where there is a clear connection to State or non-State institutions in England and Wales.

• The scheme should be open to any victim of child sexual abuse that took place prior to its establishment.

• The scheme should deduct any previous award from any payment under the scheme (or in the case of payments made by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, it may order that they be repaid).

• Applicants who have previously brought civil claims which have been rejected by the court should be excluded from applying to the scheme, save where their cases have been rejected due to limitation.

Redress provided

• The scheme should provide payments to eligible applicants through a two-tier system, based on a fixed flat-rate recognition payment, with the option to apply for a second-tier payment.

Process

• The application process must be accessible and straightforward, and be sensitive to the needs and vulnerabilities of victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. The process should provide for streamlined checks and verification of applications, but not be adversarial.
• There should be special provisions to accelerate awards for older or terminally ill applicants.

Duration

• The scheme should run for five years.

Funding

• The scheme should be funded by central and local government, in accordance with devolved funding principles, with voluntary contributions sought from non-State institutions.

K. 9: Evolving challenges

116. The risks to children from child sexual abuse and exploitation are constantly evolving. They may arise, for example, as a result of technological advances or as a result of developments in how society understands and responds to a particular risk. It is already apparent that emerging technologies and the globalised nature of child sexual abuse will pose challenges in the future to the protection of children.

117. The UK government and other agencies and organisations already work internationally, and there must be robust action as part of the global response to the sexual abuse of children which is not confined to any specific region, country or continent. There is, for example, growing concern about the ways in which child sexual exploitation is being facilitated by modern slavery and trafficking. There is more that could be done, for example, to enable UK nationals to be prosecuted in England and Wales for sexual abuse committed abroad, which will be addressed as part of the UK government’s Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Strategy.

118. Digital technologies used to facilitate child sexual abuse are continuing to be developed. Interactive games where players communicate online have long been used as a means to groom and sexually exploit children. More recent developments such as virtual worlds known as the metaverse have the potential to become a tool for the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. Unlike social media, where interaction is mostly limited to text- based messages and emojis, the metaverse enables the sensation of physical touch. Unlike mobile phones, computers or gaming consoles, virtual reality headsets cannot be externally monitored by parents and they do not store records of users’ interactions. Offenders are able to hide behind anonymous avatars as users’ identities are not verified and children can access adult-only features simply by ticking a box to declare that they meet the minimum age requirements.

119. The Online Safety Bill, laid before Parliament in March 2022, will strengthen the response to such challenges. As proposed, the legislation will not prescribe the use of specific technologies to prevent harm, but instead makes clear that companies should be using technology to address these harms. It includes a “new standalone provision” requiring “providers who publish or place pornographic content on their services to prevent children from accessing that content”, but it will be for the provider to decide how to comply with this duty. There are also plans for action by the government to deter individuals from abusive behaviour and by Ofcom to promote education about online safety.

120. These proposals fail to deal with the Inquiry’s fundamental concern that children under the age of 13 are able to access social media platforms and services too easily, for example by evading overly simplistic age verification requirements (processes that ensure users must prove their age to access certain platforms). Many services require nothing more than entering a date of birth. The Inquiry therefore reiterates its recommendation that stronger age verification techniques are required.

Recommendation 20: Age verification

The Inquiry recommends (as originally stated in its The Internet Investigation Report, dated March 2020) that the UK government introduces legislation requiring providers of online services and social media platforms to implement more stringent age verification measures.

121. Institutions and leaders must recognise developing challenges and ensure that their responses are capable of rapid adaptation to the evolving nature of the threat. In particular, it is critical that statutory agencies, the institutions which interact with children and the online safety regulator are better able to anticipate and respond to risks. The new Child Protection Authorities will play an important role in helping to provide advice on these and other developing challenges in the future.

K. 10: Recommendations to better protect children from sexual abuse

122. The Inquiry has encountered extensive failures – by a range of statutory agencies as well as other institutions and organisations – to keep pace with the increase in the pernicious and constantly evolving sexual abuse of children. Those State and non-State institutional failings identified across the Inquiry’s work suggest that large numbers of victims and survivors have been let down by the institutions that should have protected them, today as well as in the past. Addressing the past and present concerns requires prompt and effective action.

123. This report includes the Inquiry’s 20 concluding recommendations (including six from earlier reports which are reiterated). In total, the Inquiry has made 107 recommendations during the course of its work to 33 specified institutions as well as a number of other organisations and settings (see Annex 3). Those recommendations are designed to provide a comprehensive response by the State, as well as institutions and organisations which work with children, to address the very current problems in preventing, reporting and responding to child sexual abuse. Together they will better protect children from sexual abuse and the harm that results.

The concluding recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

1. A single set of core data relating to child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation.

2. Child Protection Authorities for England and for Wales.

3. A cabinet-level Minister for Children.

4. A public awareness campaign.

5. Prohibiting the use of pain compliance techniques.

6. The amendment of the Children Act 1989.

7. Registration of care staff in children’s homes.

8. Registration of staff in care roles in young offender institutions and secure training centres.

9. Greater use of the Disclosure and Barring Service barred list.

10. Improvements to compliance with statutory duties to refer concerns to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

11. Extending the disclosure regime to those working with children overseas.

12. Pre-screening for illegal images of children.

13. Mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse in certain circumstances.

14. Compliance with the Victims’ Code.

15. The removal of the three-year limitation period for personal injury claims brought by victims and survivors of child sexual abuse.

16. A national guarantee of specialist therapeutic support for child victims.

17. A code of practice on access to records about child sexual abuse.

18. Further changes to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme.

19. A tiered redress scheme.

20. Age verification in relation to online services and social media platforms.

124. The Inquiry expects the UK government, the Welsh Government and the specified institutions to act upon its recommendations promptly. In the interests of transparency and openness, the Inquiry asks that each institution publish details of the steps they will take in response to each recommendation in this report, including the timetable involved, within six months of the publication of this report. It is anticipated that, in due course, implementation of, or compliance with, the Inquiry’s recommendations will be regularly monitored and reported upon by the Child Protection Authorities for England and for Wales, and that pending the establishment of these agencies the Minister for Children and the equivalent minister in Wales will undertake the same role. It is the hope and expectation of the Inquiry that reporting should happen at least annually, in order to ensure the focus and prioritisation of the improvements necessary better to protect children in England and Wales from sexual abuse.

Annex 1: The background to this Inquiry and its methodology

Time of the inquiry

2022

Engagement with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning + victims and survivors – engagement report published

The residential schools investigation report published (part of the Residential schools investigation)

Child sexual exploitation by organised networks investigation report published (part of the Child sexual exploitation by organised networks investigation)

2021

Institutional responses to allegations of child sexual abuse involving the late Lord Janner of Braunstone QC investigation report published (part of the Institutional responses to allegations of child sexual abuse involving Lord Janner investigation)

The Truth Project concluded

Child protection in religious organisations and settings investigation report published (part of the Child protection in religious organisations and settings investigation)

Children in the care of Lambeth Council investigation report published (part of the Children in the care of Lambeth Council investigation)

Child sexual abuse in contemporary institutional contexts research report published

Engagement with children and young people – engagement report published

Engagement with support services for ethnic minority communities – engagement report published

2020

Child sexual abuse in healthcare contexts – Truth Project thematic report published (part of a series of thematic reports based on accounts given by Truth Project participants)

The Roman Catholic Church investigation report published (overarching report for The Roman Catholic Church investigation). The Inquiry has published responses to recommendations made in this report

The Anglican Church investigation report published (overarching report for The Anglican Church investigation). The Inquiry has published responses to recommendations made in this report

Forum event – members who identify as LGBTQ+ were given an opportunity to share their experiences, to help inform the Chair and Panel’s final Report

Institutional responses to allegations of child sexual abuse involving Lord Janner public hearings concluded

Child sexual abuse in the context of schools – Truth Project thematic report published (part of a series of thematic reports based on accounts given by Truth Project participants)

Effective leadership of child protection public hearings concluded

Child sexual abuse in residential schools public hearings concluded

Forum event – members invited to discuss how protected characteristics may have affected their experience of child sexual abuse, to help inform the Chair and Panel’s final Report

Child sexual exploitation by organised networks public hearings concluded

Support services for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse research report published

“People don’t talk about it”:Child sexual abuse in ethnicminority communities research report published

Victims and survivors invited to share their experience with the Truth Project in video sessions

Child protection in religious organisations and settings public hearings concluded

Child sexual abuse in sports – Truth Project thematic report published (part of a series of thematic reports based on accounts

Children in the care of Lambeth Council public hearings concluded

An explorative study on perpetrators of child sexual exploitation

5,000 victims and survivors have shared their experiences with the Truth Project

Forum events – workshops on the topic of redress schemes, given by Truth Project participants)

convicted alongside others research report published to help inform the Chair and Panel’s final Report

All recommendations and official responses tracked and regularly updated on the Inquiry website

Child sexual abuse in custodial institutions – Truth Project thematic report published (part of a series of thematic reports based on accounts given by Truth Project participants)

The Truth Project offers sessions in British Sign Language (in partnership with SignHealth)

Safeguarding children from sexual abuse in residential schools research report published

The internet investigation report published (part of The internet investigation). The Inquiry has published responses to recommendations made in this report

Inquiry announcement that some hearings would be held virtually due to COVID-19 restrictions

Allegations of child sexual abuse linked to Westminster investigation report published (part of the Allegations of child sexual abuse linked to

Westminster investigation). The Inquiry has published responses to recommendations made in this report

Learning about online sexual harm research report published

Accountability and reparations public hearings concluded.The investigation report was published in September 2019

November 2019

Child sexual abuse in the context of children’s homes and residential care – Truth Project thematic report published (part of a series of thematic reports based on accounts given by Truth Project participants)

Children outside the United Kingdom Phase 2 investigation report published (the second report on the investigation into the protection of children overseas as part of the Children outside the United Kingdom investigation). The Inquiry has published responses to recommendations made in this report

15th and final investigation, Effective leadership of child protection, announced

Forum events – workshops on the topic of accessing records relating to the abuse Forum members suffered, or to their childhood, to help inform the Chair and Panel’s final Report

Forum events – workshops (co-hosted by the Race Equality Foundation) on issues specific to ethnic minority communities, to help inform the Chair and Panel’s final Report

The Roman Catholic Church public hearings concluded. The overarching investigation report was published in November 2020

Accountability and reparations investigation report published (part of the Accountability and reparations investigation). The Inquiry has published responses to recommendations made in this report

The Roman Catholic Church (EBC) case study: Ealing Abbey and St Benedict’s School investigation report published (part of The Roman Catholic Church investigation)

Forum events – responses from 116 Forum members on stereotypes and assumptions shared with the Chair and Panel to help inform the final Report

Forum events – five workshops on culture change to help inform the Chair and Panel’s final Report

The Roman Catholic Church case study: Archdiocese of Birmingham investigation report published (part of The Roman Catholic Church investigation)

Children in the care of the Nottinghamshire Councils investigation report published (part of the Children in the care of the Nottinghamshire Councils investigation). The Inquiry has published responses to recommendations made in this report

The Anglican Church case studies: 1. The Diocese of Chichester 2. The response to allegations against Peter Ball investigation report published (part of The Anglican Church investigation). The Inquiry has published responses to recommendations made in this report

The Anglican Church public hearings concluded. The overarching investigation report was published in October 2020

Truth Project research: Methods research report published

The internet public hearings concluded. The investigation report was published in March 2020

Child sexual abuse in the context of religious institutions – Truth Project thematic report published (part of a series of thematic reports based on accounts given by Truth Project participants)

Mandatory reporting seminar 2 held (Arguments for and against)

3,000 victims and survivors have shared their experience with the Truth Project

Children outside the United Kingdom Phase 2 public hearings concluded. Phase 1 of the investigation report (Child migration programmes) was published in March 2018 and Phase 2 was published in January 2020

Allegations of child sexual abuse linked to Westminster public hearings concluded. The investigation report was published in February 2020

Safe inside? Child sexual abuse in the youth secure estate research report published

Forum events – engagement with 111 support services for ethnic minority communities, to help inform the Chair and Panel’s final Report

Sexual abuse of children in custodial institutions (2009–2017) investigation report published (part of the Children in custodial institutions investigation). The Inquiry has published responses to recommendations made in this report

Awareness campaign for the Truth Project commenced, with particular focus on raising awareness with under-represented audiences

2018

Child sexual abuse in residential schools: A literature review research report published

The UK government Government published their responses to the Inquiry’s Interim Report (for further details on responses to recommendations, see the Inquiry’s recommendations page)

Truth Project Experiences Shared launched – online anthology of anonymised accounts from the Truth Project (updated quarterly)

Mandatory reporting seminar 1 held (Existing obligations to report child sexual abuse)

Children in custodial institutions public hearings concluded. The investigation report was published in February 2019

Children in the care of the Nottinghamshire Councils public hearings concluded. The investigation report was published in July 2019

Ampleforth and Downside (English Benedictine Congregation case study) investigation report published (part of The Roman Catholic Church investigation)

Inquiry Interim Report published. The Inquiry has published responses to recommendations made in the Interim Report

Experiences Shared: Victims and survivors speak out published (125 anonymised summaries of experiences shared with the Truth Project)

Children outside the United Kingdom Phase 1 (Child migration programmes) investigation report published

(part of the Children outside the United Kingdom investigation). The Inquiry has published responses to recommendations made in this report

First quarterly statistics published

Cambridge House, Knowl View and Rochdale investigation report published (part of the Cambridge House, Knowl View and Rochdale investigation)

Deflection, denial and disbelief: social and political discourses about child sexual abuse and their influence on institutional responses: A rapid evidence assessment research report published

Child sexual abuse in custodial institutions: A rapid evidence assessment research report published

Social and political narratives about child sexual abuse seminar held

Quantifying the extent of online- facilitated child sexual abuse:

A rapid evidence assessment research report published

Characteristics and vulnerabilities of victims of online-facilitated child sexual abuse and exploitation: A rapid evidence assessment research report published

Behaviour and characteristics of perpetrators of online-facilitated child sexual abuse and exploitation: A rapid evidence assessment research report published

2017

Child sexual abuse within the Catholic and Anglican Churches: A rapid evidence assessment research report published

The Criminal Justice System seminar held

Victim and survivor voices from the Truth Project research report published

Victims and survivors’ experiences: impacts, support services and redress seminar held

The impacts of child sexual abuse: A rapid evidence assessment research report published

Cambridge House Boys’ Hostel, Knowl View School and Rochdale Borough Council public hearings concluded. The investigation report was published in April 2018

Children outside the United Kingdom Phase 1 public hearings concluded. Phase 1 of the investigation report (Child migration programmes) was published in March 2018 and Phase 2 was published in January 2020

The Health Sector seminar held

Forum events – engagement with organisations supporting women from minority ethnic communities to encourage participation in the Truth Project

Learning from best practice overseas seminar held

Criminal Injuries Compensation seminar held

What can be learnt from other jurisdictions about preventing and responding to child sexual abuse: A rapid evidence assessment research report published

Victims and survivors first invited to share their experience with the Truth Project in the South West

Victims and survivors first invited to share their experience with the Truth Project in London

2016

The Civil Justice System seminar held

The Inquiry’s research and analysis functions set out by the Chair

November First Forum event in Wales – 30 Forum members invited to attend in Cardiff

First collection of experiences shared with the Truth Project published

Victims and survivors first invited to share their experience with the Truth Project in Wales

Pilot Forum event in London – 30 Forum members invited and introduced to the work of the Inquiry by the Chair and Panel

Victims and survivors first invited to share their experience with the Truth Project in Darlington

Background

1. In July 2014, the then Home Secretary Theresa May MP announced the establishment of this Inquiry, initially in non-statutory form. In February 2015, it was reconstituted as a statutory inquiry under the Inquiries Act 2005, enabling it to compel witnesses and request any material necessary to investigate where institutions failed to protect children in their care.

2. Since the 1940s, there has been a myriad of investigations and inquiries related to the sexual abuse of children. Many dealt with issues at a regional or local level, rather than considering the wider application of themes and lessons that should be learned. This Inquiry has provided an opportunity to consider many complex issues of potential relevance to institutions in England and Wales and beyond in order to protect children from such abuse in future.

Scope

3. The scope of the Inquiry, as set out in its Terms of Reference, was to:

“consider the extent to which State and non-State institutions have failed in their duty of care to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation; to consider the extent to which those failings have since been addressed; to identify further action needed to address any failings identified; to consider the steps which it is necessary for State and non-State institutions to take in order to protect children from such abuse in future; and to publish a report with recommendations.”

4. Consequently, the Inquiry focussed on the conduct of institutions and their response or failure to respond to allegations of child sexual abuse. Its purpose has not been to examine the truth of allegations against individuals, but to investigate what institutions knew about them and how – if at all – they responded. The Inquiry’s scope did not include sexual abuse of children which occurred within a family setting, as opposed to within an institution. It did, however, include circumstances in which a child disclosed familial abuse to a person in an institution, such as a school or a church, and that person or persons failed to act upon this information or otherwise failed to identify child sexual abuse.

5. In addition to evidence it received, the Inquiry has considered information available from various published and unpublished reviews and investigations, together with the experience of victims and survivors of child sexual abuse.

Overview of the Inquiry’s methodology

6. In order to approach these issues in a comprehensive manner, the Inquiry established several strands of work, which are summarised below and in relation to which regular reports were published and laid in Parliament. The themes, evidence and material from all these strands have informed this report and its recommendations to protect children in the future.

Interim report

7. As required under its Terms of Reference, the Inquiry published its Interim Report of

t he Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse in April 2018. At the time, the Inquiry had held five public hearings, published a number of reports about specific parts of its work ‒ including the findings of two public hearings ‒ and held a series of seminars to discuss issues relevant to child sexual abuse. More than 1,000 victims and survivors of child sexual abuse had shared their experience with the Inquiry’s Truth Project. The Interim Report provided an update on the Inquiry’s work and what had been learned to date.

Investigations

8. Through its investigations, the Inquiry examined the extent to which institutions took sufficient care to protect children from sexual abuse, and the extent to which the institutions involved knew or should have known about the abuse, and how they responded. A number of the public hearings were conducted virtually given restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Investigations

• 15 investigations, involving 385 complainants, 93 institutions or organisations, and 41 other groups or individuals.
• 325 days of public and preliminary hearings, involving 725 witnesses – the proceedings were broadcast and transcripts are available on the Inquiry’s website.
• 2,457,543 pages of evidence.
• 87 recommendations to 33 specified State and non-State institutions (including the UK government and various departments, the Welsh Government, several local authorities, the Anglican Church and the Roman Catholic Church) as well as a number of other organisations and settings such as political parties and religious organisations.

9. As set out in the Inquiry’s Criteria for Selection of Investigations, investigations were either:

• institution-specific, involving inquiries into particular institutions or types of institution; or

• thematic, concerning a series of broad areas where multiple institutions may play a role in protecting children from abuse.

The Inquiry also considered whether situations appeared: (a) to be typical of a pattern of child sexual abuse occurring in the sector or context involved; (b) to be practically capable of detailed examination through oral and written evidence; (c) to involve no significant risk to the fairness and effectiveness of any ongoing police investigation or prosecution; and (d) likely to result in currently relevant conclusions and/or recommendations.

10. On this basis, the Inquiry selected and completed the following 15 investigations.

10.1. The extent to which institutions failed in their duty to protect children abroad by, for example, employing individuals who should not work with children, was considered in two phases. The first phase, Child Migration Programmes, dealt with the experiences of children removed from their families, care homes and foster care in England and Wales who were sent to institutions or families abroad, primarily during the post-Second World War period. In the Children Outside the United Kingdom Phase 2 investigation, the Inquiry focussed on the response by institutions in England and Wales to the sexual abuse of children outside the UK.

10.2. One of three local authority investigations, Cambridge House, Knowl View and Rochdale, examined allegations made about the sexual abuse and exploitation of children including by former Liberal Party MP, Cyril Smith.

10.3. The Sexual Abuse of Children in Custodial Institutions investigation considered the sexual abuse of children detained within the criminal justice system.

10.4. The second local authority investigations considered the experiences of Children in the Care of the Nottinghamshire Councils from the 1960s onwards, when sexual abuse was widespread in both residential and foster care.

10.5. Through five case studies, spanning from the 1960s to the present day, the Accountability and Reparations investigation considered the ways in which perpetrators can be held to account under criminal and civil law and the potential reparations available.

10.6. Similarly, the Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse Linked to Westminster investigation examined institutional responses to allegations involving persons of public prominence associated with Westminster.

10.7. The growing problem of online-facilitated child sexual abuse – ranging from sharing indecent images of children, viewing or directing the abuse of children via online streaming or video conferencing, to grooming or otherwise coordinating contact offences against children – was considered in The Internet investigation.

10.8. The Anglican Church overarching investigation assessed the extent to which the Church of England and the Church in Wales protected children from sexual abuse in the past and the adequacy of its safeguarding policies and practices. As part of this investigation, The Anglican Church Case Studies: 1. The Diocese of Chichester 2. The Response to Allegations Against Peter Ball considered two examples where perpetrators were allowed unrestricted access to children and young people.

10.9. The Roman Catholic Church investigation examined the extent of institutional failings by the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales to protect children from sexual abuse as well as the Church’s current safeguarding regime. As part of its wider investigation into the Roman Catholic Church, the Inquiry also considered more than 130 allegations of child sexual abuse made against 78 individuals in The Roman Catholic Church Case Study: Archdiocese of Birmingham since the 1930s. It also reviewed the abbeys and related schools of Ampleforth and Downside (English Benedictine Congregation Case Study), where appalling sexual abuse was inflicted over decades on children aged as young as seven at Ampleforth School, and aged 11 at Downside School. The Roman Catholic Church Case Study: English Benedictine Congregation:

1. Ealing Abbey and St Benedict’s School 2. Ampleforth and Downside: update second investigation concerned the only Benedictine day school in England, adjacent to Ealing Abbey, where there was extensive child sexual abuse resulting in a number of convictions.

10.10. In its third local authority report, the Inquiry examined the scale and nature of the sexual abuse experienced by Children in the Care of Lambeth Council over several decades since the 1960s, for which a succession of elected members and senior professionals ought to have been held accountable.

10.11. The thematic Child Protection in Religious Organisations and Settings investigation augmented the dedicated investigations into the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches, and considered 38 various religious organisations with a presence in England and Wales.

10.12. In the Institutional Responses to Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse Involving the Late Lord Janner of Braunstone QC investigation, the Inquiry considered the response of Leicestershire Police, the Crown Prosecution Service, Leicestershire County Council, the Labour Party and other institutions to allegations of child sexual abuse involving Lord Janner. This investigation provided the Inquiry with the opportunity to consider the institutional response in circumstances where there has been no criminal conviction or civil finding of fact that alleged sexual abuse occurred.

10.13. The Inquiry’s Child Sexual Exploitation by Organised Networks investigation examined individual cases in six geographical case study areas to seek to understand current practice in relation to the sexual exploitation of children at a strategic level. Accounts were also received from children who had been sexually exploited and abused in other geographical areas, as well as drawing on wider knowledge about child sexual exploitation in England and Wales.

10.14. Having considered the sexual abuse of children in educational settings in several of its previous investigations, The Residential Schools investigation examined residential specialist music schools and residential special schools as well as other types of schools in which staff had been convicted of the sexual abuse of pupils or in which serious safeguarding concerns had arisen. Counsel to the Inquiry also prepared a written account regarding allegations of child sexual abuse using the information gathered from a number of sources in relation to eight schools which no longer exist or are under new management (Non-Recent Sexual Abuse in Residential Schools: An account submitted by Counsel to the Inquiry concerning eight closed residential schools, first published in September 2019).

10.15. The Effective Leadership of Child Protection investigation focussed on practical experiences of leaders and management and examined how effective leadership can better protect children from sexual abuse. Due to its thematic nature, material from this investigation has not been published separately, but has been taken into account in this report.

Further details regarding each investigation are included in Annex 2, which summarises each of the Inquiry’s publications.

11. In each investigation, in accordance with rule 5 of The Inquiry Rules 2006 and the Inquiry’s protocol for considering applications, the Chair designated a number of core participants. These were individuals, organisations or institutions with a specific interest in a particular investigation. Core participants have rights in the Inquiry process including receiving disclosure of documentation, being represented, making legal submissions and suggesting lines of enquiry. They were also able to apply to the Inquiry for funding to cover legal and other costs.

12. Witnesses were invited by the Inquiry to provide a statement if they had evidence relevant to a particular investigation, for example, if they had been failed by or worked in an institution being examined. Most gave their evidence in person, although some did so anonymously (for example, to protect their identity while the police were investigating the sexual abuse they suffered) or via video link (for example, if they were infirm or abroad); some evidence was read aloud on their behalf. Witnesses and core participants were offered emotional support both before and after they gave evidence.

13. On 15 August 2016, the Chair issued a Restriction Order under section 19(2)(b) of the Inquiries Act 2005, granting general anonymity to all complainant core participants. It prohibited (i) the disclosure or publication of any information that identified, named or gave the address of a complainant core participant, and (ii) the disclosure or publication of any still or moving image of a complainant core participant. This Order reflected section 1 of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992, which applies to the Inquiry’s work; it provides victims and complainants of sexual offences with lifelong anonymity and prevents any matter being published about a complainant which might enable the public to identify them. As a result, all complainant core participants were granted anonymity, unless they did not wish to be anonymous. This Order was amended in March 2018 and March 2019 to vary the circumstances in which a complainant core participant could disclose their own status. More than 100 further restriction orders were issued in the course of the Inquiry’s investigations to prevent the disclosure or publication of sensitive information.

14. As set out in each investigation report, some material obtained was redacted and, where appropriate, ciphers applied in accordance with the Inquiry’s protocol on the redaction of documents. As a result, for example, absent specific consent to the contrary, the identities of complainants and victims and survivors of child sexual abuse and other children were redacted; and if the Inquiry considered that their identity appeared to be sufficiently relevant to the investigation, a cipher was applied. In this report, the Inquiry has used ciphers as applied in published investigation reports.

15. Warning letters were sent in accordance with rule 13 of the Inquiry Rules 2006, and responses were considered before finalising this report as well as each investigation report.

16. The Inquiry’s investigation reports made 87 recommendations to 33 specified State and non-State institutions – including the UK government and various departments, and the Welsh Government – as well as more generally (for example political parties and religious organisations). This report contains 20 further recommendations. Institutions were asked to act upon its recommendations promptly and, in the interest of transparency and openness, to publish details of the steps they would take in response to each recommendation within six months of its publication. The Inquiry monitored responses through a formal process, and a summary of recommendations together with progress achieved up to 30 June 2022 is included in Annex 3.

Truth Project

17. Victims and survivors provide a uniquely-informed contribution to the process of understanding and learning from past mistakes and improving child protection in the future. Most importantly, they are entitled to choose to give their accounts and opinions, be listened to respectfully and have their feelings of hurt, frustration and anger acknowledged. This underpinned the Inquiry’s determination to put victims and survivors at the centre of its work and give them a voice, most notably through the Truth Project.

18. The Inquiry’s Truth Project was a complex and extensive listening exercise, which offered 6,226 victims and survivors of child sexual abuse an unprecedented opportunity to share their experiences. Their accounts provided the Inquiry with a better understanding of the long-term impact of child sexual abuse on victims and survivors.

Truth Project

• 6,339 accounts of child sexual abuse shared with the Truth Project by 6,226 victims and survivors.
• 4,440 private sessions held.
• 1,899 written accounts received.

In the period from June 2016 to October 2021, 5,862 victims and survivors consented to the information they provided being used for research purposes:

• 70% of participants were female, 29% were male, and <1% identified as ‘other’;
• the average participant was 49 years old ‒ the youngest participant was 18 and the oldest 87;
• 89% were sexually abused by men only;
• approximately 7 in 10 said they were first abused when they were 4 to 11 years old (67%), and around a fifth when they were 12 to 15 years old (18%); and
• 36% said that at least one incident of sexual abuse they experienced took place in an institution.

19. The Truth Project was piloted in November 2015 with private sessions commencing in June 2016. From then until March 2021, more than 6,000 people came forward to share an experience. Truth Project participants made an important contribution to the work of the Inquiry. Their experiences contributed to the Inquiry’s findings and helped inform its recommendations for improving child protection in institutions across England and Wales.

20. Most participants decided to attend private sessions in person, which were recorded with permission and some were transcribed for the purposes of analysis; others submitted a written account. Regardless of the approach, it was up to each individual to decide what they wanted to tell the Inquiry. The participants were not questioned or challenged and the information they provided was not verified or tested. Professionally trained support workers were available for those who wished to access this type of support.

21. Where victims and survivors agreed that their accounts could be used by the Inquiry for research purposes, they were analysed for themes and patterns, in order to shape its work and inform its conclusions and recommendations. In order to ensure that the Inquiry is able to keep victims and survivors’ information confidential, the Chair issued a Restriction Order to protect the anonymity of those who engaged with the Truth Project and the experiences they shared. While the Inquiry kept this information confidential, its Terms of Reference required it to refer all allegations of child abuse to the police.

22. The Inquiry has published a data compendium, which comprises all the data which support the analysis presented in this report. Tabs 3 to 12 include the final counts and percentage breakdowns from the 5,862 victims and survivors who shared their experiences of child sexual abuse with the Inquiry’s Truth Project, and consented for the information they provided to be included in the Inquiry’s research. Tabs 13 to 19 include figures, not already available in the public domain, that were provided by government departments and organisations at the request of the Inquiry. Tabs 20 to 22 provide summation tables for government department data already in the public domain. Information about how the data were analysed and presented is presented in the notes section of the compendium (tab 1).

23. Further information about the Truth Project can be found on the Truth Project website.

Research

24. The purpose of the Inquiry’s dedicated research function was to bring together existing knowledge about child sexual abuse, identify knowledge gaps, and to ensure the best use of high-quality data across all strands of the Inquiry’s work. The research and analysis programme improved the understanding and knowledge about child sexual abuse, by examining a significant number of published and unpublished reviews and investigations. It consolidated existing knowledge and generated new insights about child sexual abuse, and also monitored the Inquiry’s Truth Project.

Research

• 1,489 reports reviewed.
• 24 research reports published, including rapid evidence assessments (REAs) to establish what was already known and primary research reports to fill specific knowledge gaps

25. The Inquiry also used research to generate new or additional information, ranging from issues concerning a specific investigation (such as residential schools) to those of cross-cutting relevance (such as child sexual abuse in ethnic minority communities). Research was also commissioned to pursue new lines of inquiry separate from the investigations (such as on support services for victims and survivors).

26. Research was undertaken by the in-house research team which, for example, analysed victim and survivor accounts of child sexual abuse shared with the Inquiry’s Truth Project. Other research projects, which required extra capacity or particular technical expertise, were externally commissioned. New research projects were considered by a Research Ethics Committee, comprised of external experts in the field of child sexual abuse, to ensure that each met the requirements of an ethical approval process.

27. Reports were also used for internal purposes – for example a literature review or research briefing note to inform the work of other Inquiry teams, but most reports were published. Publication followed an internal review and external peer-review process designed to maintain the integrity and quality of the research.

27.1. Rapid evidence assessments summarised the existing material and identified gaps which could be filled by further primary research. Nine rapid evidence assessments were completed (four carried out in-house and five commissioned externally).

27.2. Primary research explored a particular set of defined research questions on a given topic, in depth. Primary data were collected through different methods, such as interviews or focus groups with targeted stakeholder groups. The data were then analysed using qualitative and quantitative approaches. Seven pieces of primary research and corresponding reports (three in-house and four externally) were completed. Subjects included the youth secure estate, safeguarding in residential schools, support services, and child sexual abuse in ethnic minority communities, exploring 24 different research aims and resulting in 46 key research findings.

27.3. Truth Project thematic research and analysis involved the quantitative and qualitative analysis of accounts of child sexual abuse shared by Truth Project participants. Six thematic Truth Project reports – incorporating 45 key research findings – were published looking at child sexual abuse within different institutional contexts, including sports, healthcare, schools, religious institutions, residential care and custodial settings. Each report drew on the available participant accounts at the time of analysis, with the most recent reports’ analysis based on participants who took part in the Truth Project between June 2016 and July 2020.

27.4. A Truth Project dashboard, published twice a year, included the experiences of those who were abused within a family, an institution or in another context. The dashboard provided information from the Truth Project about:

• the victims and survivors of child sexual abuse who chose to share their experience with the Truth Project;

• the nature of the abuse that they experienced;

• where the sexual abuse took place and who the perpetrators were;

• the impacts of child sexual abuse; and

• whether those victims and survivors told anyone about the abuse.

The final Truth Project dashboard for the period from June 2016 to October 2021 is available in Annex 4.

28. The research portfolio explored a range of issues and themes relating to child sexual abuse:

• victims and survivors, including the nature of child sexual abuse victimisation, the impact of child sexual abuse and support for victims and survivors;
• perpetrators;
• institutions;
• society, including the relationship between societal and cultural discourses and child sexual abuse.

Rapid evidence assessments

Custodial settings

Schools

Religious settings

Online child sexual abuse

Impacts of child sexual abuse

Social and political discourses

Primary research

Custodial settings

Schools

Online child sexual abuse

Perpetrators of child sexual exploitation convicted alongside others

Contemporary case file analysis

Ethnic minority communities

Support services

Truth project analysis

Truth Project reports

Custodial settings

Schools

Religious settings

Children’s homes and residential care

Sports

Healthcare settings

29. Quarterly statistics were produced to provide an update on the Inquiry’s three core projects – the Truth Project, investigations and public hearings, and research. They also contained correspondence data to provide a picture of how many people contacted the Inquiry.

Seminars

30. The Inquiry also conducted seminars to gather information and views about important topics, and to help to identify areas for further investigation and scrutiny. Each seminar had a structured discussion among the invited participants (including relevant stakeholders and victims and survivors’ groups), led by a member of the Inquiry Counsel team. Invitations were issued to relevant stakeholders and victims and survivors’ groups to actively participate in the structured discussion. The structured discussion would either follow a presentation of research work conducted for the Inquiry or an ‘expert presentation’.

Seminar topics

• The civil justice system (November 2016)
• Criminal injuries compensation (February 2017)
• Preventing and responding to child sexual abuse – learning from best practice overseas (April 2017)
• Victims and survivors’ experiences: impacts, support services and redress (July 2017)
• The health sector (September 2017)
• The criminal justice system (November 2017)
• Social and political narratives about child sexual abuse (February 2018)
• Mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse (September 2018, April 2019)

31. After each seminar, the Inquiry published transcripts and a video recording of the event, as well as a report providing a summary of the seminar on its website, further details of which are included in Annex 2.

Victims and Survivors Forum, Victims and Survivors Consultative Panel and Ethnic Minority Ambassador

32. The Inquiry established the Victims and Survivors Forum, and the Victims and Survivors Consultative Panel, for victims and survivors to engage with its work. It was also assisted by an Ethnic Minority Ambassador.

Victims and Survivors Forum

More than 1,700 victims and survivors joined the Forum.

Enabled victims and survivors to be involved in and contribute to the Inquiry’s work, and also provided opportunities for Forum members to meet other members.

Following discussions with members of the Forum, five summary reports were published.

Victims and Survivors Consultative Panel

Provided consultative advice to the Inquiry, drawing on the experience of panel members with considerable experience in supporting adult survivors of child sexual abuse.

Ethnic Minority Ambassador

Provided advice to the Inquiry on the challenges faced by groups that are often marginalised and under-represented.

33. The Victims and Survivors Forum provided an opportunity for more than 1,700 victims and survivors to engage with the Inquiry, and contribute to its work through consultations and events. Forum membership was open to any victim or survivor of child sexual abuse with many following on from their engagement with the Truth Project into the Forum.

34. The Forum provided a continuous link between victims and survivors and the ongoing work of the Inquiry. Forum members contributed directly to the Inquiry’s work detailing experiences of the criminal justice system, accessing records, redress schemes, protected characteristics and suggestions for creating a cultural change. Members were also regularly updated with the latest Inquiry news.

35. Members of the Inquiry’s Victims and Survivors Consultative Panel brought significant experience, and provided support and advocacy for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. The panel also acted as an important sounding board for the Inquiry’s research and were fundamental in the establishment of the Truth Project. The panel ensured that the victim and survivor voice ran through many of the key activities delivered by the Inquiry and also provided consultative advice and guidance to the Chair and Panel.

36. The Inquiry was also assisted in its work by an Ethnic Minority Ambassador. The Ethnic Minority Ambassador supported the Inquiry to be reflective and inclusive of the challenges faced by groups across England and Wales who are often marginalised and under-represented.

Referrals to the police

37. The Inquiry was required to refer all allegations of child abuse that it receives to the police so that they can be investigated. Referrals were passed to Operation Hydrant, a coordination body established by the National Police Chiefs’ Council, to disseminate allegations of non-recent child sexual abuse from a range of organisations to relevant police forces for investigation.

Operation Hydrant

• 10,431 referrals were made by the Inquiry between March 2015 and March 2022.
• 12 types of institutions where abuse was alleged in referrals.
• As a result of these referrals, there were 101 convictions and 40 more suspects have been charged and are awaiting trial.

Institution	England	Wales
Schools	1704	72
Children’s Homes	858	63
Religious Institutions	431	26
Professional Establishments	313	15
Health Establishments	233	9
Children & Young Persons Associations	166	2
Prison/Young Offenders	132	3
Sports Venues	71	3
Law Enforcement	61	1
Military Locations	51	4
Places Of Entertainment	31	2
Hotels/Guest Houses	14	0

Types of institutions where child sexual abuse took place in Inquiry referrals to Operation Hydrant

Source: See data compendium to this report

38. The high number of ‘no further action’ outcomes reported for allegations made to Operation Hydrant reflects the fact that many could not be acted upon. As per the Inquiry’s Terms of Reference, any allegation of child abuse (including sexual, physical and emotional abuse, as well as neglect) received by the Inquiry was referred to the police through Operation Hydrant. This included cases where the abuse occurred many years ago and so the perpetrators had since died, and cases where the participant gave no identifying information about the perpetrator.

The outcome of Inquiry referrals to Operation Hydrant in England and Wales

Outcome	England	Wales
No further action	8,830	444
Ongoing investigation	336	5
Charged and awaiting trial	40	0
Convicted	96	5
Not convicted	43	2
Offence occurred outside the UK	37	0

Source: See data compendium to this report

Terminology and references

39. Terms such as ‘CSA’ (child sexual abuse) and ‘CSE’ (child sexual exploitation) are often used by practitioners as an abbreviation. The Inquiry does not use such acronyms, except when repeating words used in evidence or in a record.

40. Terms and acronyms used in this report are set out in Annex 5, although the key terms are highlighted to assist the reader.

40.1. Those who have alleged abuse are referred to as ‘complainants’, and where abusers have been convicted (or where the fact of the abuse has been established formally in some other way) they are referred to as ‘victims and survivors’.

40.2. In recognition of the varying degrees of organisation that may characterise the sexual exploitation of children where there are associations between offenders, the terms ‘group’ is used in this report.

40.3. As social care is a devolved function, England and Wales each has different legislative frameworks, policies, procedures and oversight structures at a governmental and local authority level. In contrast, criminal justice matters are largely non-devolved. In general terms, local authorities have statutory responsibility for the strategy and effectiveness of children’s services, including securing the provision of services to address the needs of children and young people.^{[footnote 1]} Throughout this report, staff within local authorities with statutory responsibility for children are referred to as ‘children’s social care’ for consistency.

40.4. Where reference is made to ‘professionals’, this means those working in the three primary agencies: children’s social care, police forces or healthcare services.

40.5. Children and young people’s mental health services (CYPMHS) is now used as a term for all services that work with children and young people who have difficulties with their mental health or well-being. The previous term for children and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) is generally used in this report, referring to the main specialist NHS mental health community services that are now provided within the wider CYPMHS.

41. References in the footnotes of the report such as ‘INQ006739’ or ‘INQ006739_003’ are to documents that have been adduced in evidence and posted on the Inquiry website. A reference such as ‘Simon Bailey 20 May 2019 113/20-23’ is to the witness, the date he or she gave evidence, and the page and line reference within the relevant transcript (which are available on the Inquiry website). While inevitably institution or investigation-specific, the footnotes refer to the Inquiry’s previous conclusions which illustrate the issues covered in this report. These examples are not exhaustive and so should be read in conjunction with the Inquiry’s complete range of previous publications. They reflect the position at the time of the relevant investigation and do not necessarily represent the position now.

Annex 2: Publications by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Summary of Inquiry publications

1. Since its establishment in 2015, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse has published more than 1,500 reports and other material. These include:

• 1 Interim Report;

• 19 investigation reports;

• 24 research reports;

• 9 seminar summaries;

• 8 engagement reports; and

• 1,100 ‘Experiences shared’ narratives.

The Inquiry also published statistics quarterly and a Truth Project dashboard twice a year. Further details of the Inquiry’s published material are set out below, while a summary of recommendations made by the Inquiry is included at Annex 3.

The Interim Report

2. The Interim Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse was published in April 2018, and provided an overview of the progress that the Inquiry had made and what it had learned. The report drew on public hearings that had taken place, as well as research, seminars and learnings from the Truth Project, and set out key issues emerging from the Inquiry’s work. In addition to re-stating three recommendations which arose from the Child

Migration Programmes Investigation Report, the Interim Report included 15 recommendations, including in relation to:

• compliance with the Victims’ Code;

• revisions to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme to remove barriers faced by victims and survivors of child sexual abuse;

• the feasibility of a register of public liability insurers to assist claimants locating the insurers relevant to their claim, and how it would operate;

• the amendment of primary legislation and the Civil Procedure Rules to ensure that victims and survivors can provide the best evidence in civil court cases;

• ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (the ‘Lanzarote Convention’);

• operational policing experience and accreditation in the role of the police service in preventing and responding to child sexual abuse for any police officer wishing to progress to Chief Officer cadre;

• the registration of staff working in care roles in children’s homes; and

• the establishment of the level of support available for victims and survivors and public expenditure on these services.

Investigation reports

3. The Child Migration Programmes Investigation Report, published in March 2018, examined the experiences of children who were removed from their families, care homes and foster care in England and Wales and were sent to institutions or families abroad, primarily during the post-Second World War period. Successive British governments failed to ensure there were sufficient measures in place to protect child migrants from all forms of abuse, including sexual abuse ranging from sexual touching to rape, sometimes repeatedly and over many years. The policy was allowed to continue despite evidence repeatedly showing that children were suffering. As a result, the Inquiry made three recommendations:

• the financial compensation of all child migrants by the government through a redress scheme;

• apologies by organisations involved in implementing the migration programmes; and

• the retention and preservation of remaining records relating to the Child Migration Programmes.

4. The Cambridge House, Knowl View and Rochdale Investigation Report, published in April 2018, considered allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation of children at institutions where their placement was arranged or provided by Rochdale Borough Council. The investigation concluded that multiple institutions had failed to keep children in its care safe from sexual abuse. The issues and conclusions from this investigation were considered alongside evidence relevant to the protection of children in the care of local authorities in subsequent investigations.

5. The first report on the Roman Catholic Church investigation – Ampleforth and Downside (English Benedictine Congregation Case Study) Investigation Report, published in August 2018

– concerned institutional failures at Ampleforth and Downside schools to protect children from sexual abuse. Both Ampleforth and Downside prioritised the monks and staff as well as their own reputations over the protection of children, and did no more than pay lip service to implementing the Nolan Report. An update on Ampleforth and Downside was published in October 2019 (see below) and the evidence from this case study was considered further in the overarching Roman Catholic Church Investigation Report (see below).

6. The Sexual Abuse of Children in Custodial Institutions: 2009–2017 Investigation Report, published in February 2019, examined evidence of child sexual abuse and institutional failures to protect children in the youth secure estate in England and Wales. Focusing on the period from 2009 to 2017, the report found that children held in young offender institutions and secure training centres were not protected from sexual abuse. The report also found that the number of reported incidents of child sexual abuse was much higher than was previously understood, and that the closed nature of the secure estate – and its focus on containment and control – did not provide an environment that protected children from either physical or sexual abuse. As a result, the Inquiry made seven recommendations, including that:

• children should only be placed in custody as a last resort;

• staff in roles responsible for the care of children in young offender institutions and secure training centres should be professionally registered; and

• the use of pain compliance techniques should be prohibited.

7. The first report on the Anglican Church investigation – The Anglican Church Case Studies: 1. The Diocese of Chichester 2. The Response to Allegations Against Peter Ball Investigation Report – was published in May 2019. It considered the Diocese of Chichester, where there were multiple allegations of child sexual abuse, and whether there were inappropriate attempts by people of prominence to interfere in the criminal justice process after Bishop Peter Ball was first accused of child sexual offences. As set out in the report, disclosures of child sexual abuse were handled inadequately, with responses failing to display an appropriate level of urgency or appreciation of the seriousness of allegations made and the Church putting its own reputation above the needs of victims and survivors. As a result, the Inquiry made five recommendations, including that:

• safeguarding guidance should be introduced for religious communities affiliated to the Church;

• Canon C30 (the canon requiring clerics to comply with the Bishop’s Guidance on Safeguarding) should be clarified; and

• the government should amend law to include clergy within the definition of a position of trust (to criminalise sexual activity between clergy and a young person aged 16 to 18).

8. In June 2019, The Roman Catholic Church Case Study: Archdiocese of Birmingham Investigation Report was published and formed part of the Inquiry’s wider investigation into the Roman Catholic Church. It examined the Church’s response to child sexual abuse by investigating the cases of four priests, and considered whether independent reports succeeded in bringing about major reforms. The report found that the Church prioritised its reputation and that the plight of victims was ignored or swept under the carpet, allowing perpetrators to continue sexually abusing children. Evidence from this case study was drawn upon in the overarching Roman Catholic Church Investigation Report (see below).

9. The Children in the Care of the Nottinghamshire Councils Investigation Report was published in July 2019. It considered the sexual abuse of children in the care of Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County Councils, and the adequacy of steps taken to protect children from sexual abuse. Physical violence and sexual abuse occurred in many of the councils’ children’s homes and foster care, and both councils failed in their statutory duty to protect children from sexual abuse. The report concluded that neither of the councils learned from their mistakes despite decades of evidence and made specific recommendations regarding their practices.

10. The Accountability and Reparations Investigation Report, published in September 2019, assessed the extent to which existing support services and available legal processes effectively delivered reparations to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. The report found that none of the avenues for redress examined were able to adequately provide victims and survivors with the accountability and reparations that they sought. This included civil justice, criminal compensation and support services. As a result, the Inquiry made seven recommendations, including that:

• the Victims’ Code should be revised to improve signposting of civil and criminal compensation;

• codes of practice (aimed at eliminating unnecessary distress to claimants) should be produced and followed throughout civil claims for child sexual abuse; and

• criminal justice compensation should be revised to increase the use of Criminal Compensation Orders.

11. The Roman Catholic Church (EBC) Case Study: Ealing Abbey and St Benedict’s School Investigation Report, published in October 2019, formed part of the Inquiry’s wider investigation into the Roman Catholic Church. Extensive child sexual abuse was facilitated at Ealing Abbey for decades, due to a culture of cover-up and denial, and significant opportunities to stop perpetrators in the school were not acted upon. The report also provided an update on changes to the leadership and governance of Ampleforth and Downside, and identified themes in responses to child sexual abuse by the wider English Benedictine Congregation. This included a closed and defensive culture, where teachers and monks were reluctant to support allegations of child sexual abuse for fear it would undermine the institutions and the Church. Evidence from this case study was considered in the overarching Roman Catholic Church Investigation Report (see below).

12. The Children Outside the United Kingdom Phase 2 Investigation Report, published in January 2020, examined the civil framework that aims to prevent people known to be a risk to children from offending abroad. This included civil orders, section 72 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (which permits the prosecution of British citizens for sexually abusing children while abroad), and disclosure and barring regimes. The report found that gaps and limits to the civil framework enabled offenders to sexually abuse children overseas. As a result, five recommendations were made, including that:

• a national plan of action should be coordinated to address child sexual abuse overseas by UK nationals and residents of England and Wales;

• a list of countries (where children are considered to be at high risk of sexual abuse from overseas offenders) should be established and used routinely to help identify whether a person who has been charged with sexual offences against a child poses a risk to children overseas; and

• the geographical reach of the Disclosure and Barring Service scheme should be extended.

13. The Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse Linked to Westminster Investigation Report, published in February 2020, considered evidence relating to allegations of child sexual abuse committed by persons of public prominence associated with Westminster. Although no evidence was found of an organised ‘Westminster paedophile network’, there were significant failures in the response of Westminster institutions to allegations of child sexual abuse. Particular themes included that police, prosecutors and political parties showed deference towards politicians and others believed to have some importance in public life; that wealth and social status kept perpetrators of child sexual abuse from being brought to justice, to the detriment of the victims of their alleged abuse; and that institutions failed to put the needs and safety of children first. The report made five recommendations, including that:

• the criteria for forfeiture of all honours must be formally extended to include convictions and cautions involving child sexual abuse offences;

• the policy on posthumous forfeiture should be re-examined, in order to consider the perspectives of victims and survivors; and

• the government, political parties and other Westminster institutions must have whistleblowing policies and procedures covering child sexual abuse and exploitation.

14. The Internet Investigation Report was published in March 2020. It focussed on the growing threat of online-facilitated child sexual abuse and the adequacy of the response of government, law enforcement and the internet industry. The report found that regulation of the internet industry is urgently required and that industry has failed to do all it can to prevent access to images of child sexual abuse. It concluded that access to child sexual abuse images must be stopped and that internet companies must do more to identify the true scale of offending. As a result, four recommendations were made, including that:

• industry should be required to pre-screen material before it is uploaded to the internet to prevent access to known indecent images of children;

• more action should be taken internationally to ensure that countries hosting indecent images of children implement legislation and procedures to prevent access to such imagery; and

• legislation should be introduced requiring providers of online services and social media platforms to implement more stringent age-verification techniques on all relevant devices.

15. The Anglican Church Investigation Report, published in October 2020, considered the extent to which the Church of England and the Church in Wales protected children from sexual abuse, drawing on earlier case studies. It found that in the context of child sexual abuse, the Church’s neglect of the physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of children and young people in favour of protecting its own reputation was in conflict with its mission. It also concluded that diocesan and provincial safeguarding officers – not clergy – are best placed to decide which cases to refer to the statutory authorities, and what action should be taken by the Church to keep children safe. The report made eight recommendations, including that:

• a formal information-sharing protocol should be implemented and include the sharing of information about clergy who move between the two Churches;

• information-sharing protocols should be in place at a local level between dioceses and statutory partners; and

• a Church-wide policy should be introduced on the funding and provision of support to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse concerning clergy, Church officers or those with some connection to the Church.

16. The Roman Catholic Church Investigation Report was published in November 2020 and examined the extent of institutional failings by the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales to protect children from sexual abuse, drawing on earlier case studies. It found that the Church’s response to allegations of child sexual abuse focussed too often on the protection of the clergy and the Church’s reputation, and that those in the Church who perpetrated child sexual abuse and turned a blind eye to it betrayed the Church’s moral purpose. It also concluded that weaknesses in leadership have been significant in the failures to address child sexual abuse, including a reluctance to acknowledge responsibility, to hold individuals to account or to make sincere apologies. The report made seven recommendations, including that:

• a lead member of the clergy for safeguarding should be nominated to provide leadership and oversight on safeguarding matters;

• safeguarding training should be mandatory for all staff and volunteers in roles where they work with children or victims and survivors of abuse; and

• a clear framework should be published for dealing with cases of non-compliance with safeguarding policies and procedures.

17. The Children in the Care of Lambeth Council Investigation Report, published in July 2021, examined the scale and nature of sexual abuse experienced by children in the care of Lambeth Council. It also considered the extent of institutional failures to protect children in care from sexual abuse. There were a number of decisions and actions that made it possible for child sexual abuse to occur, including keeping adults who posed a risk to children in its employment and failing to investigate employees where they were suspected of child sexual abuse, exposing children to the risk of sexual abuse. As a result, the Inquiry made four recommendations, including that:

• elected members should receive training on safeguarding and corporate parenting; and

• the application of recruitment and vetting procedures should be reviewed for all foster carers.

18. The Child Protection in Religious Organisations and Settings Investigation Report, published in September 2021, examined the protection of children by and response of religious organisations. It found that many religious organisations and settings did not consistently undertake appropriate checks of those who had contact with children, and that there remain religious organisations which have no process of risk assessment for convicted or accused sexual offenders who wish to continue in their religious practice in communal settings. As a result, two recommendations were made:

• all religious organisations should have a child protection policy and supporting procedures; and

• legislation should be introduced to amend the definition of full-time education and provide Ofsted with sufficient powers to examine the quality of child protection when inspecting suspected unregistered schools.

19. The Institutional Responses to Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse Involving the Late Lord Janner of Braunstone QC Investigation Report was published in October 2021. It focused on the institutional responses to allegations in circumstances where there was no criminal conviction or civil finding of fact that the alleged abuse occurred. The report considered issues such as deference to powerful individuals or superiors, the barriers to reporting faced by children (particularly those in care), and the need for institutions to have clear policies and practices on responding to allegations of child sexual abuse. It concluded that complaints were not properly investigated by Leicestershire Police and that Leicestershire County Council also failed to take adequate steps in response to concerns raised by victims and survivors.

20. The Child Sexual Exploitation by Organised Networks Investigation Report was published in February 2022. Despite child sexual exploitation having been a designated strategic policing priority since 2015, it concluded that the sexual exploitation of children by groups of associated abusers continued to be widespread and greater than official statistics indicated. Local authorities and police forces failed to keep pace with the changing nature of this crime. It also concluded that there appears to be a flawed assumption that child sexual exploitation is decreasing. As a result, the Inquiry made six recommendations, including that:

• the Sentencing Act 2020 should be amended to provide a mandatory aggravating factor in sentencing in the case of the commission of an offence relating to a child, where child sexual exploitation by organised networks has occurred;

• an enhanced version of the government’s Child Exploitation Disruption Toolkit should be published; and

• national government guidance on child sexual exploitation should be reviewed and updated.

21. The Residential Schools Investigation Report was published in March 2022. It examined institutional responses to child sexual abuse in residential specialist music schools, residential special schools (for children with special educational needs) and mainstream schools (a boarding school, a day secondary school and a primary school). It also considered the safeguarding system in education more broadly (inspection, oversight and teacher misconduct). It concluded that, despite 20 years of enhanced focus on safeguarding, schools were not as safe for children as they should be, and that children’s interests did not always come first when allegations or concerns of sexual abuse arise. The report also identified shortcomings and failings in current systems of protection, regulation and oversight. As a result, seven recommendations were made, including that:

• all residential special schools should be inspected against the quality standards used to regulate children’s homes in England and care homes in Wales;

• a set of national standards for local authority designated officers in England and Wales should be introduced to promote consistency; and

• the Independent School Standards should be amended to include the requirement that there is an effective system of governance.

Research reports

22. In April 2017, the Inquiry published Rapid Evidence Assessment: What can be learnt from other jurisdictions about preventing and responding to child sexual abuse. It considered whether there was a comprehensive approach combining primary prevention and response in a number of jurisdictions. In terms of changing attitudes and behaviour, the assessment concluded that none of the jurisdictions had a comprehensive approach. It also found that training, proactive identification and promoting expertise and good practice through specialist mobile teams or task forces in health, justice and child protection can have a positive impact. Support for children through prosecution and the court process was considered generally poor.

23. In July 2017, the Inquiry published The impacts of child sexual abuse: A rapid evidence assessment. It categorised a range of impacts or outcome that have been associated with child sexual abuse, including physical health and emotional well-being, mental health and internalising behaviours. It found that the consequences of child sexual abuse could vary greatly between individual victims and survivors, and groups, and set out the ways wider society can affect how victims and survivors can remain healthy or recover following child sexual abuse.

24. In October 2017, the Inquiry published Victim and survivor voices from the Truth Project. This was the first publication looking at information shared with the Truth Project and analysed 249 accounts from between June 2016 and June 2017. In addition to key figures on the demographics of Truth Project participants, it considered emerging themes and patterns from the accounts, including reasons for attending a Truth Project session and experiences of child sexual abuse.

25. In November 2017, the Inquiry published Child sexual abuse within the Catholic and Anglican Churches: A rapid evidence assessment. This reviewed and summarised existing research on the scale and nature of child sexual abuse in the Churches, the institutional factors that might have contributed to the occurrence of child sexual abuse and the Churches’ response to child sexual abuse.

26. In January 2018, the Inquiry published Rapid Evidence Assessment: Quantifying the extent of online-facilitated child sexual abuse. This considered sources that measured the scale of child sexual abuse facilitated online by the number of reported offences, number of victims, number of perpetrators and number of images viewed, downloaded or exchanged. It found that all four measures produced different figures and concluded that none of these measures were likely to reveal the true extent of online-facilitated child sexual abuse.

27. Rapid Evidence Assessment: Characteristics and vulnerabilities of victims of online-facilitated child sexual abuse and exploitation was also published in January 2018. It found that there was strong evidence to suggest that girls are more likely to be victims of online-facilitated child sexual abuse than boys. It also noted that prior experience of neglect or abuse, disability, social isolation, the amount of time spent online and other risky behaviour – such as alcohol or drug use – might put some children at greater risk.

28. A third report – Behaviour and characteristics of perpetrators of online-facilitated child sexual abuse and exploitation: A rapid evidence assessment – was also published in January 2018. It found an absence of research about the demographic profile of perpetrators of online-facilitated child sexual abuse. Studies suggested that more perpetrators were male, aged 18–25 and were less likely to have previous convictions compared to other perpetrators of child sexual abuse.

29. In February 2018, the Inquiry published Deflection, denial and disbelief: social and political discourses about child sexual abuse and their influence on institutional responses: A rapid evidence assessment. This summarised existing research about social and political discourses concerning child sexual abuse in England and Wales. It considered both dominant discourses (ideas relating to child sexual abuse that appear to be taken for granted as ‘truths’) and counter discourses that challenge the former.

30. Child sexual abuse in custodial institutions: A rapid evidence assessment was published in March 2018. It reviewed a variety of research evidence, policies and guidance in relation to the prevalence of child sexual abuse in custodial institutions, factors associated with failures and the nature of safeguarding systems in place in youth custody. Existing research indicated that children in custody were very vulnerable, and faced high levels of victimisation and violence. It also noted that around 1 percent to 3 percent of children in custody reported having experienced sexual abuse by other children or staff while in custody.

31. In November 2018, the Inquiry published Child sexual abuse in residential schools:

A literature review. The review stated that, although there was little information available about the scale and nature of child sexual abuse in schools, children in residential schools might be more at risk due to the out-of-home setting. It also noted that children with disabilities were at more risk of child sexual abuse than children who were not disabled. The review stated that a range of factors influence the incidence of and responses to child sexual abuse in schools, including power imbalances between staff and pupils and a lack of confidence in addressing sexual abuse.

32. Safe inside? Child sexual abuse in the youth secure estate was published in February 2019. The research investigated the extent to which children feel safe from sexual abuse in the youth secure estate and the role of staff, systems and processes within this. It found that some practices did not seem to serve the best interests of the child and measures designed to keep children safe did not always reduce risk or promote safety. The research also found that children did not always feel safe or kept free from harm and were not well equipped to have healthy sexual relationships. Both children and staff struggled with knowing what constitutes abuse and inappropriate sexual behaviour.

33. In May 2019, the Inquiry published Truth Project Research: Methods, which described the methods used to analyse information from the Truth Project: quantitative analysis using numbers to answer the research questions and qualitative analysis using words and themes to answer the research questions.

34. In May 2019, the Inquiry published Truth Project Thematic Report: Child sexual abuse in the context of religious institutions, which was based on the accounts of victims and survivors who spoke to the Truth Project from June 2016 to November 2018. This research looked at experiences of child sexual abuse that were perpetrated by individuals connected to religious institutions (such as members of the clergy) or which occurred in religious institutions. The research found that those who were sexually abused in a religious context often did not report the abuse while it was ongoing, due to feelings of shame or embarrassment, and often shared that they knew of others being abused in the same institution or by the same perpetrator. Participants considered that the power, authority and reverence bestowed upon religious institutions and the individuals working within them meant that the conduct of perpetrators went unquestioned.

35. In November 2019, the Inquiry published Truth Project Thematic Report: Child sexual abuse in the context of children’s homes and residential care, based on the accounts of victims and survivors who spoke to the Truth Project from June 2016 to March 2018. It considered experiences of child sexual abuse by individuals connected to residential care or children’s homes (such as members of staff) or which took place in those settings. It found that more victims and survivors abused in residential care reported a disability or long-term illness than those sexually abused in other contexts. It also noted that, while the majority of perpetrators were male, there was a higher proportion of sexual abuse involving female perpetrators in the context of residential care.

36. Learning about online sexual harm was also published in November 2019. It examined the perspectives of children and young people about being online, education received about online sexual harm and what should be done to better protect children and young people from online sexual harm. It found that listening to the views of children and young people was critical in ensuring that the ongoing development of protective efforts are relevant and beneficial. It was also a common experience for children and young people to be exposed to the risk of online sexual harm, about which they needed access to appropriate education before spending unsupervised time online.

37. In April 2020, the Inquiry published Safeguarding children from sexual abuse in residential schools. It explored the understanding of child sexual abuse in residential schools from the perspectives of school staff, children, parents and local authority staff, and their views on safeguarding practices in residential schools. It found that residential schools faced distinct and complex challenges in effectively preventing and responding to incidents of child sexual abuse. Residential special schools recorded nearly 10 times the number of concerns per student than other residential schools. Across both special and mainstream schools, prevention work was multi-faceted, including awareness-raising and training of staff, students and parents.

38. The Inquiry also published Truth Project Thematic Report: Child sexual abuse in custodial institutions in April 2020. It was based on the accounts of victims and survivors who spoke to the Truth Project from June 2016 to January 2020, and examined the experiences of child sexual abuse perpetrated by individuals connected to custodial institutions (such as custodial staff) or which took place there. Findings included that child sexual abuse usually occurred from the outset of entering a custodial institution as the positional power and control of perpetrators meant they did not need to groom victims.

39. An explorative study on perpetrators of child sexual exploitation convicted alongside others was published in May 2020. It aimed to understand the motivations of perpetrators of child sexual exploitation who operated in organised networks. It also sought to identify interventions and approaches that could prevent or disrupt perpetrators. The research found that perpetrators could be loosely clustered around three groups according to their lifestyle, motivation, sexual interest and attitude towards conviction. Some perpetrators acknowledged their behaviour to varying extents, with some using minimisation and justification to explain their motivations and offending behaviours.

40. In June 2020, the Inquiry published Truth Project Thematic Report: Child sexual abuse in sports, which was based on accounts of victims and survivors who spoke to the Truth Project from June 2016 to March 2020. It considered experiences of child sexual abuse that were perpetrated by individuals connected to sports institutions (such as sports coaches) or which took place there. The research found that physical contact was a specific enabling factor and was sometimes used as a pretext by perpetrators to sexually abuse children. Perpetrators sometimes used sports-related rewards, such as allowing the child to play in a more senior team, as a method of grooming or coercion.

41. The Inquiry also published “ People don’t talk about it”: Child sexual abuse in ethnic minority communities in June 2020. This research report looked at the views of those in ethnic minority communities and their experiences of disclosing and reporting child sexual abuse. It also explored their views on and experiences of interactions with institutions in relation to child sexual abuse, and about the nature of support received by victims and survivors. Participants stated that cultural stereotypes and racism could lead to institutions and professionals failing to identify and respond to child sexual abuse, and could make it difficult for people from ethnic minorities to speak up about child sexual abuse. Perceptions and responses to child sexual abuse in ethnic minority communities could be influenced by expectations about gender, and by the shame and stigma sometimes associated with child sexual abuse.

42. In August 2020, Support services for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse considered victims and survivors’ experiences of support services. This included services that victims and survivors accessed, why they would or would not access them, what made accessing easier, and barriers that they faced. Most of the victims and survivors surveyed had not accessed support services and some of them did not feel they needed it. Those who did access support took a long time to do so and rated them as mediocre; the most highly rated forms of support across all services were those provided by voluntary sector specialist services.

43. In December 2020, the Inquiry published Truth Project Thematic Report: Child sexual abuse in healthcare contexts, based on the accounts of victims and survivors who spoke to the Truth Project from June 2016 to July 2020. It looked at experiences of child sexual abuse perpetrated by individuals connected to healthcare institutions (such as doctors, nurses or dentists) or which took place there. The research found that vulnerabilities were heightened in these settings due to the unique nature of the position of trust and authority occupied by healthcare practitioners. Participants also described a lack of appropriate safeguarding or effective responses to allegations by healthcare practitioners.

44. In December 2020, the Inquiry published Truth Project Thematic Report: Child sexual abuse in the context of schools, based on accounts of victims and survivors who spoke to the Truth Project from June 2016 to June 2020. This report looked at experiences of child sexual abuse perpetrated by individuals connected to schools (such as teachers or education assistants) or which took place there. Findings included that the majority of perpetrators were male teachers or other educational staff, who often manipulated and groomed children and young people, staff and parents. Many had good reputations with staff and parents, or were seen as ‘cool’ by pupils. Some victims and survivors believed that they were in ‘relationships’ with the perpetrators.

45. In July 2021, the Inquiry published Child sexual abuse in contemporary institutional contexts. It examined the Disclosure and Barring Service’s ‘discretionary cases’ over 10 years to better understand the behaviours of perpetrators who have sexually abused children in institutions. The research found that alleged perpetrators used similar tactics and methods to sexually groom and abuse children. It also found that there were numerous missed opportunities to safeguard children because concerns were not escalated, disclosures were not always believed, and institutions and staff did not share, record and respond appropriately to concerns.

Seminar summaries

46. The Inquiry published Civil Justice System Seminar: An update report in March 2018, which summarised discussions from a two-day seminar about the challenges faced by victims and survivors in the civil justice system. Topics of discussion included civil litigation, limitation, compensation, other types of accountability and reparation, and potential areas for reform.

47. In April 2018, the Inquiry published the Criminal Compensation Seminar: An update report. The report set out key points of discussion from a one-day seminar that explored issues with criminal compensation. This included victim and survivor eligibility for awards under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme, the administration of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme and potential areas for reform.

48. The Inquiry published Health Sector Seminar: An update report in May 2018. The report summarised discussions from a two-day seminar that examined arrangements to prevent and respond to child sexual abuse in healthcare settings. Key areas of discussion included the education and training of healthcare workers, recruitment and employment practices, preventing unsupervised or inappropriate access to children and reporting child sexual abuse.

49. The Inquiry published Learning from the Best Practice Overseas Seminar: An update report in July 2018. The report set out key points of discussion from a day-long seminar that sought to explore what could be learnt from different jurisdictions about the role of institutions in preventing and identifying child sexual abuse.

50. In July 2018, the Inquiry also published Victims’ and Survivors’ Experiences Seminar:

An update report. The report provided a summary of a two-day seminar that discussed victims and survivors’ experiences of the impact of child sexual abuse, victim and survivor support needs, and support services for adult and child victims and survivors.

51. In August 2018, the Inquiry published Criminal Justice System Seminar: An update report, which summarised discussions from a two-day seminar on how cases of child sexual abuse were dealt with by the criminal justice system. Key areas of discussion included barriers to reporting child sexual abuse, delays in the criminal justice process, support services for victims and survivors, ineffective coordination and interaction within and between organisations working in the criminal justice system, and strained resources and funding.

52. The Inquiry published Social and Political Narratives about Child Sexual Abuse Seminar:

An update report in August 2018. The report set out key points of discussion from a half-day seminar that explored how existing ways of thinking and talking about child sexual abuse could help or hinder effective and sensitive responses to child sexual abuse, and how best to challenge unhelpful narratives where necessary.

53. In December 2018, the Inquiry published Mandatory Reporting Seminar 1 – Existing Obligations to Report Child Sexual Abuse: A Summary Report. This report summarised discussions that took place at a day-long seminar that looked at existing obligations to report child sexual abuse in England and Wales. The seminar also explored how mandatory reporting laws operate in a number of other countries, and the impact these laws may have had on preventing and responding to child sexual abuse.

54. The Inquiry published Mandatory Reporting Seminar 2: A Summary Report in August 2019. This report summarised discussions from a two-day seminar that considered the arguments for and against the introduction of mandatory reporting legislation in England and Wales, and the practical considerations involved. Areas of discussion included the impact of mandatory reporting in other jurisdictions, experiences of reporting child sexual abuse and key features of mandatory reporting models.

Engagement publications

55. In May 2019, the Inquiry published Victims and Survivors Forum Consultation on the Criminal Justice System: Summary Report. The report provided a summary of the most prominent themes that emerged from five workshops held with members of the Inquiry’s Victims and Survivors Forum (‘the Forum’), and an online questionnaire, about their experiences of the criminal justice system.

56. In November 2019, the Inquiry published Victims and Survivors Forum Consultation on Culture: Summary Report. This report summarised discussions at five workshops with Forum members and responses to an online questionnaire about individuals, institutions and how society talks about child sexual abuse.

57. The Inquiry published Victims and Survivors Forum Consultation on Accessing Records: Summary Report in March 2020. The report summarised discussions at a series of workshops with Forum members and responses to an online questionnaire about their experiences of accessing records kept by institutions, the impact of those experiences and the steps that should be taken to improve victims and survivors’ experiences of accessing records.

58. In October 2020, the Inquiry published Victims and Survivors Forum Consultation on Redress: Summary Report. The report combined a summary of responses to an online questionnaire sent to Forum members and discussions at one workshop which Forum members participated in. Through the workshop and the online questionnaire, Forum members shared their views and experiences of various forms of redress, including financial compensation, apologies and support.

59. The Inquiry published Victims and Survivors Forum Consultation on Protected Characteristics: Summary Report in February 2021. The report summarised the responses received to a questionnaire sent to Forum members, which asked members how their protected characteristics affected their experiences of child sexual abuse.

60. In April 2021, the Inquiry published Engagement with support services for ethnic minority communities, which explored the barriers faced by victims and survivors from ethnic minority communities when disclosing experiences of child sexual abuse. A number of themes emerged after speaking to over 100 community support organisations, including a lack of trust in services, language barriers and living in closed communities.

61. The Inquiry published Engagement with children and young people in June 2021. The report considered how children should be better protected by listening to the experiences of 56 young victims and survivors of child sexual abuse and over 70 specialist child sexual abuse support workers. Key themes that emerged included hearing that young victims and survivors face delays in accessing support, that relationships and sex education in schools is not reflective of the challenges that children face, and that creators of social media apps and internet platforms should take greater responsibility.

62. Engagement with LGBTQ+ victims and survivors was published in May 2022, based on the views of 31 LGBTQ+ victims and survivors and 31 LGBTQ+ support organisations. The report explored the challenges that can make LGBTQ+ children and young people vulnerable to sexual abuse, and the barriers LGBTQ+ victims and survivors face when disclosing experiences of child sexual abuse. These included that society’s views of LGBTQ+ victims and survivors are often built on harmful myths and stereotypes, and that relevant support services are hard to find.

Quarterly publications

63. The Inquiry’s Truth Project offered more than 6,000 victims and survivors of child sexual abuse the opportunity to share their personal experiences and be respectfully heard, in order to improve understanding of child sexual abuse. This listening exercise produced 1,100 ‘Experiences shared’ narratives which were published on a regular basis. These narratives remain available on the Inquiry’s website.

64. The accounts of victims and survivors who came forward to the Truth Project were recorded, anonymised and analysed by the Inquiry’s research team, in order to provide a legacy for future study and learning. Statistical reports, using data gathered from the Truth Project Experiences Shared, were published every quarter.

65. The Truth Project Dashboard has been published twice a year up to summer 2021, showing the findings from the most recent analysis of the experiences shared by victims and survivors who consented to be part of the Research programme, and were in scope of the Research remit, whilst engaging with the Truth Project. The final Truth Project Dashboard, containing 5,862 victims and survivors’ accounts, is included in Annex 4.

Annex 3: Recommendations made by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Since its establishment in 2015, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse has made 107 recommendations to 33 specified State and non-State institutions (including the UK and Welsh governments and various government departments, several local authorities, the Anglican Church and the Roman Catholic Church), as well as a number of other organisations and settings such as political parties and religious organisations. The table below includes a summary of each recommendation and whether it has been accepted or rejected by the receiving institution. It also sets out the action taken to date based on information that was provided to the Inquiry by the receiving institution, which can also be found on the Inquiry website.

Child sexual abuse (see Part B)

Recommendation 1. Collect data on child sexual exploitation and child sexual exploitation networks

Police forces and local authorities in England and in Wales must collect data on all cases of known or suspected child sexual exploitation and child sexual exploitation by networks. These data should be separated from other data sets, including data on child sexual abuse, and be disaggregated by the sex, ethnicity and disability of both the victim and perpetrator.

This disaggregated data should be used by police forces to inform problem profiling and activities to disrupt and investigate offenders. Local authorities should take account of the disaggregated data when commissioning services for children.

The UK government and the Welsh Government should take steps to ensure that these data are being collected and disaggregated in a consistent and accurate way by police forces and local authorities.

February 2022

Report

Child Sexual Exploitation by Organised Networks Investigation Report

Recommendation 5

Accepted or rejected

See comments

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 30 June 2022, the UK government provided the Inquiry with its provisional response to this recommendation. The UK government stated its final response to this recommendation would be provided within six months of the report’s publication date, by 1 August 2022, and it will then be available on the Inquiry’s website.

On 30 June 2022, the Welsh Government stated that in March 2021 it introduced statutory guidance which requires relevant partners of the Safeguarding Board across Wales to establish arrangements which address the matters contained in this recommendation.

Recommendation 2. A single core data set

The Inquiry recommends that the UK government and the Welsh Government improve data collected by children’s social care and criminal justice agencies concerning child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation by the introduction of one single core data set covering both England and Wales.

In order to facilitate this, these agencies should produce consistent and compatible data about child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation which include:

• the characteristics of victims and alleged perpetrators of child sexual abuse, including age, sex and ethnicity;

• factors that make victims more vulnerable to child sexual abuse or exploitation; and

• the settings and contexts in which child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation occur.

Data concerning child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation should be compiled and published on a regular basis. Data should be capable of being collated nationally as well as at regional or local levels.

October 2022

Report

The Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 1

Prioritising the protection of children (see Part C)

Recommendation 3. Ensure complaints relating to police handling of child sexual abuse cases are considered

The Chair and Panel recommend that the National Police Chiefs’ Council ensures that complaints relating to child sexual abuse are no longer ‘disapplied’ by police forces on the grounds that the incident involved took place more than 12 months before the complaint was submitted.

April 2018

Report

Interim Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 16

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 16 January 2019, Chief Constable Craig Guildford (National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Complaints and Misconduct) advised all Chief Officers that complaints relating to child sexual abuse should no longer be disapplied on the ground that it took place more than 12 months before the complaint was submitted. This interim measure was implemented with immediate effect.

On 1 February 2020, the Independent Office of Police Conduct published statutory guidance on the police complaints system. The statutory guidance no longer includes a chapter on disapplication.

Recommendation 4. Develop a national plan of action to address child sexual abuse and exploitation overseas

The Home Office should coordinate the development of a national plan of action addressing child sexual abuse and exploitation overseas by UK nationals and residents of England and Wales, involving input from all lead governmental agencies in the field.

January 2020

Report

Children Outside the United Kingdom Phase 2 Investigation Report

Recommendation 1

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 21 January 2021, the Home Office confirmed that it would implement this recommendation as part of the UK government’s Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Strategy. The strategy sets out the government’s national plan of action for tackling transnational child sex offenders (TCSOs).

Recommendation 5. Revise how the Church of England responds to safeguarding complaints

The Church of England should make changes and improvements to the way in which it responds to safeguarding complaints (whether related to allegations of abuse, or a failure to comply with or respond to the Church’s safeguarding policies and procedures) to:

• disapply the 12-month time-limit for all complaints with a safeguarding element brought under the Clergy Discipline Measure;

• reintroduce the power to depose from holy orders where a member of the clergy is found guilty of child sexual abuse offences;

• introduce a mandatory ‘code of practice’ to improve the way that safeguarding issues are handled across the Clergy Discipline Measure and capability procedures, including a framework for responding to issues that do not amount to misconduct;

• make clear that penalty by consent must never be used in relation to such complaints;

• ensure confidentiality agreements are not put in place in relation to such complaints; and

• ensure that those handling such complaints are adequately and regularly trained.

October 2020

Report

The Anglican Church Investigation Report

Recommendation 2

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 29 March 2021, a joint response from the National Safeguarding Steering Group, the House of Bishops and the Archbishops’ Council endorsed the proposals of the Clergy Discipline Measure working group to replace Clergy Discipline Measure 2003 with a new set of provisions. Those provisions would include a disciplinary process and be accompanied by a mandatory code of practice (or similar), which would emphasise the standard of conduct which is required of clergy. The proposed Clergy Discipline Measure reform would disapply the 12-month time-limit for all safeguarding-related complaints. The Church of England also stated that legislation to reintroduce the power to depose from holy orders would be brought forward as soon as practicable.

The joint response also supported a replacement provision which enables respondents to acknowledge their misconduct early in the process, reducing the need for victims and survivors to be subject to the delay and trauma of a tribunal process.

The joint response stated that the National Church Institutions’ Legal Office had taken steps to introduce new training for those who handle complaints in dioceses in connection with the special measures that may be required.

The Church of England informed the Inquiry that it intended to present proposals for the reform of clergy discipline to the General Synod.

Recommendation 6. Redraft the canonical crimes relating to child sexual abuse

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales should request that the Holy See redraft the canonical crimes relating to child sexual abuse as crimes against the child.

November 2020

Report

The Roman Catholic Church Investigation Report

Recommendation 5

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 30 September 2021, the Catholic Council for the Inquiry confirmed that Book VI of the Code of Canon Law determines the penal norms in order to give precise and sure guidance to those who must apply them. The Catholic Council for the Inquiry also confirmed that the offence of child abuse is now framed as an offence committed against the dignity of the human person. It includes clerics, non-clerical religious and lay persons who occupy certain roles in the Church.

Recommendation 7. Publish a national policy for handling complaints in the Roman Catholic Church

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales and the Conference of Religious should publish a national policy for complaints about the way in which a safeguarding case is handled.

The policy should deal with communication with complainants during the complaints process and set out an escalation process for all complainants to have their complaint assessed by an independent adjudicator, if they are unhappy with how their complaint has been handled.

November 2020

Report

The Roman Catholic Church Investigation Report

Recommendation 7

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 30 April 2021, the Catholic Council for the Inquiry stated that a framework and template for complaints was ratified by the Bishops. The framework and template include the need for clear communication between the complainant and those handling the complaint, and an escalation of the process if the outcome is unsatisfactory. In November 2021, the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency website was launched and set out the National Safeguarding Standards, the National Safeguarding Policy, and practice guidance documents.

Recommendation 8. Introduce legislation to change the definition of full-time education and unregistered educational institutions providing full-time education

The government should introduce legislation to:

• change the definition of full-time education, and to bring any setting that is the pupil’s primary place of education within the scope of the definition of a registered educational setting; and

• provide the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted) with sufficient powers to examine the quality of child protection when it undertakes inspections of suspected unregistered institutions.

September 2021

Report

Child Protection in Religious Organisations and Settings Investigation Report

Recommendation 2

Accepted or rejected

See comments

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 2 March 2022, the UK government consulted to legislate to amend the registration requirements for independent education settings. It confirmed that it had considered responses to the consultation and would publish its response. The UK government also stated that the Department for Education previously committed to increasing the powers available to Ofsted when conducting inspections under section 97 of the 2008 Act, including in the Integrated Communities Action Plan 2019.

Recommendation 9. Provide a mandatory aggravating factor for sentencing networks of child sexual exploitation offenders

The government should amend the Sentencing Act 2020 to provide a mandatory aggravating factor in sentencing in the case of the commission of an offence under Part 1 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 relating to a child, where (1) the child was exploited, (2) ‘exploitation’ means the child was controlled, coerced, manipulated or deceived into sexual activity and (3) two or more persons were concerned in the exploitation.

February 2022

Report

Child Sexual Exploitation by Organised Networks Investigation Report

Recommendation 1

Accepted or rejected

See comments

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 30 June 2022, the UK government provided the Inquiry with its provisional response to this recommendation. The UK government stated its final response to this recommendation would be provided within six months of the report’s publication date, by 1 August 2022, and it will then be available on the Inquiry’s website.

Recommendation 10. Publish an enhanced Child Exploitation Disruption Toolkit

As referenced in its Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Strategy, the government should publish an enhanced version of its Child Exploitation Disruption Toolkit as soon as possible. This Toolkit must:

• specify that the core element of the definition of child sexual exploitation is that a child was controlled, coerced, manipulated or deceived into sexual activity;

• include specific guidance on building effective problem profiles for child sexual exploitation and child sexual exploitation by networks, as differentiated from other forms of exploitation;

• specifically state the sources and types of data that agencies should use to build problem profiles; and

• indicate the minimum frequency at which problem profiles should be updated.

February 2022

Report

Child Sexual Exploitation by Organised Networks Investigation Report

Recommendation 2

Accepted or rejected

See comments

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 30 June 2022, the UK government provided the Inquiry with its provisional response to this recommendation. The UK government stated its final response to this recommendation would be provided within six months of the report’s publication date, by 1 August 2022, and it will then be available on the Inquiry’s website.

Recommendation 11. Ban the unregulated placements of children

The Department for Education should ban the placement in semi-independent and independent settings of children aged 16 and 17 who have experienced, or are at heightened risk of experiencing, sexual exploitation. This should be implemented without delay.

February 2022

Report

Child Sexual Exploitation by Organised Networks Investigation Report

Recommendation 6

Accepted or rejected

See comments

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 30 June 2022, the UK government provided the Inquiry with its provisional response to this recommendation. The UK government stated its final response to this recommendation would be provided within six months of the report’s publication date, by 1 August 2022, and it will then be available on the Inquiry’s website.

Recommendation 12. Child Protection Authorities for England and for Wales

The Inquiry recommends that the UK government establishes a Child Protection Authority for England and the Welsh

Government establishes a Child Protection Authority for Wales.

Each Authority’s purpose should be to:

• improve practice in child protection;

• provide advice and make recommendations to government in relation to child protection policy and reform to improve child protection; and

• inspect institutions and settings as it considers necessary and proportionate.

The Child Protection Authorities in England and in Wales should also monitor the implementation of the Inquiry’s recommendations.

October 2022

Report

The Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 2

Recommendation 13. A cabinet Minister for Children

The UK government

The Inquiry recommends that the UK government creates a cabinet-level ministerial position for children.

The Welsh Government

The Inquiry recommends that the Welsh Government ensures that there is cabinet-level ministerial responsibility for children.

October 2022

Report

The Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 3

Recommendation 14. Public awareness

The Inquiry recommends that the UK government and the Welsh Government commission regular programmes of activity to increase public awareness about child sexual abuse and the action to take if child sexual abuse is happening or suspected in England and in Wales.

The programmes should:

• challenge myths and stereotypes about child sexual abuse;

• make maximum use of different approaches including, but not limited to, public information campaigns, the use of positive role models and creative media, such as television drama; and

• be supported by continuous evaluation to measure their impact.

October 2022

Report

The Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 4

Transforming attitudes and empowering children (see Part D)

Recommendation 15. Establish why there is a high population of children on remand

The Inquiry was told that children should only be placed in custody as a last resort. However, it was concerned to hear evidence that some children are remanded in custody because of a lack of appropriate community provision. Given that the proportion of children in custody on remand is so high, this is an issue of significant concern.

The Chair and Panel recommend that the Youth Custody Service commissions research into why the child remand population is as high as it is. If the reason is a lack of appropriate community provision (nationally or in certain areas), or otherwise unrelated to a genuine need for those children to be remanded in custody, the Chair and Panel recommend that the Youth Custody Service, with appropriate partner agencies, puts an action plan in place to address this.

February 2019

Report

Sexual Abuse of Children in Custodial Institutions: 2009-2017 Investigation Report

Recommendation 1

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 26 January 2022, the Ministry of Justice published its Review of Custodial Remand for Children. The review’s findings challenged the narrative that remand is overused and highlighted several factors that have impacted the increase in the proportion of children on remand over the past 10 years. It noted the ongoing issue with the number of short remand episodes that do not result in custodial sentences and the “ethnic disproportionality of remand”.

The review reiterated the UK government’s commitment to legislate changes, through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, to tighten the legal tests courts must satisfy to impose custodial remand on a child. It also committed to strengthen operational delivery and frontline practices, and consider greater use of bail and local authority provision as an alternative to custody.

On 28 April 2022, the Bill received Royal Assent and section 157 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 reflects the above-mentioned change.

Recommendation 16. Review the practice of placing children in secure children’s homes for welfare reasons

The Chair and Panel recommend that the Department for Education and the Youth Custody Service conduct a full review of the practice of placing children for justice and welfare reasons together in secure children’s homes to establish whether it increases the risk of sexual abuse to children. If so, appropriate action should be taken, including consideration of alternative models. The review should be completed within three months, and an action plan should be published within six months.

February 2019

Report

Sexual Abuse of Children in Custodial Institutions: 2009-2017 Investigation Report

Recommendation 2

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 7 May 2021, the Department for Education published its review of placement practices in secure children’s homes. It concluded that the practice of placing children in mixed justice and welfare homes does not create or exacerbate systemic risk of child sexual abuse. In light of the review, the Department for Education stated that it did not propose exploring alternative models as recommended by the Inquiry.

Recommendation 17. Prohibit the use of pain compliance techniques in the youth secure state

The Chair and Panel consider that the use of pain compliance techniques should be seen as a form of child abuse, and that it is likely to contribute to a culture of violence, which may increase the risk of child sexual abuse.

The Chair and Panel recommend that the Ministry of Justice prohibits the use of pain compliance techniques by withdrawing all policy permitting its use, and setting out that this practice is prohibited by way of regulation.

February 2019

Report

Sexual Abuse of Children in Custodial Institutions: 2009-2017 Investigation Report

Recommendation 5

Accepted or rejected

Rejected

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 18 June 2020, the Ministry of Justice published the Charlie Taylor review of pain-inducing techniques in the youth secure estate. The review recommended that the Minimising and Managing Physical Restraint (MMPR) programme should be amended to remove the use of pain-inducing techniques from its syllabus. The review also recommended that: (a) staff in young offender institutions and secure training centres may use a pain- inducing technique to prevent serious physical harm to a child or adult, and (b) that an Independent Restraint and Behaviour Panel (IRBP) should be established to review incidents in which serious injuries or warning signs have been identified, or where a pain-inducing technique has been deployed. On 18 June 2020, the Ministry of Justice also published the UK government’s response to the review. It stated that the Ministry of Justice would remove the sections on pain-inducing techniques from the MMPR manual.

In April 2021, the Ministry of Justice confirmed that the Youth Custody Service had established the IRRP.

A second Inquiry recommendation on the use of pain compliance was made (see row 20).

Recommendation 18. Ensure there is cross-departmental responsibility for safeguarding children in custodial institutions

The Chair and Panel recommend that the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Education share policy responsibility for managing and safeguarding children in custodial institutions.

This is to ensure that standards applied in relation to children in custody are jointly focussed on discipline and securing child welfare.

February 2019

Report

Sexual Abuse of Children in Custodial Institutions: 2009-2017 Investigation Report

Recommendation 7

Accepted or rejected

Rejected

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 23 July 2019, the Ministry of Justice stated that it has joint working relationships with the Department for Education on secure children’s homes, safeguarding and establishing secure schools. It stated that it aims to replace all young offender institutions and secure training centres with secure children’s homes and secure schools.

Recommendation 19. Evaluate practice concerning harmful sexual behaviour between children

Nottingham City Council and its child protection partners should commission an independent, external evaluation of their practice concerning harmful sexual behaviour, including responses, prevention, assessment, intervention and workforce development. An action plan should be set up to ensure that any recommendations are responded to in a timely manner and progress should be reported to City’s Safeguarding Children Partnership.

July 2019

Report

Children in the Care of the Nottinghamshire Councils Investigation Report

Recommendation 2

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 29 July 2021, Nottingham City Council stated that the NSPCC undertook an independent external evaluation of its practice in relation to harmful sexual behaviour. The NSPCC identified opportunities for further strengthening and an action plan was developed to disseminate learning and recommendations.

Recommendation 20. Reiterated recommendation: Pain compliance

The Inquiry recommends (as originally stated in its Sexual Abuse of Children in Custodial Institutions: 2009–2017 Investigation Report, dated February 2019) that the UK government prohibits the use of any technique that deliberately induces pain (previously referred to by the Inquiry as ‘pain compliance techniques’) by withdrawing all policy permitting its use in custodial institutions in which children are detained, and setting out that this practice is prohibited by way of regulation.

October 2022

Report

The Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 5

Recommendation 21. Children Act 1989

The Inquiry recommends that the UK government amends the Children Act 1989 so that, in any case where a court is satisfied that there is reasonable cause to believe that a child who is in the care of a local authority is experiencing or is at risk of experiencing significant harm, on an application by or for that child, the court may:

• prohibit a local authority from taking any act (or proposed act) which it otherwise would be entitled to take in exercising its parental responsibility for the child; or

• give directions for the purpose of determining a specific question which has arisen, or which may arise, in connection with any aspect of the local authority’s exercise of parental responsibility for a child.

October 2022

Report

The Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 6

Creating a more protective environment for children (see Part E)

Recommendation 22. Develop a national policy on the training and use of chaperones in England

The Chair and Panel recommend that the Department of Health and Social Care develops a national policy for the training and use of chaperones in the treatment of children in healthcare services.

The Chair and Panel recommend that the Care Quality Commission considers compliance with national chaperone policies (once implemented) in its assessments of services.

April 2018

Report

Interim Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 10

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 22 July 2019, the UK government stated that NHS England had developed chaperone guidance notes which set out principles of chaperoning and included examples of good practice. It also stated that the Department for Health and Social Care would continue to require the Care Quality Commission to assess providers’ policies and protocols on their inspection visits.

Recommendation 23. Develop a national policy on the training and use of chaperones in Wales

The Chair and Panel recommend that the Welsh Government develops a national policy for the training and use of chaperones in the treatment of children in healthcare services.

The Chair and Panel recommend that Healthcare Inspectorate Wales considers compliance with national chaperone policies (once implemented) in its assessments of services.

April 2018

Report

Interim Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 11

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 6 January 2020, the Welsh Government published guidance for health boards and trusts in respect of good working practice for the use of chaperones during intimate examinations or procedures within NHS Wales.

Recommendation 24. Ensure care staff working in children’s homes are professionally registered

The Chair and Panel recommend that the Department for Education introduces arrangements for the registration of staff working in care roles in children’s homes.

Registration should be with an independent body charged with setting and maintaining standards of training, conduct and continuing professional development, and with the power to enforce these through fitness to practise procedures.

The Chair and Panel recognise that registration may require a period of phasing in, and therefore recommend that priority be given to professional registration of children’s home managers.

April 2018

Report

Interim Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 14

Accepted or rejected

Rejected

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 8 July 2021, the Department for Education published the findings of a Call for Evidence on the children’s homes workforce and a literature review. The UK government informed the Inquiry that it will continue to keep the recommendation for a professional register of the residential childcare sector under review.

A second Inquiry recommendation on the professional registration of care staff working in children’s homes was made (see row 65).

Recommendation 25. Ensure professionals who pose a risk or harm to children are barred from working with children

The Chair and Panel recommend that the Home Office ensures that the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 is amended so that, where a fitness to practise hearing has been conducted by the keeper of a relevant register and has resulted in removal of a practitioner from that register for reasons relating to harm or risk of harm to children:

• the keeper of the register has a duty to refer that information to the Disclosure and Barring Service; and

• the Disclosure and Barring Service, on receiving the referral, has a duty to automatically bar the practitioner from working with children, allowing them the opportunity to make representations to the Disclosure and Barring Service if they consider the bar to be disproportionate or unfair.

April 2018

Report

Interim Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 15

Accepted or rejected

Rejected

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 19 December 2018, the UK government stated that the Home Office would ask the Disclosure and Barring Service to continue its close engagement with all professional bodies to ensure that effective information sharing takes place at all stages of their respective decision-making processes, and to inform the department of any emerging issues.

On 22 July 2019, the Home Office stated that there were no emerging issues.

Recommendation 26. Ensure staff in secure estates receive safeguarding training

The Chair and Panel recommend that the Youth Custody Service takes steps to ensure that its training provides staff with an appropriate understanding of safeguarding in the context of the secure estate, and that this is regularly reviewed and updated.

February 2019

Report

Sexual Abuse of Children in Custodial Institutions: 2009-2017 Investigation Report

Recommendation 3

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 23 July 2019, the Ministry of Justice stated that the Youth Custody Service would review the mandatory training for all its frontline staff – including at management level – alongside a review of the content and material where necessary.

On 4 October 2019, the Youth Custody Service published its national safeguarding review. It recommended that the Youth Custody Service sites, in conjunction with the local authority designated officer (LADO), develop specific and localised training that meets the emerging needs and threats of the sector. The review also recommended that staff dealing with Matters of Concern should receive appropriate and sufficient training in safeguarding and child protection.

On 4 May 2022, the Ministry of Justice stated that the Youth Custody Service was drafting ‘Keeping Children Safe in Secure Settings’ guidance. This aims to set out requirements for sites that hold children on remand and custodial sentences to: protect children from abuse, respond appropriately to their complaints and set the same safeguarding expectations as all other agencies providing a service to children. The Ministry of Justice confirmed that the guidance will complement mandatory safeguarding training for all new staff and will be subject to targeted public consultation. The Ministry of Justice also stated that the Youth Custody Service intends to publish a Safeguarding Strategy that will outline longer term plans for safeguarding training.

Recommendation 27. Ensure staff in young offender institutions and secure training centres are professionally registered

As the Inquiry set out in its Interim Report, professional registration of the workforce in settings responsible for the care of vulnerable children complements regulation of institutions by a separate, independent regulator.

The government has agreed in principle that professional regulation of staff in children’s homes in England could provide an effective additional means of protecting children. It has indicated that it will be conducting an evidence-gathering exercise to inform further action.

The Chair and Panel now recommend that the Ministry of Justice introduces arrangements for the professional registration of staff in roles responsible for the care of children in young offender institutions and secure training centres. The Interim Report recommendation already applies to staff working with children in secure children’s homes.

February 2019

Report

Sexual Abuse of Children in Custodial Institutions: 2009-2017 Investigation Report

Recommendation 4

Accepted or rejected

See comments

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 5 November 2021, the Ministry of Justice stated that it had reviewed the evidence it collected through a targeted consultation on professional registration. On 4 May 2022, the Ministry of Justice stated that it is considering the review.

A second Inquiry recommendation on the professional registration of staff in young offender institutions and secure training centres was made (see row 66).

Recommendation 28. Revise Prison Service Instruction 08/2012

The Chair and Panel note that Prison Service Instruction 08/2012, which sets out the mandatory actions for young offender institutions and secure training centres for ‘maintaining a safe and secure environment’, has expired. The Chair and Panel recommend that the Ministry of Justice revises and publishes this Prison Service Instruction to provide clear guidance on how custodial institutions must respond to allegations of child sexual abuse. This should include a requirement for all allegations to be referred to a child protection professional who is independent of the institution.

The Chair and Panel also recommend that all institutions, including those which are privately run, publish their safeguarding local procedures in full as well as regular reports about their use, to aid scrutiny and increase transparency.

February 2019

Report

Sexual Abuse of Children in Custodial Institutions: 2009-2017 Investigation Report

Recommendation 6

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 23 July 2019, the Ministry of Justice stated that work had begun to revise or replace Prison Service Instructions (PSIs) with “policy frameworks”. In advance of updating PSI 08/2012, the Youth Custody Service published a policy framework that replaced some aspects of PSI 08/2012 relating to behaviour management of children. On 4 May 2022, the Ministry of Justice stated that early work had started on producing the Care and Management of Young People framework that will replace PSI 08/2012.

On 23 July 2019, the Ministry of Justice also stated that the Youth Custody Service would work with the Department for Education to produce ‘Keeping Children Safe in Custody’, which would thereafter be updated annually. On 4 May 2022, the Ministry of Justice confirmed that the Youth Custody Service was drafting ‘Keeping Children Safe in Secure Settings’ guidance. For more information on this update, see row 26.

Recommendation 29. Introduce safeguarding guidance for religious communities

The Church of England should introduce appropriate guidance which deals with safeguarding within the context of a religious community affiliated to the Church. It must ensure that these organisations meet adequate requirements for safeguarding and child protection. The needs of victims should be prioritised when designing safeguarding policies and practices.

May 2019

Report

The Anglican Church Case Studies: 1. The Diocese of Chichester 2. The Response to Allegations Against Peter Ball Investigation Report

Recommendation 1

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 27 June 2019, the National Safeguarding Steering Group stated that the General Synod would be asked to give final approval to amending Canon 40. The National Safeguarding Steering Group stated that the amendment inserts new provisions into the Canons of the Church of England relating to religious communities and will impose conditions regarding the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.

The regulation and management of religious communities should include a mandatory requirement both to have and to follow safeguarding guidance. The requirement to comply with this safeguarding guidance should be the same as would be expected in any other Church institution. There needs to be clarity in respect of how safeguarding should be managed in these communities, along with appropriate auditing of compliance.

Recommendation 30. Amend Canon C30 requiring clerics to comply with the Bishop’s Guidance on Safeguarding

The Church of England should amend the current canon requiring clerics to comply with the Bishop’s Guidance on Safeguarding. The use of the words ‘due regard’ in Canon C30 is an acceptable term of art, but lacks sufficient clarity.

Very few individuals who gave evidence to the Inquiry said they understood what this meant, including the Archbishop of Canterbury himself.

May 2019

Report

The Anglican Church Case Studies: 1. The Diocese of Chichester 2. The Response to Allegations Against Peter Ball Investigation Report

Recommendation 2

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 26 April 2021, the General Synod approved the Safeguarding (Code of Practice) Measure which strengthens and clarifies the obligation to follow safeguarding guidance. The statutory code replaces the existing duty to have ‘due regard’ to safeguarding guidance. On 20 October 2021, the Measure came into force.

Recommendation 31. Impose sanctions for failures to comply with safeguarding procedures in the Anglican Church

Individuals engaged in regulated activity who have failed to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service check or complete compulsory training should not be permitted to hold voluntary offices within the Church. Failure by ordained clergy to comply with either requirement should result in disciplinary proceedings.

May 2019

Report

The Anglican Church Case Studies: 1. The Diocese of Chichester 2. The Response to Allegations Against Peter Ball Investigation Report

Recommendation 4

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 27 June 2019, the Church of England agreed that those in regulated roles who have failed to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service check or complete mandatory safeguarding training should not be allowed to continue in their voluntary role. The Church of England stated that leaders such as clergy who knowingly allow volunteers to remain in regulated roles without having fulfilled these requirements should be considered under Section 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016. The Church also stated that the National Safeguarding Team would review key pieces of guidance to ensure that this position is reflected clearly.

Recommendation 32. Disclose internal reviews by religious organisations of safeguarding incidents to the national review body

If religious organisations have undertaken internal reviews or enquiries into individual safeguarding incidents, their findings should be sent to the national review body (set up under the Children and Social Work Act 2017).

May 2019

Report

The Anglican Church Case Studies: 1. The Diocese of Chichester 2. The Response to Allegations Against Peter Ball Investigation Report

Recommendation 5

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 27 June 2019, the Church of England stated that its National Safeguarding Team would liaise with the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel to ensure that “the right cases” are reported to them in accordance with the principles outlined in Working Together to Safeguard Children and the safeguarding arrangements arising from the Children and Social Work Act 2017. The Church of England noted that the agreed approach will be reflected in House of Bishops guidance.

On 12 July 2022, the Church of England stated that all independent learning lessons case reviews commissioned by the Archbishops’ Council have been shared with their designated contact on the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel, who will meet with the Church’s National Director of Safeguarding every six months. In addition, the Church of England stated that updated arrangements for safeguarding case reviews will be detailed in forthcoming House of Bishops’ safeguarding policy, which is due to go out to full consultation, including with victims and survivors, in September 2022. It is anticipated to be presented for approval at the National Safeguarding Steering Group in December 2022.

Recommendation 33. Assess the potential risks posed by foster carers and residential care staff in Nottinghamshire

Nottingham City Council should assess the potential risks posed by current and former foster carers directly provided by the council in relation to the sexual abuse of children. They should also ensure that current and former foster carers provided by external agencies are assessed by those agencies. Any concerns which arise should be referred to the appropriate body or process, including the Disclosure and Barring Service, the local authority designated officer (LADO) or equivalent, the fostering panel and the police.

Nottinghamshire County Council should assess the potential risks posed by current and former residential care staff and foster carers, which are directly provided by the council, in relation to the sexual abuse of children. They should also ensure that current and former staff in residential care provided by external agencies, and current and former foster carers provided by external agencies, are assessed by those agencies. Any concerns which arise should be referred to the appropriate body or process, including the Disclosure and Barring Service, the relevant regulatory body, the local authority designated officer (LADO), the fostering panel and the police.

July 2019

Report

Children in the Care of the Nottinghamshire Councils Investigation Report

Recommendation 1

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

Nottingham City Council

On 20 December 2021, Nottingham City Council stated that an internal fostering review was complete. External assurance of the review was also complete. The review concluded that no further referrals were required in relation to former carers and found no evidence that carers assessed as ‘suitable’ presented a risk of sexual harm to children.

Nottingham City Council also stated that it had, in partnership with Nottinghamshire County Council, written to all Independent Fostering Agencies with whom it had placed a child since 2013. All agencies confirmed that they had reviewed information to assess the risk posed by current and previous foster carers.

Nottinghamshire County Council

On 21 June 2021, Nottinghamshire County Council stated that it is reviewing existing and former members of residential care staff. In relation to reviewing existing and former foster carers, Nottinghamshire County Council stated that a joint approach was taken with Nottingham City Council to engage with relevant independent fostering agencies who completed their own reviews. A report of responses was brought to a joint meeting of Nottinghamshire and Nottingham City Children’s Safeguarding Partnership Board, which will provide recommendations if further actions are required.

Recommendation 34. Extend the geographical reach of the Disclosure and Barring Service scheme

The Home Office should introduce legislation permitting the Disclosure and Barring Service to provide enhanced certificates to UK nationals and residents of England and Wales applying for:

1. work or volunteering with UK-based organisations, where the recruitment decision is taken outside the UK; or

2. work or volunteering with organisations based outside the UK, in each case where the work or volunteering would be a regulated activity if in the UK.

January 2020

Report

Children Outside the United Kingdom Phase 2 Investigation Report

Recommendation 3

Accepted or rejected

Rejected

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 21 January 2021, the Home Office stated that the UK government would continue to work with ACRO to publicise the existence of the International Child Protection Certificate, and to improve employers’ understanding of the certificate and when it can be used. On 17 June 2021, the UK government stated that its position had not changed in relation to this recommendation.

A second Inquiry recommendation on the geographical reach of the Disclosure and Barring Service scheme was made (see row 69).

Recommendation 35. Extend the mandatory nature of disclosure and barring

The Home Office should introduce legislation making it mandatory for:

1. all UK nationals and residents of England and Wales to provide a prospective employer overseas with an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service certificate before undertaking work with children overseas which if in the UK would be a regulated activity; and

2. UK government departments and agencies to require their overseas partners to ensure that UK nationals and residents of England and Wales obtain an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service certificate before undertaking work with children overseas which if in the UK would be a regulated activity.

January 2020

Report

Children Outside the United Kingdom Phase 2 Investigation Report

Recommendation 4

Accepted or rejected

Rejected

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 21 January 2021, the Home Office stated that although part 1 of this recommendation envisaged placing the legal obligation of providing overseas employers with an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service certificate on UK nationals, it would in effect amount to the UK government legislating in respect of employment practices in foreign countries. The Home Office stated that it did not consider this approach to be effective, and stated that it would continue to publicise the existence of the International Child Protection Certificate.

Regarding part 2 of this recommendation, the Home Office stated that it recognised the need for government bodies to take reasonable steps to ensure that overseas partners have robust safeguarding policies, and that those partners carry out all appropriate criminal records checks along with broader recruitment checks such as references. It stated that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is working to strengthen the employment cycle across the aid sector. This aims to prevent individuals with a known history of misconduct from working in the sector, regardless of their nationality.

On 17 June 2021, the UK government stated that its position had not changed in relation to this recommendation. On 17 December 2021, the UK government stated that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office had set up a working group with the Home Office, Disclosure and Barring Service, ACRO and the Charity Commission to look at the issue of criminal record checks for the international aid sector.

Recommendation 36. Issue explanatory guidance on the Disclosure and Barring Service scheme for recruiting organisations outside the UK

The Home Office should ensure explanatory guidance is issued, providing clarity to recruiting organisations and individuals concerning the use of the Disclosure and Barring Service scheme for work and volunteering outside the UK.

January 2020

Report

Children Outside the United Kingdom Phase 2 Investigation Report

Recommendation 5

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 21 January 2021, the Home Office stated that the Disclosure and Barring Service signposts applicants to the International Child Protection Certificate if their work abroad makes them ineligible for Disclosure and Barring Service certificates.

On 28 April 2022, the UK government stated that a working group – led by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office – had identified the need for further clarity and guidance around the eligibility of roles within the sector for criminal record checks, through either the Disclosure and Barring Service or ACRO. The UK government confirmed that the guidance was being finalised. It also stated that it had commenced a review of the disclosure and barring regime in February 2022, to provide assurance on its effectiveness in safeguarding the vulnerable.

Recommendation 37. Ensure government departments and political parties have whistleblowing policies and procedures

Government, political parties and other Westminster institutions must have whistleblowing policies and procedures which cover child sexual abuse and exploitation. Every employee must be aware that they can raise any concerns using these policies and that the policies are not limited to concerns specific to a person’s employment.

February 2020

Report

Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse Linked to Westminster Investigation Report

Recommendation 3

Accepted or rejected

UK government

Accepted

Political parties

Accepted by 10 organisations

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 18 September 2020, the UK government confirmed that all government departments have whistleblowing policies in place. It confirmed that Civil Service HR has a model policy to support departments in ensuring their policies are effective. With regards to Parliament, the UK government stated that internal policies and procedures are a matter for both Houses and that the UK government respects the exclusive cognisance of each House to conduct its own internal affairs. It stated that it is clear that all institutions should have appropriate policies and procedures in place to ensure that they fulfil their responsibilities to safeguard children.

In July 2020, the Co-operative Party stated that it had whistleblowing policies and procedures in its staff handbook. Between June 2020 and March 2021, the Green Party, the Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats, the Conservative Party, Plaid Cymru, the Ulster Unionist Party, the Social Democratic and Labour Party, the Democratic Unionist Party and the Scottish National Party stated that they had updated policies and/or staff handbooks.

Recommendation 38. Review the safeguarding policies and procedures of government departments

The Cabinet Office must ensure that each government department reviews its child safeguarding policy or policies in light of the expert witness report of Professor Thoburn. There must also be published procedures to accompany their policies, in order that staff know how to enact their department’s policy. All government departments must update their safeguarding policies and procedures regularly, and obtain expert safeguarding advice when doing this.

February 2020

Report

Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse Linked to Westminster Investigation Report

Recommendation 4

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 18 September 2020, the UK government confirmed that all government departments were aware of Professor Thoburn’s report. It also stated that Civil Service HR had launched a model safeguarding policy and ‘Health Check’ process, which enables departments to check their own procedures and practices to ensure they are fit for purpose.

On 25 August 2021, Civil Service HR stated that they had conducted a survey to review departmental use of the model policy and ‘Health Check’ and that it gave assurance of progress in the Civil Service.

Recommendation 39. Ensure all political parties have safeguarding policies and procedures

All political parties registered with the Electoral Commission in England and in Wales must ensure that they have a comprehensive safeguarding policy.

All political parties must also ensure that they have procedures to accompany their policies, in order that politicians, prospective politicians, staff and volunteers know how to enact their party’s policy, which must be published online. All political parties must update their policies and procedures regularly, and obtain expert safeguarding advice when doing this.

The Electoral Commission should monitor and oversee compliance with this recommendation.

February 2020

Report

Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse Linked to Westminster Investigation Report

Recommendation 5

Accepted or rejected

Electoral Commission

Rejected

Political parties

Accepted by 9 organisations

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 3 July 2020, the Electoral Commission stated that given the statutory scope of its remit, introducing a requirement that the Commission should monitor and oversee compliance of the safeguarding policies of political parties would require a change in the law. The Commission also noted that it does not have experience and expertise in child protection matters. The Commission considered it would be more appropriate for the recommendation to be directed towards other organisations.

Between February 2020 and September 2021, the Co-operative Party, the Conservative Party, the Democratic Unionist Party, the Green Party, the Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats, the Scottish National Party, the Social Democratic and Labour Party and the Ulster Unionist Party stated that they have safeguarding policies and procedures in place.

Recommendation 40. Publish the interim child sexual abuse and exploitation code of practice

The government should publish, without further delay, the interim code of practice in respect of child sexual abuse and exploitation as proposed by the Online Harms White Paper (published April 2019).

March 2020

Report

The Internet Investigation Report

Recommendation 4

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 15 December 2020, the UK government published the

Interim Code of Practice on Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation.

Recommendation 41. Improve the safeguarding structure in the Church of England

The Church of England should create the role of a diocesan safeguarding officer to replace the diocesan safeguarding adviser. Diocesan safeguarding officers should have the authority to make decisions independently of the diocesan bishop in respect of key safeguarding tasks, including:

i. escalating incidents to the National Safeguarding Team, statutory authorities and the Charity Commission;

ii. advising on the suspension of clergy in safeguarding matters;

iii. investigating and/or commissioning investigations into safeguarding incidents;

iv. risk assessments and associated plans for church officers and members of the congregation; and

v. supporting complainants in safeguarding-related issues.

Diocesan safeguarding officers should be employed locally, by the Diocese Board of Finance. The diocesan safeguarding officer’s work should be professionally supervised and quality assured by the National Safeguarding Team. The National Safeguarding Team should set the broad requirements for anyone applying to be a diocesan safeguarding officer (adapting as required the existing requirements in respect of diocesan safeguarding advisers).

It should be enshrined in policy that those who are volunteers and who do not follow the directions of diocesan safeguarding officers should be removed from responsibility of working with children.

October 2020

Report

The Anglican Church Investigation Report

Recommendation 1

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 29 March 2021, a joint response from the National Safeguarding Steering Group, the House of Bishops and the Archbishops’ Council stated that Canon C30 and the associated Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor Regulations would be amended to: (a) ensure the diocesan safeguarding adviser is replaced by the diocesan safeguarding officer (DSO), (b) strengthen and clarify that safeguarding decisions are to be made by the DSO, and (c) set out the independence of the DSO.

The joint response also stated that the National Safeguarding Team had begun incorporating the principle that voluntary roles must follow House of Bishops’ safeguarding requirements into work to revise national safeguarding policies.

Recommendation 42. Improve the safeguarding structure in the Church in Wales

The Church in Wales should make clear that the operational advice of provincial safeguarding officers must be followed by all members of the clergy and other Church officers.

It should be enshrined in policy that those who are volunteers and who do not follow the directions of provincial safeguarding officers should be removed from working with children.

October 2020

Report

The Anglican Church Investigation Report

Recommendation 3

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 7 April 2021, the Church in Wales stated that its safeguarding policy, procedural documents and training materials would make it clear that the operational advice of provincial safeguarding officers should be followed by all church officers, including clergy. The Church in Wales also introduced a new cause of action in the Disciplinary Tribunal, with sanctions including removal and disqualification from holding any office or membership in the Church in Wales. There is also a power of suspension while investigation or disciplinary proceedings are ongoing. The Church in Wales also noted that some volunteers would not be directly subject to the jurisdiction of the Disciplinary Tribunal. The Church in Wales stated that it would revise its procedural guidelines to make clear the expectation that such volunteers should be removed from working with children.

On 7 January 2022, the Church in Wales stated that the timetable for adopting its updated procedural guidance was delayed.

Recommendation 43. Introduce record-keeping policies in the Church in Wales

The Church in Wales should introduce record-keeping policies relating to safeguarding, complaints and whistleblowing. These should be implemented consistently across dioceses. The Church should develop policies and training on the information that must be recorded in files.

The Church should provide its provincial safeguarding officers with the right to see personnel files of clergy, office holders, employees or others if concerns and complaints are raised about child protection or safeguarding.

October 2020

Report

The Anglican Church Investigation Report

Recommendation 4

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 7 April 2021, the Church in Wales stated that its national online safeguarding case management and record-keeping system had launched, serving as a single searchable repository of all Church in Wales safeguarding and whistleblowing case data, while its safeguarding policy sets out that casework of a safeguarding nature is undertaken at a national level to ensure consistent implementation. It also stated that it is developing procedural guidance to document what information is held, and how information should be exchanged between the safeguarding case management systems and personnel records held at a diocesan local level. Relevant staff would be trained in accordance with this guidance.

The Church in Wales stated that provincial safeguarding officers already have the right to view the personnel files of clergy and agreed that its procedural guidance needs to make clear to the various employers of other church staff that the same applies to lay personnel.

On 7 January 2022, the Church in Wales stated that the timetable for adopting updated procedural guidance had slipped.

Recommendation 44. Share information between the Church of England and the Church in Wales

The Church of England and the Church in Wales should agree and implement a formal information-sharing protocol. This should include the sharing of information about clergy who move between the two Churches.

October 2020

Report

The Anglican Church Investigation Report

Recommendation 5

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 24 June 2021, the Church of England announced that the updated version of the House of Bishops’ handling of Clergy Personal Files policy covers data sharing between the Church of England and the Church in Wales, and clarifies the lawful basis on which clergy personal data are processed.

On 28 July 2021, the Bishops of the Church in Wales approved a new personal files policy for the clergy.

Recommendation 45. Share information between the Church of England, Church in Wales and statutory partners

The Church of England, the Church in Wales and statutory partners should ensure that information-sharing protocols are in place at a local level between dioceses and statutory partners.

October 2020

Report

The Anglican Church Investigation Report

Recommendation 6

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 29 March 2021, a joint response from the National Safeguarding Steering Group, the House of Bishops and the Archbishops’ Council stated that it would develop template information-sharing agreements which may be adapted and used by dioceses on a local level with statutory partners, such as local authorities. The joint response also stated that initial discussions with the National Association of Police Chief Officers were held, and an information-sharing agreement has been proposed for use between the police, the Church of England and the Church in Wales.

On 7 April 2021, the Church in Wales stated that it was involved in joint meetings with representatives of the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the Church of England with a view to agreeing a national information-sharing agreement, or a template-sharing agreement with national guidance on how it should be rolled out across each church organisation and each police force. The Church in Wales also stated that discussions were continuing with the Church of England about the best means of taking forward coordinated national conversations with other statutory partners.

Recommendation 46. Introduce independent external auditing of the Church in Wales and the Church of England

The Church in Wales should introduce independent external auditing of its safeguarding policies and procedures, as well as the effectiveness of safeguarding practice in dioceses, cathedrals and other Church organisations. Audits should be conducted regularly and reports should be published.

The Church of England should continue independent external auditing of its safeguarding policies and procedures, as well as the effectiveness of safeguarding practice in dioceses, cathedrals and other Church organisations. Audits should continue to be conducted regularly and reports should continue to be published.

October 2020

Report

The Anglican Church Investigation Report

Recommendation 8

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 29 March 2021, a joint response from the National Safeguarding Steering Group, the House of Bishops and the Archbishops’ Council stated that it remained committed to their programme of five-yearly independent audits. The joint response also stated that it would introduce a new quality assurance framework and develop national safeguarding standards against which the Church’s safeguarding practice can be measured. The draft standards were developed and will undergo further consultation.

On 7 April 2021, the Church in Wales stated that it plans to undertake an audit of a random sample of safeguarding casework and agreed to a programme of internal and external peer review. The Church in Wales intends to publish the findings from these external audits and that they become a regular part of quality assurance.

Recommendation 47. Provide leadership and oversight on safeguarding matters in the Roman Catholic Church in England and in Wales

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales and the Conference of Religious in England and in Wales should each nominate a lead member of the clergy for safeguarding to provide leadership and oversight on safeguarding matters to their respective Conferences and the wider Roman Catholic Church in England and in Wales.

November 2020

Report

The Roman Catholic Church Investigation Report

Recommendation 1

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 30 April 2021, the Catholic Council for the Inquiry stated that the role description for the Lead Bishop for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales was approved and Bishop Paul Mason was appointed to the role. The role description of Lead Safeguarding Religious was approved and Fr David Smolira SJ was appointed.

Recommendation 48. Ensure mandatory safeguarding training for staff and volunteers in the Roman Catholic Church in England and in Wales

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales should ensure that safeguarding training is mandatory for all staff and volunteers in roles where they work with children or victims and survivors of abuse. It should also be a requirement that regular refresher training is completed. The training should consider the impact of child sexual abuse, including the impact of trauma and the perspective of victims and survivors, and should be developed in conjunction with the Survivor Advisory Panel.

November 2020

Report

The Roman Catholic Church Investigation Report

Recommendation 2

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 30 April 2021, the Catholic Council for the Inquiry stated that it had mandated that clergy and parish safeguarding representatives must undergo baseline safeguarding training, supplemented by biennial refresher training. The reach of mandatory training was extended to volunteers.

Recommendation 49. Publish how cases of non-compliance with safeguarding policies and procedures are dealt with in the Roman Catholic Church

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales and the Conference of Religious should publish a clear framework for dealing with cases of non-compliance with safeguarding policies and procedures. That framework should identify who is responsible for dealing with issues of non-compliance at all levels of the Church, and include the measures or sanctions for non-compliance.

November 2020

Report

The Roman Catholic Church Investigation Report

Recommendation 3

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 30 September 2021, the Catholic Council for the Inquiry stated that the trustee bodies of all Catholic dioceses and religious orders were invited to subscribe to the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency. The Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency was established as a professional standards agency for the Catholic Church, and includes a dedicated audit function with necessary powers of sanction, which would provide a framework for dealing with cases of non-compliance with the national safeguarding standards and the related national safeguarding policies and procedures.

Recommendation 50. Introduce independent external auditing of the Roman Catholic Church in England and in Wales

The Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service should have the effectiveness of its audit programme regularly validated by an independent organisation which is external to the Church. These independent reports should be published.

November 2020

Report

The Roman Catholic Church Investigation Report

Recommendation 4

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 30 September 2021, the Catholic Council for the Inquiry stated that the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA) Board is committed to the independent verification of its audit processes, and would undertake a formal process of appointment of a suitable external body.

The Catholic Council for the Inquiry also stated that safeguarding standards would be formally launched, and the CSSA would work with Dioceses and Religious Life Groups to ensure that they are fully aware of what would constitute good practice in relation to each of the standards. In November 2021, the National Safeguarding Standards was published.

Recommendation 51. Review the policies and procedures manual of the Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service

The Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service should review its policies and procedures manual and the documents within it to ensure that they are consistent, easier to follow and more accessible.

November 2020

Report

The Roman Catholic Church Investigation Report

Recommendation 6

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

In November 2021, the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency website was launched. It contains the National Safeguarding Standards, the National Safeguarding Policy, and practice guidance documents.

Recommendation 52. Publish an action plan in response to the Children in the Care of Lambeth Council Investigation Report

Lambeth Council should develop and publish a comprehensive action plan which details the actions that it will take in response to the issues raised throughout the Inquiry’s investigation report. The action plan should be developed and published within six months of the publication of this investigation report, and should be accompanied by timescales for completing identified actions as soon as possible.

July 2021

Report

Children in the Care of Lambeth Council Investigation Report

Recommendation 1

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 15 December 2021, Lambeth Council published an action plan in response to the Inquiry’s report, including timescales for planned actions.

Recommendation 53. Ensure elected councillors in Lambeth Council receive safeguarding training

All Lambeth Council elected members should receive training on: (i) safeguarding and (ii) corporate parenting. Newly elected members should receive training on these matters as soon as possible following their election. Training should be mandatory and repeated on a regular basis.

The training content should be regularly reviewed and updated.

July 2021

Report

Children in the Care of Lambeth Council Investigation Report

Recommendation 2

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 27 July 2021, Lambeth Council stated that all councillors are required to complete safeguarding training as well as training on corporate parenting. Councillors were provided with a handbook explaining the role of corporate parenting to help them fulfil their obligations.

On 15 December 2021, Lambeth Council published an action plan. The Council stated that it would ensure that all newly- elected councillors complete mandatory corporate parenting, safeguarding, and Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion training as part of their induction, and have refresher training each year for the duration of their term. The Council also stated that it would review mandatory training requirements for elected Members and the process for monitoring completion.

Recommendation 54. Review the recruitment and vetting procedures for foster carers and children’s home staff

Lambeth Council should review the application of recruitment and vetting procedures for all current foster carers directly provided by Lambeth Council, to ensure that the procedures have been followed correctly.

In addition, Lambeth Council should seek assurances from external agencies and other local authorities, in which children in the care of Lambeth Council have been placed, that recruitment and vetting procedures have been followed correctly for all foster carers and residential children’s homes’ staff working with children.

July 2021

Report

Children in the Care of Lambeth Council Investigation Report

Recommendation 3

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 15 December 2021, Lambeth Council stated that staff working with children, councillors and foster carers had appropriate and up-to-date Disclosure and Barring Service certificates. It also stated that it would implement an online Disclosure and Barring Service process that enables better monitoring of compliance in line with safer recruitment practice. Lambeth Council also stated that it will ensure that its commissioned services and placements have robust safer recruitment practices in place for staff working with children and young people.

Recommendation 55. Ensure religious organisations have child protection policies, procedures and training

All religious organisations should have a child protection policy and supporting procedures, which should include advice and guidance on responding to disclosures of abuse and the needs of victims and survivors. The policy and procedures should be updated regularly, with professional child protection advice, and all organisations should have regular compulsory training for those in leadership positions and those who work with children and young people.

September 2021

Report

Child Protection in Religious Organisations and Settings Investigation Report

Recommendation 1

Accepted or rejected

Accepted by 9 organisations

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

Between January and March 2022, Methodist Church, Triratna Buddhist Order and Community and United Reformed Church stated that they had updated their safeguarding policies and practices, and The Baptist Union for Great Britain stated that it had approved its next three-year safeguarding plan. Jehovah’s Witnesses informed the Inquiry that it had updated its child protection policy.

Between September 2021 and June 2022, Inter Faith Network, Muslim Council of Britain and Quakers in Britain committed to taking steps to protect children in religious settings. United Synagogue informed the Inquiry that it was monitoring its policies.

Recommendation 56. Review government guidance on child sexual exploitation

The Department for Education should review and publish an updated version of its guidance on child sexual exploitation. The update should specify that the core element of the definition of child sexual exploitation is that a child was controlled, coerced, manipulated or deceived into sexual activity.

It should also include detailed information on:

• the role of the internet in the perpetration of child sexual exploitation; and

• how to identify and respond to child sexual exploitation perpetrated by networks of offenders.

The Welsh Government should also update its guidance on child sexual exploitation to provide detailed information on how to identify and respond to child sexual exploitation perpetrated by networks of offenders.

February 2022

Report

Child Sexual Exploitation by Organised Networks Investigation Report

Recommendation 3

Accepted or rejected

See comments

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 30 June 2022, the UK government provided the Inquiry with its provisional response to this recommendation. The UK government stated its final response to this recommendation would be provided within six months of the report’s publication date, by 1 August 2022, and it will then be available on the Inquiry’s website.

On 30 June 2022, the Welsh Government stated that it would consider what amendments may be needed to its Working Together to Safeguard People guidance. It also stated that work to develop further practice advice on the identification and response to risk of or abuse through child sexual exploitation would include detailed advice on how to identify and respond to child sexual exploitation perpetrated by networks of offenders.

Recommendation 57. Ensure government guidance distinguishes between the risk and harm in relation to child sexual exploitation

The Department for Education and the Welsh Government must ensure that their updated national guidance makes clear that signs that a child is being sexually exploited must never be treated as indications that a child is only ‘at risk’ of experiencing this harm.

In line with this, local authorities in England and in Wales should ensure that their assessment of risk and harm enables them to accurately distinguish between:

• children who are at risk of experiencing sexual exploitation;

• children who are experiencing or have already experienced sexual exploitation; and

• children who have experienced sexual exploitation and are at risk of experiencing further abuse.

February 2022

Report

Child Sexual Exploitation by Organised Networks Investigation Report

Recommendation 4

Accepted or rejected

See comments

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 30 June 2022, the UK government provided the Inquiry with its provisional response to this recommendation. The UK government stated its final response to this recommendation would be provided within six months of the report’s publication date, by 1 August 2022, and it will then be available on the Inquiry’s website.

On 30 June 2022, the Welsh Government stated that the term ‘child at risk’ has a legal basis in Wales and is defined in the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 as a child who “is experiencing or is at risk of abuse”. Therefore, it stated that references to a child as ‘at risk’ in legislation and statutory guidance which inform practice are not intended to suggest that a child ‘at risk’ is not already experiencing abuse.

Recommendation 58. Improve inspection and standards in residential schools

The Department for Education and the Welsh Government should:

• require all residential special schools to be inspected against the quality standards used to regulate children’s homes in England and care homes in Wales;

• reintroduce a duty on boarding schools and residential special schools to inform the relevant inspectorate of allegations of child sexual abuse and other serious incidents, with professional or regulatory consequences for breach of this duty; if the recommendation above is implemented, residential special schools will automatically be subject to this duty; and

• introduce a system of licensing and registration of educational guardians for international students which requires Disclosure and Barring Service and barred list checks to be undertaken.

March 2022

Report

The Residential Schools Investigation Report

Recommendation 1

Accepted or rejected

See comments

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 30 June 2022, the UK government stated that it was still of the view that the best way to protect children in residential special schools was to strengthen the National Minimum Standards (NMS), and did not commit to implementing the first part of this recommendation. It stated that it will consider how the NMS could be strengthened, drawing on the children’s homes quality standards. In respect of the second part of this recommendation, the UK government stated that residential special schools which are dual registered as children’s homes must comply with the children’s homes quality standards, which include notification requirements. It will consider reporting requirements as part of its broader consideration of mandatory reporting. It also stated that it was considering options to strengthen the safeguarding of international students, including the registration and licensing of educational guardians.

On 30 June 2022, the Welsh Government stated that it would use regulation-making powers to regulate the care and support aspect of residential special schools in Wales. The date for this to come into force is to be agreed; however it could be December 2023. The Welsh Government also stated that notification requirements will be included as part of the proposed regulation of residential special schools, and that work to implement the final part of the recommendation would be taken forward alongside work on National Minimum Standards for boarding schools.

Recommendation 59. Respond to allegations and concerns in residential schools

The Department for Education and the Welsh Government should:

• introduce a set of national standards for local authority designated officers in England and in Wales to promote consistency; and

• clarify in statutory guidance that the local authority designated officer can be contacted for informal advice as well as when a concern or allegation needs to be referred.

March 2022

Report

The Residential Schools Investigation Report

Recommendation 2

Accepted or rejected

See comments

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 30 June 2022, the UK government stated that it was considering the scope and timetable for a review of the statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children. It stated that it will consider revised content on the role of local authority designated officers, and that it will consider running a full public consultation on changes to the statutory guidance.

On 30 June 2022, the Welsh Government stated that in most, if not all, cases designated officers are qualified social workers and, as such, already adhere to professional standards. However, in addition, Social Care Wales are working on national minimum standards for safeguarding training.

Recommendation 60. Amend the governance and registration processes for independent schools

The Department for Education and the Welsh Government should:

• amend the Independent School Standards to include the requirements that there is an effective system of governance, based on three principles of openness to external scrutiny, transparency and honesty within the governance arrangements, and the ability of governors to have difficult conversations both internally and with those providing external scrutiny;

• amend the Independent School Standards to stipulate that the proprietor cannot be the designated safeguarding lead; and

• amend the current system of registration of independent schools to apply the same standards to registrants as those applying to open a free school or early years provision.

March 2022

Report

The Residential Schools Investigation Report

Recommendation 3

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 30 June 2022, the UK government stated that it agreed with the first two points of the recommendation in principle. It stated that it intended to consult on revised Independent School Standards in 2023 and was making changes through

Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance to stipulate that the proprietor cannot be the designated safeguarding lead.

The UK government also stated that it will continue to explore the registration system and ensure, where appropriate, that the registration system for independent schools is reflective of the system for early years and free schools.

On 30 June 2022, the Welsh Government stated that it will amend and strengthen the Independent School

Standards Regulations in line with each point set out in this recommendation, including in respect of the designated safeguarding lead and the three principles set out in the recommendation, and that it will amend the registration process for independent schools in Wales.

Recommendation 61. Ensure there is safeguarding training and effective relationships, sex and health education in schools

The Department for Education and the Welsh Government should:

• set nationally accredited standards and levels of safeguarding training in schools;

• make the highest level of safeguarding training mandatory for headteachers, designated safeguarding leads in England or designated safeguarding persons in Wales, designated safeguarding governors, or the proprietor or head of the proprietorial body; and

• undertake an urgent review in order to improve the provision and effectiveness of relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) for children with special educational needs and disabilities, both for children who are in mainstream settings and for those in special schools.

March 2022

Report

The Residential Schools Investigation Report

Recommendation 4

Accepted or rejected

See comments

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 30 June 2022, the UK government stated that it will consider setting nationally accredited standards and levels of safeguarding training in schools further. It also stated that

Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance was strengthened and sets a ‘strong framework’ for a higher level of training to be undertaken by designated safeguarding leads and headteachers.

The UK government also stated a national evaluation of Relationships and Sex Education implementation, including in special schools, is planned and that it would consider the options for a specific piece of work to support teachers of Relationships and Sex Education in special schools.

On 30 June 2022, the Welsh Government stated National Minimum Safeguarding Training Standards and a framework of training requirements by role are being developed by Social

Care Wales. This will apply to independent schools. It also stated that as part of the strengthening of the independent school regulations, options for strengthening the requirements for safeguarding training and prescribing the levels of training for those identified in the recommendation will be considered. In addition, it will consider the provision and effectiveness of its new Relationships and Sexuality Education Code for children with additional learning needs in Wales.

Recommendation 62. Inform inspectorates of Disclosure and Barring referrals

The Department for Education and the Welsh Government should:

• require schools to inform the relevant inspectorate when they have referred a member of staff to the Disclosure and Barring Service, the Teaching Regulation Agency or the Education Workforce Council; and

• include in the national standards for local authority designated officers a requirement that local authority designated officers should share information on referrals from schools with the relevant inspectorate (see recommendation 2 of The Residential Schools Investigation Report).

March 2022

Report

The Residential Schools Investigation Report

Recommendation 5

Accepted or rejected

See comments

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 30 June 2022, the UK government stated that it was cautious about creating a reporting mechanism that only related to the Disclosure and Barring Service and Teaching Regulation Agency when its position in Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance is to have a ‘simple’ system that applies equally across the system. The UK government also stated that it will consider a requirement that local authority designated officers should share information on referrals from schools with the relevant inspectorate, as part of an update to Working Together to Safeguard Children guidance.

On 30 June 2022, the Welsh Government stated that it accepted this recommendation in principle but that it does not currently have the powers to ‘require’ and there is a need to establish this. It stated it will work to establish the necessary vehicle to implement this recommendation and take appropriate action.

Recommendation 63. Vetting and barring in schools

The Department for Education should amend the Teachers’ Disciplinary (England) Regulations 2012 to bring all teaching assistants, learning support staff and cover supervisors within the misconduct jurisdiction of the Teaching Regulation Agency.

The Department for Education and the Welsh Government should amend Keeping Children Safe in Education and Keeping Learners Safe to:

• provide more detailed guidance as to the quality, nature and degree of supervision required for supervised volunteers working with children in schools; and

• make clear that Disclosure and Barring Service checks are free of charge for supervised volunteers, and should be obtained wherever practicable.

The Department for Education and the Welsh Government should amend the regulations to provide that inclusion on the children’s barred list automatically disqualifies the individual from being a governor or proprietor of any school.

The Home Office should amend the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 so that proprietors and members of the proprietorial body and governors should be checked against the children’s barred list.

March 2022

Report

The Residential Schools Investigation Report

Recommendation 6

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 30 June 2022, the UK government stated that anyone undertaking teaching work can be referred to the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) and this could include teaching assistants and learning support staff. The TRA does not consider a person’s specific job role or position and the UK government did not propose a change but stated that it will continue to monitor and review how the teacher misconduct regime operates.

The UK government stated that it agrees in principle with the recommendation to provide more detailed guidance on supervised volunteers and will consider how and when to update Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE). It also stated that it accepts the recommendation in respect of DBS checks and has reflected this in KCSIE 2022.

The UK government stated that the Department for Education will consider whether proprietors or governors should be checked against the children’s barred list and, if so, will work with the Home Office and DBS to implement this.

On 30 June 2022, the Welsh Government stated that it accepts this recommendation in principle and will consider it and make the necessary changes to the Keeping Learners Safe guidance. It also stated that it considers that the Independent School Standards (Wales) Regulations 2003 already fulfil the recommendation in respect of the children’s barred list, as they already apply to proprietors and staff at independent schools. However, it will consider whether the relevant provision can be amended to apply to governors.

Recommendation 64. Improve standards in schools in Wales

The Welsh Government should:

• update the Independent School Standards as a matter of urgency;

• update the national minimum standards for boarding schools as a matter of urgency;

• legislate so that all residential special schools are judged against the quality standards in place for care homes in Wales;

• ensure that all teachers and learning support staff in independent schools in Wales are required to register with the Education Workforce Council; and

• consider extending the duty to report a child at risk of harm in section 130 of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 to independent school staff.

March 2022

Report

The Residential Schools Investigation Report

Recommendation 7

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 30 June 2022, the Welsh Government stated that it will amend and strengthen the independent school regulations, and that work is ongoing to draft the legislation. The Welsh Government also stated that it will use regulation-making powers to regulate the care and support aspect of residential special schools in Wales. The date for this to come into force is to be agreed; however it could be December 2023.

In addition, the Welsh Government stated that it will update the requirements for staff in independent schools to register with the Education Workforce Council (EWC). Work is currently ongoing to draft legislation to require teaching staff and learning support workers at independent schools to register with the EWC.

The Welsh Government also stated that it is aware that the Duty to Report needs updating to include areas not previously included. It has begun work to amend legislation to extend the duty of care provision to areas that were not previously included, including independent schools.

Recommendation 65. Reiterated recommendation: Registration of care staff in children’s homes

The Inquiry recommends (as originally stated in its Interim Report, dated April 2018) that the UK government introduces arrangements for the registration of staff working in care roles in children’s homes, including secure children’s homes.

Registration should be with an independent body charged with setting and maintaining standards of training, conduct and continuing professional development, and with the power to enforce these through fitness to practise procedures.

October 2022

Report

The Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 7

Recommendation 66. Reiterated recommendation: Registration of staff in care roles in young offender institutions and secure training centres

The Inquiry recommends (as originally stated in its Sexual Abuse of Children in Custodial Institutions: 2009–2017 Investigation Report, dated February 2019) that the UK government introduces arrangements for the professional registration of staff in roles responsible for the care of children in young offender institutions and secure training centres.

October 2022

Report

The Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 8

Recommendation 67. Greater use of the barred list

The Inquiry recommends that the UK government enables any person engaging an individual to work or volunteer with children on a frequent basis to check whether or not they have been barred by the Disclosure and Barring Service from working with children. These arrangements should also apply where the role is undertaken on a supervised basis.

October 2022

Report

The Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 9

Recommendation 68. Improving compliance with the statutory duty to notify the Disclosure and Barring Service

The Inquiry recommends that the UK government takes steps to improve compliance by regulated activity providers with their statutory duty to refer concerns about the suitability of individuals to work with children to the Disclosure and Barring Service, including:

• all relevant regulators and inspectorates include compliance with the statutory duty to refer to the Disclosure and Barring Service in their assessment of safeguarding procedures during inspections;

• the National Police Chiefs’ Council works with relevant regulators and inspectorates to ensure that there are clear arrangements in place to refer breaches of the duty to refer to the police for criminal investigation; and

• an information-sharing protocol is put in place between the Disclosure and Barring Service and relevant regulators and inspectorates.

October 2022

Report

The Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 10

Recommendation 69. Reiterated recommendation: Extending disclosure regime to those working with children overseas

The Inquiry recommends (as originally stated in its Children Outside the United Kingdom Phase 2 Investigation Report, dated January 2020) that the UK government introduces legislation permitting the Disclosure and Barring Service to provide enhanced certificates with barred list checks to citizens and residents of England and Wales applying for:

• work or volunteering with UK-based organisations, where the recruitment decision is taken outside the UK; or

• work or volunteering with organisations based outside the

UK, in each case where the work or volunteering would be a regulated activity if in England and Wales.

October 2022

Report

The Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 11

Identifying and reporting child sexual abuse (see Part F)

Recommendation 70. Amend the definition of ‘a position of trust’ in the Sexual Offences Act 2003 to include clergy

The government should amend Section 21 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 so as to include clergy within the definition of a position of trust. This would criminalise under s16–s20 sexual activity between clergy and a person aged 16–18, over whom they exercise pastoral authority, involving the abuse of a position of trust.

May 2019

Report

The Anglican Church Case Studies: 1. The Diocese of Chichester 2. The Response to Allegations Against Peter Ball Investigation Report

Recommendation 3

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 9 March 2021, the Ministry of Justice and Home Office stated that the government would introduce the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. The Bill sought to extend the definition of a ‘position of trust’ to prevent sports coaches and religious leaders from engaging in sexual relationships with young people under the age of 18.

On 28 April 2022, the Bill received Royal Assent and section 47 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 reflects this change.

Recommendation 71. Pre-screen images before they are uploaded to the internet

The government should require industry to pre-screen material before it is uploaded to the internet to prevent access to known indecent images of children.

March 2020

Report

The Internet Investigation Report

Recommendation 1

Accepted or rejected

Rejected

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 10 November 2020, the UK government stated that it had launched the Voluntary Principles to Counter Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse alongside the US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. The interim code of practice on tackling child sexual abuse and exploitation and the Voluntary Principles set out the UK government’s expectation that all companies will prevent access to known child sexual abuse material, which includes pre-screening.

On 12 May 2021, the UK government published a draft Online Safety Bill. The Bill includes a clause that imposes duties on regulated search services with regards to illegal content, including child sexual abuse and exploitation material. The clause requires service providers to have proportionate systems and processes to minimise the risk of users encountering illegal content on their services, because they have been alerted to it or they become aware of it in some other way.

A second Inquiry recommendation on pre-screening images online was made (see row 72).

Recommendation 72. Pre-screening

The Inquiry recommends that the UK government makes it mandatory for all regulated providers of search services and user-to-user services to pre-screen for known child sexual abuse material.

October 2022

Report

The Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Accepted or rejected

Recommendation 12

Recommendation 73. Mandatory reporting

The Inquiry recommends that the UK government and Welsh Government introduce legislation which places certain individuals – ‘mandated reporters’ – under a statutory duty to report child sexual abuse where they:

• receive a disclosure of child sexual abuse from a child or perpetrator; or

• witness a child being sexually abused; or

• observe recognised indicators of child sexual abuse.

The following persons should be designated ‘mandated reporters’:

• any person working in regulated activity in relation to children (under the Safeguarding and Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, as amended);

• any person working in a position of trust (as defined by the

Sexual Offences Act 2003, as amended); and

• police officers.

For the purposes of mandatory reporting, ‘child sexual abuse’ should be interpreted as any act that would be an offence under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 where the alleged victim is a child under the age of 18.

Where the child is aged between 13 and under 16 years old, a report need not be made where the mandated reporter reasonably believes that:

• the relationship between the parties is consensual and not intimidatory, exploitative or coercive; and

• the child has not been harmed and is not at risk of being harmed; and

• there is no material difference in capacity or maturity between the parties engaged in the sexual activity concerned, and there is a difference in age of no more than three years.

These exceptions should not, however, apply where the alleged perpetrator is in a position of trust within the meaning of the 2003 Act.

Where the child is under the age of 13, a report must always be made.

Reports should be made to either local authority children’s social care or the police as soon as is practicable.

It should be a criminal offence for mandated reporters to fail to report child sexual abuse where they:

• are in receipt of a disclosure of child sexual abuse from a child or perpetrator; or

• witness a child being sexually abused.

October 2022

Report

The Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 13

The justice system response to child sexual abuse (see Part G)

Recommendation 74. Ensure compliance with the Victims’ Code

The Chair and Panel recommend that the Ministry of Justice, Home Office and Attorney General commission a joint inspection of compliance with the Victims’ Code in relation to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse.

The Victims’ Commissioner should be consulted on the inspection approach to ensure that it is fully informed by the experiences of victims and survivors of child sexual abuse.

April 2018

Report

Interim Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 4

Accepted or rejected

Rejected

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 23 October 2020, the Ministry of Justice stated that the operational demands of the COVID-19 pandemic on both the Ministry of Justice and criminal justice agencies meant that development of the Victims’ Code compliance monitoring framework had not been possible. The Ministry of Justice confirmed that it was looking to restart this work and would renew its engagement with the Criminal Justice Board.

On 25 May 2022, the Ministry of Justice published a response to its consultation on the Victims Bill to understand how to improve victims’ experiences of the criminal justice system. The Ministry of Justice stated that it will introduce a wide range of measures within the Victims Bill and, as issues raised in the consultation cannot be addressed through legislation alone, that the Bill will sit alongside additional measures.

A second Inquiry recommendation on compliance with the Victims’ Code was made (see row 83).

Recommendation 75. Consider introducing a register of public liability insurers to help victims and survivors

The Chair and Panel recommend that the Association of British Insurers considers whether a register of public liability insurers could be introduced to assist claimants in child sexual abuse cases in locating the insurers relevant to their claim, and how it would operate.

The Chair and Panel recommend that the Association of British Insurers sets out its consideration of the issue and the conclusions it has reached in a written update within 12 months of the publication of this report.

April 2018

Report

Interim Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 8

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 24 April 2019, the Association of British Insurers formally responded to this recommendation by raising a number of questions about the merits of such a register and the challenges that may be faced by its introduction.

The response from the Association of British Insurers was referred to in the Accountability and Reparations Investigation Report (page 101), and a second Inquiry recommendation on a register of public liability insurers was made (see row 80).

Recommendation 76. Ensure that victims and survivors of child sexual abuse can provide the best evidence in civil court cases

The Chair and Panel recommend that the Ministry of Justice provides in primary legislation that victims and survivors of child sexual abuse in civil court cases, where they are claiming compensation in relation to the abuse they suffered, are afforded the same protections as vulnerable witnesses in criminal court cases.

The Chair and Panel understand that cost is already a barrier to victims and survivors considering a civil claim. In considering how to fund the implementation of this recommendation, the Ministry of Justice must ensure that this barrier is not further increased.

The Chair and Panel recommend that the Civil Procedure Rule Committee amends the Civil Procedure Rules to ensure that judges presiding over cases relating to child sexual abuse consider the use of protections for vulnerable witnesses.

April 2018

Report

Interim Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 9

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 19 December 2018, the UK government stated that the Civil Justice Council had agreed to consider the issues raised by this recommendation. In February 2020, the Civil Justice Council published its report on vulnerable witnesses and parties within civil proceedings.

In April 2021, the Civil Procedure Rules were amended to require courts to provide special measures for vulnerable parties and witnesses in court (CPR Practice Direction 1A).

The UK government also decided to legislate for special measures in civil proceedings in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. The Act enables the court to make a special measures direction in relation to victims and alleged victims of “specified offences”, and victims, or those at risk of being victims, of domestic abuse. It also enables a court to give a direction prohibiting the cross-examination of a victim of a “specified offence” in civil proceedings by a person who has been convicted or cautioned for that offence, where it is likely to diminish the quality of the victim’s evidence, or would cause significant distress to the victim. A “specified offence” is to be set out in regulations made by the Lord Chancellor and will include child sexual abuse offences.

Recommendation 77. Amend training and accreditation requirements for Chief Officers

The Chair and Panel recommend that any police officer (or staff equivalent) who wants to progress to the Chief Officer cadre must first be required to:

• have operational policing experience in preventing and responding to child sexual abuse; and

• achieve accreditation in the role of the police service in preventing and responding to child sexual abuse.

The Home Office should amend entry requirements using its powers under the Police Regulations 2003 to achieve this.

The Chair and Panel recommend that the College of Policing develops the training content and accreditation arrangements.

April 2018

Report

Interim Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 13

Accepted or rejected

Rejected

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 22 July 2019, the UK government stated that the Home Office and College of Policing had drawn up a programme of non-legislative changes which sought to ensure that there is an understanding of safeguarding and vulnerability across all levels of leadership in policing. Its response also stated that the Home Office had not identified any need for legislative changes but that it would keep this under review.

Recommendation 78. Revise the Victims’ Code to ensure victims and survivors are signposted to civil and criminal compensation

The Ministry of Justice should revise the Victims’ Code to make clear that victims and survivors of child sexual abuse must be advised by the police that:

1. They are entitled to seek civil compensation through the civil courts and, if they wish to do so, should seek legal advice – they should be signposted to specialist lawyers identified by the Ministry of Justice.

2. They are entitled to assistance completing any application to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, should they require it. Such assistance should be provided by independent sexual violence advisers or other suitably qualified and trained persons.

3. At the conclusion of any criminal proceedings, the court may make orders for the payment of criminal compensation by convicted offenders to their victims.

4. They are entitled to be referred to organisations supporting victims of sexual abuse. They should be signposted to the support services available in their local area.

The College of Policing should make changes to its guidance (currently Authorised Professional Practice) to require police officers to provide oral and written information on each of these matters.

The Ministry of Justice should also provide further information on how the new compliance framework, and any other developments, will improve compliance with the Code for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse.

September 2019

Report

Accountability and Reparations Investigation Report

Recommendation 1

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 16 January 2020, the College of Policing made changes to its Authorised Professional Practice to require police officers to provide victims with information on their rights and entitlements under the Victims’ Code.

On 16 March 2021, the Ministry of Justice confirmed that a new Victims’ Code would come into force on 1 April 2021. The Victims’ Code was restructured so that victims are the primary audience and to focus on 12 key overarching rights. It sets out victims’ rights to be provided with information about how to claim compensation for any loss, damage or injury caused as a result of a crime; that victims of child sexual abuse may be entitled to compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme; and that the victim has the right to be told by the police how to seek court-ordered compensation.

The Ministry of Justice also stated that it had issued the first iteration of a framework to monitor compliance with the Victims’ Code to Local Criminal Justice Boards and police crime commissioners. It was agreed that police crime commissioners would oversee a new monitoring process. The Ministry of Justice noted that although progress on this recommendation was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, work was underway to develop and test a new framework to enable reporting to resume.

On 5 November 2021, the Ministry of Justice stated that it intended to consult on a Victims Bill to ensure the delivery of victims’ rights under the Victims’ Code. On 25 May 2022 the Ministry of Justice published a response to its consultation on improving victims’ experiences of the justice system. The Ministry of Justice stated that it will introduce a wide range of measures within the Victims Bill and, as issues raised in the consultation cannot be addressed through legislation alone, that the Bill will sit alongside additional measures.

Recommendation 79. Produce Codes of Practice for responding to civil claims of child sexual abuse

The Local Government Association and the Association of British Insurers should each produce codes of practice for responding to civil claims of child sexual abuse.

The codes should include recognition of the long-term emotional and psychiatric or psychological effects of child sexual abuse on victims and survivors, and acknowledgement that these effects may make it difficult for victims and survivors to disclose that they have been sexually abused and to initiate civil claims for that abuse.

The codes should also include guidance that:

1. claimants should be treated sensitively throughout the litigation process;

2. the defence of limitation should only be used in exceptional circumstances;

3. single experts jointly instructed by both parties should be considered for the assessment of the claimants’ psychiatric, psychological or physical injuries; and

4. wherever possible, claimants should be offered apologies, acknowledgement, redress and support.

September 2019

Report

Accountability and Reparations Investigation Report

Recommendation 2

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

Association of British Insurers

In August 2021, the Association of British Insurers published a Code of Practice on Responding to Civil Claims of Child Sexual Abuse. It seeks to improve certain aspects of the civil claims process that are within insurers’ control for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse.

Local Government Association

On 16 August 2021, the Local Government Association stated that it had worked with several member councils and national organisations to develop a draft code of practice. On 25 April 2022, the Local Government Association stated that the draft code of practice would be going to its Executive Advisory Board for final approval and would then be published on its website.

Recommendation 80. Introduce a register of public liability insurance policies to help victims and survivors

The Department for Work and Pensions^{[footnote 2]} should work with the Association of British Insurers to introduce a national register of public liability insurance policies. The register should provide details of the relevant organisation, the name of the insurer, all relevant contact details, the period of cover, and the insurance limit. These requirements should apply to policies issued and renewed after the commencement of the register, and those against which a claim has already been made.

The Financial Conduct Authority should make the necessary regulatory changes to compel insurers that provide public liability insurance to retain and publish details of all current policies.

September 2019

Report

Accountability and Reparations Investigation Report

Recommendation 4

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 5 November 2021, the Ministry of Justice stated that it had commenced discussions with the Association of British Insurers on a public liability register and would be exploring the feasibility of the proposed reform. On 4 May 2022, the

Ministry of Justice stated that its work on this recommendation had paused due to other delivery priorities and the COVID-19 pandemic.

On 2 December 2021, the Financial Conduct Authority stated that it had conducted a survey of public liability insurance firms, and had engaged with consumer organisations, including survivors’ charities, to better understand the issues faced by victims and survivors in accessing insurance. On 25 April 2022, the Financial Conduct Authority stated that organisations representing survivors found it challenging to provide data and the responses that it had received were limited, and that it was considering its next steps.

The Financial Conduct Authority also stated that it needed to align its work with that of the Association of British Insurers and Department for Work and Pensions (or other relevant government departments) to ensure its intervention is compatible with the public liability insurance register (if it is introduced).

Recommendation 81. Revise the Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases

The Judicial College should revise its Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases to include a freestanding section on the damages that may be appropriate in cases of child sexual abuse.

This new section of the guidelines should advise the court to take into account the nature and severity of the abuse itself, any short-term and long-term physical, emotional and psychiatric or psychological injuries, and the general effect of the abuse on the claimant’s capacity to function throughout their life. The latter may include the ability to sustain personal and sexual relationships, to benefit from education and to undertake paid employment.

September 2019

Report

Accountability and Reparations Investigation Report

Recommendation 5

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

The Judicial College informed the Inquiry that the revised edition of its Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases was published on 11 April 2022. The Judicial College stated that the new edition includes a section on sexual abuse, which incorporates the factors to be taken into account in valuing general damages for sexual abuse. These include the nature and duration of the abuse, the physical and/ or psychological effects caused and the effect on the injured person’s ability to sustain personal and sexual relationships.

Recommendation 82. Consider grounds for investigating the death of LA-A2

The Metropolitan Police Service should consider whether there are grounds for a criminal investigation into Lambeth Council’s actions when providing information to the coroner about the circumstances surrounding LA-A2’s death.

July 2021

Report

Children in the Care of Lambeth Council Investigation Report

Recommendation 4

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

The Metropolitan Police Service informed the Inquiry that it has accepted this recommendation.

Recommendation 83. Reiterated recommendation: Compliance with the Victims’ Code

The Inquiry recommends (as originally stated in its Interim Report, dated April 2018) that the UK government commissions a joint inspection of compliance with the Victims’ Code in relation to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse, to be undertaken by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services, His Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation.

October 2022

Report

The Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 14

Recommendation 84. Limitation

The Inquiry recommends that the UK government makes the necessary changes to legislation in order to ensure:

• the removal of the three-year limitation period for personal injury claims brought by victims and survivors of child sexual abuse in respect of their abuse; and

• the express protection of the right to a fair trial, with the burden falling on defendants to show that a fair trial is not possible.

These provisions should apply whether or not the current three- year period has already started to run or has expired, except where claims have been:

• dismissed by a court; or

• settled by agreement.

They should, however, only apply to claims brought by victims and survivors, not claims brought on behalf of victims and survivors’ estates.

October 2022

Report

The Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 15

Supporting victims and survivors (see Part H)

Recommendation 85. Ensure remaining records on former child migrants are retained and preserved

The Chair and Panel have recommended that all institutions which sent children abroad as part of the child migration programmes should ensure that they have robust systems in place for retaining and preserving any remaining records that may contain information about individual child migrants, and should provide easy access to them.

April 2018

Report

Interim Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 3

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

Between January and July 2020, Action for Children, Barnardo’s, Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cornwall Council, Father Hudson’s Care, Salvation Army UK, Sisters of Nazareth, The Children’s Society and The Prince’s Trust committed to retaining and preserving remaining child migrant records.

Recommendation 86. Establish the level of support available for victims and survivors and public expenditure on these services in England

The Chair and Panel recommend that the Department of Health and Social Care, the Department for Education, the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office work together to establish current levels of public expenditure, and the effectiveness of that expenditure on services for child victims and adult survivors of child sexual abuse in England.

April 2018

Report

Interim Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 17

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 22 July 2019, the UK government stated that the Ministry of Justice had established a cross-government working group, and had gathered data on the current level of public expenditure on support services for victims and survivors of sexual abuse.

On 26 February 2020, the Ministry of Justice, Department of Health and Social Care, Department for Education and the Home Office stated that they had reviewed public expenditure. They stated that the UK government’s strategy on child sexual abuse seeks to take a whole-system approach to addressing the provision of support services.

Recommendation 87. Establish the level of support available for victims and survivors and public expenditure on these services in Wales

The Chair and Panel recommend that the Welsh Government and the relevant UK government departments work together to establish current levels of public expenditure, and the effectiveness of that expenditure on services for child victims and adult survivors of child sexual abuse in Wales.

April 2018

Report

Interim Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 18

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 24 February 2022, the Welsh Government stated that it had obtained levels of public expenditure for support services to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse in Wales. The Welsh Government also stated that it had asked the National Independent Safeguarding Board for Wales to verify the sums and effectiveness of spend for victims and survivors.

Recommendation 88. Produce a Code to ensure victims and survivors of child sexual abuse are able to access therapy and support when bringing civil claims

The International Underwriting Association of London should take the lead in the production of a code for the benefit of claimants who are bringing civil claims for child sexual abuse. The aim should be to produce a code, comparable to the Rehabilitation Code or for inclusion in that code, with the objective of ensuring that victims and survivors of child sexual abuse are able to access the therapy and support they need as soon as possible.

September 2019

Report

Accountability and Reparations Investigation Report

Recommendation 7

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 23 February 2021, the International Underwriting Association of London stated that it had established a working party to develop a rehabilitation code. On 14 December 2021, the International Underwriting Association of London stated that it had agreed to fund engagement with a group of victims and survivors for feedback on the rehabilitation code via a charitable donation to the Survivors’ Trust. It hoped to finalise a draft rehabilitation code following these meetings. On 21 April 2022, the International Underwriting Association of London stated that work was carried out to source willing survivors to populate the group, which resulted in challenges that have affected the progression of this project.

Recommendation 89. Introduce a policy in the Church of England and Church in Wales on the funding and provision of support to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse

The Church of England and the Church in Wales should each introduce a Church-wide policy on the funding and provision of support to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse concerning clergy, Church officers or those with some connection to the Church. The policy should clearly set out the circumstances in which different types of support, including counselling, should be offered. It should make clear that support should always be offered as quickly as possible, taking into account the needs of the victim over time.

The policy should take account of the views of victims and survivors. It should be mandatory for the policy to be implemented across all dioceses.

October 2020

Report

The Anglican Church Investigation Report

Recommendation 7

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 7 April 2021, the Church in Wales stated that it had introduced Independent Sexual Violence Adviser (ISVA) support for survivors. The Church in Wales committed to offer funding towards counselling recommended by an ISVA where the abuse was committed by Church in Wales clergy, or in a Church context. The Church in Wales also stated that the sufficiency of this provision will be reviewed regularly, in consultation with its Safeguarding Panel, Safeguarding Committee and the providers of the ISVA service.

On 17 December 2021 the Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England published an update stating that the National Safeguarding Steering Group has approved amended guidance on responding to victims and survivors of abuse. The guidance stipulates what Church bodies must do if abuse is disclosed, requires Church bodies to provide accessible information about reporting abuse to statutory services and makes provision for mandatory support. General updates on the Interim Support Scheme and National Redress Scheme were also provided.

Recommendation 90. Specialist therapeutic support for child victims of sexual abuse

The Inquiry recommends that the UK government and the Welsh Government introduce a national guarantee that child victims of sexual abuse will be offered specialist and accredited therapeutic support. There should be sufficient supply of these services so that children in all parts of England and Wales can access support in a timely way.

These services should be fully funded. Responsibility for commissioning these services should be given to local authorities.

There must be no eligibility criteria for children to access these specialist therapeutic services other than having been a victim of child sexual abuse.

October 2022

Report

The Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 16

Recommendation 91. Access to records

The Inquiry recommends that the UK government directs the Information Commissioner’s Office to introduce a code of practice on retention of and access to records known to relate to child sexual abuse.

The retention period for records known to relate to allegations or cases of child sexual abuse should be 75 years with appropriate review periods.

The code should set out that institutions should have:

• retention policies that reflect the importance of such records to victims and survivors, and that they may take decades to seek to access such records;

• clear and accessible procedures for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse to access such records;

• policies, procedures and training for staff responding to requests to ensure that they recognise the long-term impact of child sexual abuse and engage with the applicant with empathy.

October 2022

Report

The Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 17

Making amends (see Part I)

Recommendation 92. Apologise to former child migrants

The Chair and Panel have recommended that institutions involved in the child migration programmes who have not apologised for their role should give such apologies as soon as possible. Apologies should not only be made through public statements but specifically to those child migrants for whose migration they were responsible.

April 2018

Report

Interim Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 1

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

An apology by the Sisters of Nazareth was repeated during the Child migration programmes investigation (p126). Between January 2020 and July 2020, Action for Children, Barnardo’s, Catholic Church in England and Wales, Church of England, Cornwall Council, Father Hudson’s Care, Royal Over-Seas League, The Salvation Army UK, The Children’s Society and The Prince’s Trust apologised to former child migrants.

Recommendation 93. Establish a financial redress scheme for former child migrants

The Chair and Panel have recommended that the UK government establishes a financial redress scheme for surviving former child migrants, providing for an equal award to every applicant. This is on the basis that they were all were exposed to the risk of sexual abuse.

Given the age of the surviving former child migrants, the UK government was urged to establish the financial redress scheme without delay and expects that payments should start being made within 12 months (of the original report being published), and that no regard is given to any other payments of compensation that have been made in particular cases.

April 2018

Report

Interim Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 2

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 22 July 2019, the UK government stated that an ex gratia payment scheme opened to applicants on 1 March 2019. This included any former British child migrant who was alive on 1 March 2018 or the beneficiaries of any former child migrant who was alive on 1 March 2018 and had since passed away. Each eligible former British child migrant was entitled to receive £20,000, regardless of their individual circumstances or payments received from other governments or through private legal action. As of 15 July 2019, the scheme had made over 1,400 payments to eligible applicants.

Recommendation 94. Revise the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme to remove barriers faced by victims and survivors in relation to criminal convictions

The Chair and Panel recommend that the Ministry of Justice revises Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority rules, so that awards are not automatically rejected in circumstances where an applicant’s criminal convictions are likely to be linked to their child sexual abuse. Each case should be considered on its merits.

April 2018

Report

Interim Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 5

Accepted or rejected

Rejected

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 14 May 2021, the Ministry of Justice stated that, following its consultation on reform proposals for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme, the UK government concluded that it did not propose any change to the existing rule on unspent convictions. It stated that individuals with unspent convictions that have resulted in community and custodial sentences should not be eligible for state-funded compensation, given the harm done to others and the cost to society of offending behaviour. The Ministry of Justice confirmed that it would publish a government response in due course.

Recommendation 95. Revise the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme to remove barriers faced by victims and survivors in relation to caseworkers

The Chair and Panel recommend that the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority ensures that claims relating to child sexual abuse are only considered by caseworkers who have specific and detailed training in the nature and impact of child sexual abuse.

April 2018

Report

Interim Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 6

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 19 December 2018, the UK government stated that all Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority operational staff are given training on handling sexual abuse cases, including child sexual abuse. It also stated that the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority provides a dedicated caseworker to applicants in particularly complex and difficult cases.

On 22 July 2019, the UK government stated that the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority provides specialist application support and named caseworkers for those affected by the “same roof” rule who wish to apply or reapply for compensation.

Recommendation 96. Revise the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme to remove barriers faced by victims and survivors in relation to the ‘same roof’ rule

The Chair and Panel recommend that the Ministry of Justice revises the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority rules so that all applicants who previously applied for compensation in relation to child sexual abuse ‒ but were refused solely due to the ‘same-roof’ rule ‒ should be entitled to reapply for compensation and have their claim approved by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.

April 2018

Report

Interim Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 7

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 22 July 2019, the UK government confirmed that the ‘same roof’ rule had been removed. The amended Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme provides for past claimants refused under the rule, whether or not that was the sole ground on which an award was withheld, to be able to reapply.

Recommendation 97. Revise the Compensation Act 2006 to facilitate apologies, offers of treatment or other redress

The government should introduce legislation revising the Compensation Act 2006 to clarify that section 2 facilitates apologies or offers of treatment or other redress to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse by institutions that may be vicariously liable for the actions or omissions of other persons, including the perpetrators.

September 2019

Report

Accountability and Reparations Investigation Report

Recommendation 3

Accepted or rejected

See comments

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 16 March 2021, the Ministry of Justice stated that it would consult on the subject of apologies, including consideration of the use of apologies in civil proceedings generally. On 4 May 2022, the Ministry of Justice confirmed that it still planned on consulting on the law of apologies and that the government would then consider necessary substantive reform.

Recommendation 98. Increase the use of criminal compensation orders

The Ministry of Justice should consult with the Sentencing Council, the Judicial College, the Crown Prosecution Service and other relevant bodies, in order to increase the use of criminal compensation orders, where appropriate, in cases involving child sexual abuse by, amongst other things, implementing guidance for the judiciary and prosecutors in the Crown Courts and Magistrates’ Courts.

September 2019

Report

Accountability and Reparations Investigation Report

Recommendation 6

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 6 April 2020, the Ministry of Justice stated that it had consulted with the Judicial College and the Sentencing Council in respect of implementing guidance for the judiciary in the Crown Court and Magistrates’ Courts, and with the Crown Prosecution Service in respect of guidance for prosecutors. The Ministry of Justice stated that relevant guidance is sufficient.

The Ministry of Justice also stated that it would explore its understanding of the reasons why courts make low numbers of compensation orders in cases of child sexual abuse. On 4 May 2022, the Ministry of Justice stated that it found courts make low numbers of criminal compensation orders in cases of child sexual abuse as: (a) the level of financial recompense provided by a criminal compensation order is unlikely to reflect the damage and trauma suffered by a victim, (b) the payment process for financial impositions may deter pursuit of a criminal compensation order, and (c) quantification of compensation in cases of child sexual abuse is often difficult and complex. The Ministry of Justice also confirmed that the Crown Prosecution Service and Sentencing Council have strengthened their guidance on criminal compensation orders and that the Ministry of Justice will publish updated pages on gov.uk to clarify the different types of compensation.

Recommendation 99. Extend the forfeiture criteria for honours

The criteria for forfeiture of all honours must be formally extended to include convictions, cautions and cases decided by trial of the facts involving offences of child sexual abuse.

This must be set out in a published policy and procedure, which must include a clear policy on how forfeiture decisions are made public. The Inquiry expects the Forfeiture Committee to take a lead on this matter.

February 2020

Report

Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse Linked to Westminster Investigation Report

Recommendation 1

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 30 September 2021, the Cabinet Office updated its guidance in relation to honours forfeiture. Anybody convicted of a sexual offence will be considered for forfeiture regardless of the sentence they receive. Anybody found to have committed a sexual offence following a ‘trial of the facts’ will also be considered.

Recommendation 100. Re-examine the posthumous forfeiture policy for honours

The Cabinet Office should re-examine the policy on posthumous forfeiture, in order to consider the perspectives of victims and survivors of child sexual abuse.

February 2020

Report

Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse Linked to Westminster Investigation Report

Recommendation 2

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 30 September 2021, the Cabinet Office updated its guidance in relation to honours forfeiture. The policy allows for a formal statement to be published in instances where forfeiture proceedings would have been initiated if the deceased recipient was living and convicted in a court of law.

Recommendation 101. Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme

The Inquiry recommends that the UK government changes the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme to:

• include other forms of child sexual abuse, including online- facilitated sexual abuse;

• amend the rule on unspent convictions so that applicants with unspent convictions are not automatically excluded where offences are likely to be linked to the circumstances of their sexual abuse as a child; and

• increase the time limit for child sexual abuse applications so that applicants have seven years to apply from (a) the date the offence was reported to the police or (b) the age of 18, where the offence was reported while the victim was a child. In either circumstance, the claims officer’s discretion to extend the time limit remains.

October 2022

Report

The Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 18

Recommendation 102. Redress scheme

The Inquiry recommends that the UK government establishes a single redress scheme in England and Wales, taking into account devolved responsibilities.

October 2022

Report

The Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 19

The detailed rules of, and funding for, this redress scheme should reflect the following core elements.

Eligibility

• Victims and survivors of child sexual abuse and exploitation that occurred in England and in Wales should be eligible to apply.

• Applicants must have experienced child sexual abuse and exploitation where there is a clear connection to State or non-State institutions in England and Wales.

• The scheme should be open to any victim of child sexual abuse that took place prior to its establishment.

• The scheme should deduct any previous award from any payment under the scheme (or in the case of payments made by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, it may order that they be repaid).

• Applicants who have previously brought civil claims which have been rejected by the court should be excluded from applying to the scheme, save where their cases have been rejected due to limitation.

Redress provided

• The scheme should provide payments to eligible applicants through a two-tier system, based on a fixed flat-rate recognition payment, with the option to apply for a second- tier payment.

Process

• The application process must be accessible and straightforward, and be sensitive to the needs and vulnerabilities of victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. The process should provide for streamlined checks and verification of applications, but not be adversarial.

• There should be special provisions to accelerate awards for older or terminally ill applicants.

Duration

• The scheme should run for five years.

Funding

• The scheme should be funded by central and local government, in accordance with devolved funding principles, with voluntary contributions sought from non- State institutions.

Evolving and future challenges (see Part J)

Recommendation 103. Ratify the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (also known as the ‘Lanzarote Convention’)

The Chair and Panel recommend that the UK government ratifies the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (the ‘Lanzarote Convention’) without further delay. They also recommend that ratification is followed, again without further delay, by action to implement the Lanzarote Convention.

The Chair and Panel recommend that the Home Office, as the lead UK government department, publishes the timetable for ratifying the Lanzarote Convention and taking any additional steps required to make the UK fully compliant by June 2018.

April 2018

Report

Interim Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 12

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 20 June 2018, the UK government ratified the Lanzarote Convention.

Recommendation 104. Establish a list of countries where children are considered to be at high risk of sexual abuse and exploitation

The Home Office should bring forward legislation providing for the establishment and maintenance by the National Crime Agency of a list of countries where children are considered to be at high risk of sexual abuse and exploitation from overseas offenders. This list should be kept under regular review.

The list of countries should be made available to the police, and used routinely to help identify whether a person who has been charged with sexual offences against a child poses a risk to children overseas based on their travel history and/or plans. If the person is considered to pose a risk of sexual harm to children overseas, the police should submit an application for a foreign travel restriction order under the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

The list of countries should be admissible in court and used when considering whether a foreign travel restriction order should be made under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and if so, to which countries it should apply.

January 2020

Report

Children Outside the United Kingdom Phase 2 Investigation Report

Recommendation 2

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 21 January 2021, the Home Office confirmed that it would bring forward the necessary legislation to give effect to this recommendation when parliamentary time allows. The Home Office stated that it had commissioned the National Crime Agency to produce a list of countries where children overseas are considered to be at high risk of sexual abuse and exploitation from UK nationals and residents.

On 28 February 2022, the Home Office stated that the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill would confer a power on the Secretary of State to prepare (or direct a relevant person, such as the National Crime Agency, to prepare) a list of countries deemed to be at “high risk” of child sexual abuse by UK nationals. This list would be considered by applicants and the courts when applying for – or making – a Sexual Harm Prevention Order or Sexual Risk Order, for the purpose of protecting children outside the UK from the risk of sexual harm from a UK national.

On 28 April 2022, the Bill received Royal Assent, and sections 172 and 173 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 reflect these changes.

Recommendation 105. Remove indecent images of children online, internationally

The government should press the WeProtect Global Alliance to take more action internationally to ensure that those countries hosting indecent images of children implement legislation and procedures to prevent access to such imagery.

March 2020

Report

The Internet Investigation Report

Recommendation 2

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 10 November 2020, the UK government committed to continue working with the WeProtect Global Alliance to make combating indecent images of children, grooming and live streaming a priority. It stated that it would do this via board meetings and ensuring the WeProtect Global Alliance develops and disseminates key resources.

Recommendation 106. Implement stringent age verification techniques online

The government should introduce legislation requiring providers of online services and social media platforms to implement more stringent age verification techniques on all relevant devices.

March 2020

Report

The Internet Investigation Report

Recommendation 3

Accepted or rejected

Accepted

Summary of action taken (at 30 June 2022)

On 12 May 2021, the UK government published a draft Online Safety Bill, which includes a clause that will require providers of regulated services to conduct an assessment of whether children are likely to access their service. On 29 June 2021, the

UK government published online safety guidance. The guidance included advice for companies on providing an age-appropriate experience for children through using tools such as age assurance and verification methods.

On 8 February 2022, the UK government announced that the Online Safety Bill will include a new legal duty that requires all sites hosting pornographic material to have age verification technology. Companies will be fined for not complying and senior managers could be held criminally liable.

A second Inquiry recommendation on the need for age verification techniques online was made (see row 107).

Recommendation 107. Reiterated recommendation: Age verification

The Inquiry recommends (as originally stated in its The Internet Investigation Report, dated March 2020) that the UK government introduces legislation requiring providers of online services and social media platforms to implement more stringent age verification measures.

October 2022

Report

The Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Recommendation 20

Annex 4

Truth Project Dashboard, June 2016–October 2021

1. This dashboard is based on the accounts of 5,862 of the victims and survivors who have shared their experiences with the Truth Project.

2. We would like to thank all of the victims and survivors who have shared their experiences with the Truth Project. You can find out more about the Truth Project, and read some of the experiences shared with us, on the Truth Project website: truthproject.org.uk/i-will-be-heard. To find out more about our research programme, please visit our website: www.iicsa.org.uk

3. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse was set up because of serious concerns that some institutions had failed and were continuing to fail to protect children from sexual abuse.

4. Our Truth Project offered victims and survivors of child sexual abuse the opportunity to share their experiences and be respectfully heard, and helped us to better understand child sexual abuse.

5. The Truth Project heard the experiences of thousands of victims and survivors, and every experience is unique. This dashboard includes the experiences of those who were abused within a family, an institution or other context.

6. We have produced this dashboard as part of our research programme. It provides information from the Truth Project about:

• the victims and survivors of child sexual abuse

• the nature of the abuse that they experienced

• where the sexual abuse took place and who the perpetrators were

• the impacts of child sexual abuse, and

• whether those victims and survivors told anyone about the abuse.

Characteristics of those who have taken part in the Truth Project

Current gender of victim and survivor

7. Seven in 10 of those who took part in the Truth Project were female.

<1% Other / Prefer not to say

Ethnic background

8. Around 9 in 10 people were from a white ethnic background.

Age when took part

9. The Truth Project heard from adult victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. Those taking part ranged in age from 18 to 87. The most common age for those sharing their experience was between 50 and 59.

18 to 19 years old	1%
20 to 29 years old	9%
30 to 39 years old	15%
40 to 49 years old	24%
50 to 59 years old	30%
60 to 69 years old	15%
70 to 79 years old	5%
80 years and over	<1%

Where percentages do not add up to 100 this is due to rounding.

Illnesses or conditions that affect daily life

10. Nearly half of victims and survivors (45%) told us that they have an illness or condition that affects their everyday lives.

Nature of abuse experienced

Age when sexual abuse started

11. Child sexual abuse means sexual abuse that a person experienced before the age of 18. The majority of victims and survivors first experienced child sexual abuse when they were primary-school age.

0 to 3 years old	12%
4 to 7 years old	35%
8 to 11 years old	32%
12 to 15 years old	18%
16 to 17 years old	2%

12. Fifty-two percent of victims and survivors told us about experiencing other forms of abuse in addition to sexual abuse.

Sexual abuse experienced

13. Over half of victims and survivors told us that they had experienced sexual abuse involving sexual touching, and half experienced abuse involving penetration.

Sexual touching	57%
Involving penetration	50%
Other contact abuse	44%
Sexual grooming	24%
Exposing children to adult sexuality	22%
Violations of privacy	19%
Sexual exploitation	7%
Other types	2%

Some victims and survivors told us about experiencing more than one type of sexual abuse, so the percentages add up to more than 100. There are definitions of these types of sexual abuse at the end of this annex.

Other forms of abuse experienced

14. The most commonly experienced forms of abuse were physical and psychological abuse.

Physical	30%
Psychological	29%
Emotional or entrapment	25%
Bullying	11%
Indirect victimisation	10%
Neglect	10%
Child labour	1%

Some victims and survivors told us about experiencing more than one other form of abuse, so the percentages add up to more than 100. There are definitions of these other forms of abuse at the end of this annex.

Contexts in which child sexual abuse took place

15. Victims and survivors may have experienced child sexual abuse in a family, institution or other context. Some of the victims and survivors told us they were let down by someone in authority.

Relationship of the perpetrator to victim and survivor

16. Almost half of victims and survivors told us that the perpetrator of the child sexual abuse was a family member.

Family member	47%
Other relationship	26%
Another child, not related	14%
Teaching or educational staff	12%
Religious staff	6%
Other professional	4%
Residential care worker	3%
Foster carer/family	3%
Healthcare practitioner	2%
Sporting coach or volunteer	1%
Ancillary staff	1%
Corrective service personnel	1%
Military personnel	1%

Some victims and survivors reported being abused by more than one category of perpetrator, so the percentages add up to more than 100. There are definitions of these perpetrator groups at the end of this annex.

Where child sexual abuse took place

17. Thirty-six percent of victims and survivors who shared their experience with the Truth Project told us at least one incident of sexual abuse they experienced took place in an institution, outside the family home. Again, aside from the family home, schools were the most frequently reported location.

Family home	42%
Schools	15%
Religious institutions	6%
Residential care and children’s homes	6%
Other institution	5%
Foster care	3%
Healthcare institutions	2%
Sports locations	1%
Custody	1%
Defence forces	1%

The impact of child sexual abuse experienced by victims and survivors

18. Child sexual abuse can have short-term and long-term effects. Everyone is unique, and so the impact experienced is also varied. Ninety-four percent of victims and survivors told us they had experienced some impact from the child sexual abuse. Some victims and survivors reported more than one impact, so percentages will add up to more than 100.

Impact on mental health

88%

The most commonly reported was depression, which 36% of all victims and survivors reported experiencing.

Impact on relationships

53%

The most commonly reported was trust and intimacy difficulties, which 37% of all victims and survivors reported experiencing.

Impact on school or employment

41%

The most commonly reported was academic difficulties, which 16% of all victims and survivors reported experiencing.

Impact on sex and intimacy

31%

The most commonly reported was avoidance or phobic reactions to sexual intimacy, which 13% of all victims and survivors reported experiencing.

Impact on physical health

35%

The most commonly reported was musculoskeletal, which 12% of all victims and survivors reported experiencing.

Criminal behaviour

9%

The most commonly reported was committing minor offences, which 5% of all victims and survivors reported.

Telling people about child sexual abuse

19. Child sexual abuse is often very difficult for children to talk about, and so can go unreported or even unidentified for many years. Over time, society’s and individual attitudes towards topics that may be considered taboo, such as child sexual abuse, are likely to change, so people may feel more able to share their experience later in life. We found that the proportion of victims and survivors who talked about their experience after the sexual abuse ended was much higher than those who did so at the time.

20. The majority of victims and survivors told us that they had not told anyone about the child sexual abuse at the time it was happening.

21. The majority of victims and survivors told us that they had told someone about at least some of the sexual abuse they experienced after it ended.

	At the time of the sexual abuse	After the sexual abuse had ended
Did not tell anyone about any experiences of sexual abuse	67%	16%
Told someone about some experiences, but not all	7%	4%
Told someone about the sexual abuse	27%	81%

Due to rounding, figures for ‘At the time of the sexual abuse’ and ‘After the sexual abuse had ended’ may appear to not sum to 100 percent.

22. Almost 1 in 10 (9%) people who took part in the Truth Project told us that they shared an experience of child sexual abuse for the first time through the Truth Project.

Notes

This dashboard only includes information where victims and survivors shared their own experiences (some people took part in the Truth Project on behalf of victims and survivors) and agreed to their accounts being used for research purposes.

Victims and survivors shared as much or as little as they wanted about their experience. There were no specific questions. This means that those taking part did not always provide information for each area reported in this dashboard. Our findings cannot be applied to the general population of victims and survivors of child sexual abuse.

Nature of sexual abuse experienced

Definitions of the different types of sexual abuse experienced by victims and survivors

• Sexual touching relates to touching, masturbating or kissing a child’s genitals or making a child fondle an adult’s genitals.

• Involving penetration relates to vaginal, anal or digital penetration, cunnilingus, fellatio.

• Other contact abuse relates to sexual behaviour that involved contact but not penetration such as prolonged kissing, cuddling, french kissing, excessive touching.

• Sexual grooming includes both online and physical world grooming for the purposes of sexual contact.

• Violations of privacy relates to forcing a child to undress or spying on a child in the bathroom or bedroom.

• Exposing children to adult sexuality includes exposure to adult sexuality online or in the physical world.

• Online relates to images, voice, text, gaming.

• In the physical world relates to performing sexual acts in front of a child, exposing genitals, child to be nude for the sexual gratification of the adult, videotaping, or filming of children with the intent to create sexual stimulation.

• Sexual exploitation includes sexual exploitation occurring online or in the physical world.

• The physical world here relates to selling a child’s services as a prostitute, having a child perform in pornography or exchanging or purchasing child pornography.

Perpetrator groups

This is how we have defined certain groups of perpetrators

• Other relationship refers to, for example, friends of the family, known (or trusted) members of the community, media personalities and MPs/Members of the Senedd.

• Teaching or educational staff refers to teachers, dormitory or house masters and tutors.

• Other professional staff refers to professionals coming into contact with children, not captured in other categories. This includes medical practitioners, corrective service personnel, social workers and police.

• Foster carer/family refers to people with caring responsibilities towards the child, including foster carers and their family members, also pre-school and after-school carers.

• Sporting coach or volunteer includes sports coaches, Scout/Guide leaders and youth workers.

• Ancillary staff relates to staff working in an institution/organisation but with a role that provides support necessary for the operation of the institution, for example gardeners, cleaners, bus drivers, caretakers.

Other forms of abuse experienced

Definitions of other forms of abuse experienced by victims and survivors

• Physical abuse relates to experiencing being punched, slapped, pushed, shoved, pinned, choked, kicked, dragged by hair.

• Psychological abuse relates to experiencing general fear, fear of abuse continuing, humiliation, strip searches, solitary confinement, lack of intellectual stimulation.

• Emotional abuse/entrapment

• Emotional abuse relates to the ongoing emotional maltreatment or emotional neglect of a child.

• Entrapment covers all those factors which make it impossible to end the relationship. It may also relate to experiencing exchanging privileges for sexual favours.

• Indirect victimisation includes witnessing the abuse of others, or the victimisation of child sexual abuse victims and survivors as a result of an insensitive, unhelpful or negative societal response to the disclosure or identification of the abuse. Such a response could come from the victim’s close network (e.g. family and friends) and/or from the wider system (e.g. the criminal justice system or health services).

• Bullying is defined as repeated behaviour which is intended to hurt someone either emotionally or physically, and is often aimed at certain people because of their race, religion, sex or sexual orientation or any other aspect such as appearance or disability. Bullying can take many forms including physical assault, teasing, making threats, name calling, cyber bullying.

• Neglect includes experiencing deprivation of basic necessities, failing to protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger, failing to ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment.

• Child labour relates to children working before they have reached the lawful minimum age (16 years of age in the UK).

Where child sexual abuse took place

This is how we have defined institutions where child sexual abuse took place

• Healthcare includes settings such as hospitals, GPs and dentists.

• Other institution relates to any type of institution not captured by the other overarching categories.

Impacts

This is how we have grouped impacts experienced by victims and survivors

Participants often told us about the impacts of child sexual abuse on their lives. We have grouped these impacts into the 6 overarching categories shown.

• Mental health is made up of 23 subcategories.

• Relationships is made up of 4 subcategories.

• School/employment is made up of 9 subcategories.

• Sex and intimacy is made up of 7 subcategories.

• Physical health is made up of 13 subcategories.

• Criminal behaviour is made up of 4 subcategories.

Annex 5

Key terminology in this report

Achieving Best Evidence (ABE) in Criminal Proceedings

Guidance issued by the Ministry of Justice on interviewing vulnerable witnesses and victims, and using ‘special measures’ in criminal court proceedings. Children are automatically entitled to provide evidence by way of a video-recorded interview with a trained police officer, as are complainants in allegations of sexual offences.

All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG)

All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) are informal, cross-party interest groups of Members of Parliament and peers interested in a particular issue.

Artificial intelligence (AI)

A type of computer programme that learns from data given to it, to then identify similar data. Machine learning and classifiers are also examples of such computer programmes.

Association of British Insurers (ABI)

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) is a trade association which represents insurance companies in the UK.

Augmented reality (AR)

An enhanced version of the real physical world which uses digital visual elements, sound or other sensory stimuli delivered through technology.

Barnahus model

A child-friendly, multidisciplinary and inter-agency model or centre for responding to child violence and witnesses of violence. Started in Iceland and used across Scandinavia. The model has five key features:

• a home-like setting (where all services are delivered under one roof, including the forensic interview, medical examination and child/ family therapy);

• helping victims to disclose abuse;

• a minimal number of interviews conducted by child expert staff;

• improved evidence through the reduced need for children to testify in court; and

• guaranteed and rapid access to therapy.

Buggery

Prior to the Sexual Offences Act 2003, which created the offence of anal rape, offences of anal penetration were referred to and charged as the offence of buggery under the Sexual Offences Act 1956.

Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW)

The Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) is the independent regulator of social care and childcare in Wales. It registers, inspects and takes action to improve the quality and safety of services for the well-being of the people who use them.

Care Standards Act 2000

An Act of Parliament that created the role of the Children’s Commissioner for Wales. The Commissioner’s remit is set out in the Children’s Commissioner for Wales Act 2001, which amended the Care Standards Act 2000.

Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH)

The Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) is a non-profit, non- governmental organisation that campaigns against online hate and misinformation. It has offices in London and Washington DC.

Centre of expertise on child sexual abuse (CSA Centre)

A multidisciplinary team funded by the Home Office and hosted by Barnardo’s. The team works closely with academic institutions, local authorities, health, education, police and the voluntary sector. The Centre’s purpose is to understand the causes, scope, scale and impact of child sexual abuse in order to tackle it.

Charity Commission

A public body which regulates and registers charities in England and Wales. Responsible for maintaining an accurate and up-to-date register of charities. It also provides some oversight of those who are registered to administer charities (known as trustees). It can take steps to dismiss individuals from being trustees of charities if they act contrary to their duties.

Child

A person under the age of 18.

Child Abduction Warning Notices (CAWN)

A warning notice issued to an individual prohibiting them from associating with a named child. Breach of this notice is an arrestable offence.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

National Health Service (NHS) provided services that assess and treat children with emotional, behavioural or mental health difficulties.

Although the term ‘CAMHS’ is used in this report, this aspect of children’s mental health provision is now part of the wider Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services (CYPMHS – see below).

‘Child House’ model

A Child House is a multi-agency service model supporting children, young people and non-abusing parents and carers following child sexual abuse. It is a child-centred approach in which the organisations involved in supporting the child provide coordinated services in a single, child- friendly environment.

Child independent sexual violence adviser (CISVA)

A child independent sexual violence adviser (CISVA) provides impartial information and advice to child victims and survivors, including about reporting to the police and accessing Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) services.

Child protection

(see also ‘Safeguarding’)

Activity to protect a child or children who are identified as suffering, having suffered or likely to suffer significant harm. Often used by practitioners interchangeably with safeguarding, child protection refers to activity in relation to a specific child who has been identified as being at risk, whereas safeguarding is used to refer to measures to keep all children safe.

Child protection plan

A written record for parents, carers and professionals which sets out:

• how social workers will check on the child’s welfare;

• what changes are needed to reduce the risk to the child; and

• what support will be offered to the family.

Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel (CSPRP)

An independent panel, set up under the Children and Social Work Act 2017, working with the Department for Education. CSPRPs commission national and local reviews of serious child safeguarding cases, with a focus on improving learning, professional practice and outcomes for children.

Child sexual abuse

Sexual abuse of children (which includes child sexual exploitation) involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities. Those activities may involve physical contact and non- contact, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual acts, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse including via the internet.

Child sexual abuse material

Any content that shows indecent images or sexual activities involving a child under 18 years old. This includes photographs, videos, live streaming and computer-generated images.

Child sexual exploitation

Sexual exploitation of children is a form of child sexual abuse. It involves exploitative situations, contexts and relationships where a child receives something, including as a result of them performing, and/or another or others performing on them, sexual activities. Child sexual exploitation can occur through the use of technology without the child realising that they are being sexually exploited; for example being persuaded to share sexual images on the internet or via mobile phones.

Children Act 1989

An Act of Parliament which allocated duties to local authorities, courts, parents and other agencies in the UK to ensure children are protected and their welfare is promoted.

Children Act 2004

An Act of Parliament which imposed duties on statutory bodies to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and cooperate with each other, and to set up local safeguarding children boards. It also created the role of the Children’s Commissioner for England.

Children in care

A child who has been in the care of their local authority for more than 24 hours is known as a child in care, also referred to as a looked after child.

In general, children in care/looked after children are:

• living with foster parents;

• living in a residential children’s home; or

• living in residential settings like schools or secure units.

Children’s Barred List

A list maintained by the Disclosure and Barring Service of individuals who have been barred from undertaking ‘regulated activity with children’ as defined in the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.

Children’s Commissioner for England/Children’s Commissioner for Wales

A statutory office, independent from the government, responsible for the promotion and protection of children, and for giving children the opportunity to have their voices heard.

The Children’s Commissioner for Wales has the power to deal with complaints made by individual children.

Both Commissioners can investigate and report on general concerns relating to children.

Children’s home

An establishment that provides care and accommodation wholly or mainly for children.

Children’s services and children’s social care

Children’s services and children’s social care are provided by local authorities, which are responsible for setting the strategy for and effectiveness of the provision of services to address the needs of children and young people. In this report, we refer to staff within local authorities with statutory responsibility for children as ‘children’s social care’.

Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services (CYPMHS)

Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services (CYPMHS) is used as a term for all services that work with children and young people who have difficulties with their mental health or well-being.

Civil Procedure Rules (CPR)

Rules used by the Court of Appeal, the High Court of Justice, and County Courts in England and Wales to ensure civil proceedings are understandable and more affordable for non-lawyers.

Claim form

A document setting out brief details of a claimant’s claim, which must be filed with and issued by the court, triggering the formal commencement of civil proceedings.

Clergy

Those who are ordained for religious duties, especially in the Christian Church. Ordination means to be set apart from lay people, i.e. to be consecrated, by way of religious ceremony, which then enables them to perform some religious rites not open to be performed (in some Christian denominations) by lay people.

The term is also applied to non-Christian religious leaders who are ordained in England and Wales as ‘shorthand’ for a religious leader.

College of Policing

Professional body for everyone working across policing. It is an operationally independent arm’s-length body of the Home Office.

Computer-generated imagery (CGI)

The process of using computer graphics to create images in art, print media, animation, film, television and video games.

Cope and recovery services

Services which offer emotional and practical support to people affected by crime.

Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19)

An ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019, which is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Corporal punishment

Physical punishment which is intended to cause physical pain to a person, such as spanking or caning.

Corporate parent

An organisation or person who has special responsibilities for children and young people who are in care.

Crime of violence

A person can only apply for an award of compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme (see below) if they sustain a criminal injury that is directly attributable to their being a direct victim of a ‘crime of violence’, which involves:

• a physical attack;

• any other act or omission of a violent nature which causes physical injury to a person;

• a threat against a person, causing fear of immediate violence in circumstances which would cause a person of reasonable firmness to be put in such fear;

• a sexual assault to which a person did not in fact consent; or

• arson or fire-raising.

Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA)

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) deals with compensation claims from people who have been physically or mentally injured because they were the victim of a violent crime in England, Scotland or Wales. It is an executive agency of the UK government, sponsored by the Ministry of Justice.

Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme (CICS)

Publicly funded scheme administered by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority. It is intended to be a scheme of ‘last resort’ for victims of violent crime who are unable to seek or obtain financial compensation by other means, such as by making a civil claim.

Criminal justice system

The system which investigates, prosecutes, sentences and monitors individuals who are suspected or convicted of committing a criminal offence. This also encompasses institutions responsible for imprisonment, probation and sentences served in the community.

Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)

Independent agency headed by the Director of Public Prosecutions that is responsible for prosecuting criminal cases that have been investigated by the police in England and Wales.

Custodial institution

The term ‘custodial institution’ is used to describe establishments in operation for children and young people in the youth justice system both in the past and currently. In England and Wales, there are currently three types of institutions where children may be detained within the criminal justice system. These are young offender institutions (YOIs), secure training centres (STCs) and secure children’s homes (SCHs).

Dark web (or dark net)

Part of the worldwide web that is only accessible by means of specialist software and cannot be accessed through well-known search engines. Often used by criminals to purchase indecent images of children or to procure abuse of children, or to view extreme pornographic material.

Also known as the dark net or deep web.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is a ministerial department of the UK government, with responsibility for culture and the arts, broadcasting and the internet, sport, and the tourism and leisure industries.

Designated safeguarding lead (DSL) (England)

Each school in England should appoint a senior member of staff as DSL, with lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection at the school, including the provision of advice to other staff, supporting staff and attending meetings with statutory agencies. The role is set out in full in Annex C of Keeping Children Safe in Education.

Designated safeguarding person (DSP) (Wales)

In Wales, the senior member of staff from the leadership team of the school with lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection at the school. Full details and responsibilities are set out in Keeping Learners Safe.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

An executive non-departmental public body that processes and issues criminal records checks for England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. It also maintains the vulnerable adults’ and children’s barred lists and makes decisions as to whether an individual should be included on one or both of these lists. It replaced the Criminal Records Bureau (for disclosure of criminal records) and the Independent Safeguarding Authority (which previously operated the barred lists).

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks

(formerly Criminal Records Bureau/CRB checks)

Checks of an individual’s criminal record, intelligence about them not amounting to a criminal conviction or caution, and whether or not they have been barred from working with children or vulnerable adults. There are different levels of checks depending on the role applied for.

Education Workforce Council (EWC)

Independent regulator in Wales for the education workforce, covering teachers, learning support staff in schools and further education, qualified youth workers and work-based learning practitioners. Came into being in April 2015.

Emergency Protection Order (EPO)

An urgent order granted by the Court if the local authority has satisfied the Court that a child is in immediate need of protection from significant harm or a risk of significant harm. These types of applications are usually issued by a local authority.

Encryption

The process of converting information or data into a code that makes it unreadable to unauthorised parties.

End-to-end encryption (E2EE)

Where the content of the communication can only be seen by the sender and recipient, and not by any others – including the providers of the platforms themselves.

English Benedictine Congregation (EBC)

The English Benedictine Congregation (EBC) is an umbrella term for the small number of English Benedictine communities that exist worldwide, which are made up of Roman Catholic monks or nuns. The EBC follows the Rule of St Benedict, which is a book of precepts that establishes a way of life based on the teachings and values of the Gospel.

European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)

A convention of the Council of Europe to protect human rights, political and fundamental freedoms in Europe, created in 1951. The rights set out in the Convention apply to all UK citizens.

‘Everyone’s Invited’

A movement started by Ms Soma Sara in the summer of 2020 that enables survivors of rape culture to share their stories through testimonies shared anonymously on its website and Instagram profile. Its mission is to “expose and eradicate rape culture with empathy, compassion and understanding”.^{[footnote 3]} By January 2022, the organisation had received over 50,000 testimonies.^{[footnote 4]}

Ex gratia payments

A payment made even where there is no legal obligation or liability to pay it, including those made under redress schemes.

Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)

Independent body that regulates the financial services industry in the UK. Its role includes protecting consumers, keeping the industry stable, and promoting healthy competition between financial service providers.

‘Five Eyes’ Ministerial

An intelligence alliance composed of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. These partner countries share a broad range of intelligence with one another in a multilateral arrangement.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

A regulation in EU law on data protection and privacy in the European Union and the European Economic Area. The GDPR is an important component of EU privacy law and of human rights law, in particular Article 8 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. The GDPR has been retained in UK law since leaving the European Union.

Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ)

An intelligence and security organisation responsible for providing signals intelligence and information assurance to the government and armed forces of the UK.

Grooming

The process of building a relationship with a child in order to gain their trust for the purposes of sexual abuse or exploitation.

Hackathon

An event in which a large number of people meet to engage in collaborative computer programming.

Harmful sexual behaviour

Sexual abuse between children, whether children of different ages or children of a similar age. It may also be referred to as ‘sexually harmful behaviour’ or ‘sexualised behaviour’.

Hash

A unique digital signature of an image.

Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)

Regulator of health and care professions in the UK.

His Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI)

An organisation that inspects the work carried out by the CPS and some other prosecuting agencies. Its purpose is to enhance the quality of justice and make an assessment of prosecution services which improves their efficiency, effectiveness and fairness.

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS)

An organisation that inspects and reports to the public and their elected representatives on how well the police do their job. Its purpose is to promote improvements in policing and to keep people safe. HMICFRS provides authoritative information to allow the public to compare the performance of their police force against others.

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons for England and Wales (HMIP)

An independent inspectorate which reports on conditions for and treatment of those in prison, young offender institutions and immigration detention facilities. HM Inspectorate of Prisons works with the Ministry of Justice.

His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS)

An executive agency which carries out sentences given by the courts, in custody and the community and rehabilitates offenders.

Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA)

An Act of Parliament that sets out the fundamental rights and freedoms that everyone in the UK is entitled to. It incorporates the rights set out in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) into domestic British law. The Human Rights Act came into force in the UK in October 2000.

iCloud

A cloud storage service that enables users to store important information and data, i.e. photos, files, documents, backups and more.

Identity verification

Software used by some businesses to ensure that users or customers provide information that is associated with the identity of a real person.

Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO)

IROs are senior social workers who oversee and scrutinise the care plan of the child or young person and ensure that everyone who is involved in that child or young person’s life fulfils their responsibilities. All local authorities have a duty to appoint an IRO to every child in care.

Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI)

Government-approved independent inspectorate which inspects some independent, private and fee-paying schools and private further education colleges on behalf of the Department for Education. The ISI undertakes inspections of independent schools against statutory standards, and publishes reports following those inspections.

Independent sexual violence adviser (ISVA)

An ISVA is an adviser who works with people who have experienced rape and sexual assault, irrespective of whether they have reported to the police. They provide specialist tailored support to victims and survivors of sexual violence.

Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)

The UK’s independent authority, set up to uphold information rights in the public interest, promoting openness by public bodies and data privacy for individuals. It is a non-departmental public body which reports directly to the Parliament of the UK and is sponsored by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

Integrated care systems

Partnerships between the organisations that meet health and care needs across a geographic area.

International Child Protection Certificate (ICPC)

A criminal records check for anyone who lives, or has lived, in the UK, and who is looking to work with children overseas. It confirms whether or not the applicant has a criminal history and provides details, including relevant conviction and non-conviction data. The ICPC is a joint initiative by the National Crime Agency and the Association of Chief Police Officers Criminal Records Office.

International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL)

An intergovernmental organisation with 195 member countries that helps police to work together to make the world a safer place. INTERPOL assists police with a range of technical and operational support and enables member countries to share and access data on crimes and criminals.

The International Underwriting Association of London (IUA)

The International Underwriting Association of London (IUA) is an organisation that represents non-Lloyd’s companies in London providing international and wholesale insurance and reinsurance coverage.

Internet Protocol (IP) address

An Internet Protocol (IP) address is a number assigned to a device connected to a computer network.

Internet Watch Foundation (IWF)

An independent, not-for-profit organisation which aims to remove child sexual abuse images and videos from the internet and to minimise the availability of such material.

Joint Inspectorate Review of Child Protection Arrangements (JICPA)

A Wales-only inspection which is similar to the joint targeted area inspections (JTAIs) in England (see below).

Joint targeted area inspections (JTAIs)

Joint targeted area inspections (JTAIs), are carried out by Ofsted, HMI Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services, the Care Quality Commission, and HMI Probation. These thematic inspections look at how well local agencies work together in an area to protect children.

Judicial College

The official body responsible for the training of judicial office holders in England and Wales and some tribunals around the UK.

Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE)

Statutory guidance for schools and colleges on safeguarding children and safer recruitment practices in England.

Keeping Learners Safe

Statutory guidance for local authorities and governing bodies on arrangements for safeguarding children in Wales.

Lambeth Children’s Homes Redress Scheme

A redress scheme which pays compensation to people who were abused or lived in fear of being abused while in Lambeth Council’s care as children. It is for those who lived in or visited a Lambeth children’s home, including those at Shirley Oaks, or attended Shirley Oaks Primary School.

Lanzarote Convention

The Council of Europe’s Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (2007).

Law enforcement agencies

A law enforcement agency is a government agency which is responsible for enforcing the law. In the UK this includes the regional police forces and the National Crime Agency.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/ questioning, other (LGBTQ+)

Terms used to describe a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

Limitation Act 1980

An Act of Parliament applicable to England and Wales – a statute of limitations providing the timescales within which a claim must be made in respect of negligence and breaches of contract.

Live streaming

In this context, the broadcasting of real-time, live footage of a child being sexually abused over the internet.

Local authority designated officer (LADO)

Individual within the Children’s Services Department of a local authority to whom individuals report allegations or concerns about child protection. Responsible under statute for investigating such complaints. Their role is to give advice, liaise with other agencies and coordinate the investigation of allegations on behalf of the local authority.

Local Government Association (LGA)

The Local Government Association (LGA) is a national membership body for local authorities. It is a politically-led, cross-party organisation. It works to support, promote and improve local government, and raise national awareness of the work of local councils.

Looked after child

A child who has been in the care of their local authority for more than 24 hours is known as a looked after child, also referred to as a child in care.

In general, children in care/looked after children are:

• living with foster parents;

• living in a residential children’s home; or

• living in residential settings like schools or secure units.

Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC)

A functional body of the Greater London Authority responsible for oversight of the Metropolitan Police. The body is headed by the Mayor of London who acts in a similar capacity to the police and crime commissioners elsewhere in England.

#MeToo campaign

A social movement against sexual abuse, sexual harassment and rape culture, in which people publicise their experiences of sexual abuse or sexual harassment.

Ministry of Justice (MoJ)

A ministerial department of the UK government headed by the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor.

National Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)

An organisation that provides information to help locate children reported missing (by parental abduction, child abduction or running away from home) and to assist physically and sexually abused children.

National Crime Agency (NCA)

A national law enforcement agency against organised crime; human, weapon and drug trafficking; cybercrime; and electronic crime that goes across regional and international borders.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)

Provides national guidance and advice to improve health and social care. NICE is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care.

National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC)

A national coordination body for law enforcement in the UK and the representative body for British police chief officers.

National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC)

A charity founded in 1884 that currently provides extensive and varied services for children, young people and families, such as domestic violence prevention, treatment and therapeutic services, young witness support and young people’s centres.

Non-governmental organisation (NGO)

Usually a non-profit organisation that operates independently of any government, typically one whose purpose is to address a social or political issue.

Office of Communications (Ofcom)

The UK’s communications regulator. Regulates sectors such as television, radio, telecoms and postal services.

Office for National Statistics (ONS)

The UK’s largest independent producer of official statistics, and its recognised national statistical institute. Responsible for collecting and publishing statistics related to the economy, population and society at national, regional and local levels, as well as conducting the census in England and Wales every 10 years.

Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted)

A non-ministerial government department that inspects a range of educational, social care and childcare institutions in England. Its counterparts in Wales are Estyn (for education) and Care Inspectorate Wales (for social care).

Online Safety Bill

The Online Safety Bill was published by the UK government on 17 March 2022. It is intended to improve internet safety and prevent a range of potentially harmful content being accessed online. The Bill would create a new duty of care for online platforms towards their users and require them to take action against illegal and harmful content. Once the Bill is passed, UK companies will be under a duty to report any child sexual exploitation and abuse content that they encounter to the National Crime Agency.

Operation Hydrant

A hub established by the National Police Chiefs’ Council in 2014 to provide national coordination, oversight and guidance to police forces on allegations of non-recent child sexual abuse concerning persons of public prominence, or which took place within institutional settings.

Paramountcy Principle

The principle that when making decisions about any issue relating to the upbringing of a child, their welfare is the most important factor. See section 1(1) of the Children Act 1989.

PhotoDNA

Technology developed by Microsoft which assists in the detection and removal of known images of child sexual abuse on the internet. PhotoDNA creates a unique digital signature of an image (known as a hash) which is then compared against hashes of other photos to find copies of the same image.

Pre-screening

A process which enables internet companies to identify and prevent known child sexual abuse images from being uploaded to platforms and social media profiles.

Regulated activity

Activity from which a person may be barred, as set out in schedule 4 to the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.

A person who applies to do work which is regulated activity with children is eligible for an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate with a check of the relevant barred list. It is an offence for an employer to knowingly engage a barred person to undertake regulated activity.

Rehabilitation Code

Published by the Rehabilitation Working Party, which consists of representatives from the International Underwriting Association of London, the Association of British Insurers, Lloyd’s primary insurers, legal groups, care providers and the NHS.

The code requires solicitors to consider the best options for their client, including referring them for medical treatment and facilitating compensation claims in addition to financial settlements.

Relationships, sex and health education (RSHE)

In England, it became a mandatory obligation to teach relationships and sex education in all schools from September 2020. Relationships education must be provided for children aged 5 to 16. Sex education is compulsory for children aged 11 to 16, but can be taught in primary settings. Statutory guidance sets out the core content to be taught at each stage. In Wales, it became mandatory from 2022.

Return home interview (RHI)

Statutory guidance in England provides that when a missing child is found, a return home interview (RHI) should be offered to the child (although there is no requirement that the child participates in it). This should be conducted within 72 hours of the child returning to their home or care setting. RHIs are not a statutory requirement in Wales but there is an expectation on the part of the Welsh Government that they will be offered after a child has three episodes of going missing. RHIs should be conducted by someone who is not involved in caring for the child, is trained to carry out these interviews and is able to follow up any actions that emerge.

Safeguarding

A term used by statutory bodies and others involved in child protection. It derives from section 10 of the Children Act 2004 and section 17 of the Children Act 1989, and denotes the duty to both protect children and to take active steps to promote their well-being and prevent them from coming to harm, by:

• protecting children from maltreatment;

• preventing impairment of children’s health or development;

• ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; and

• taking action to enable all children to have the best life chances.

‘Same roof’ rule

Law introduced in 1964 which prevented victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual violence from claiming compensation if they were living with the perpetrator at the time of the offence.

Amended in 1979 but not retrospectively, so potential compensation claimants from offences which took place prior to that date were still unable to claim. It was abolished entirely in 2019, allowing for compensation claims which failed under the ‘same roof’ rule to be reconsidered by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board within their usual time limits.

Secure children’s homes (SCHs)

Secure children’s homes (SCHs) are custodial institutions for children aged between 10 and 14. They are run by local councils and house between 8 and 40 children. They should provide 30 hours of education and training per week.

Secure estate for children and young people

Institutions where children and young people may be detained, including secure training centres, secure children’s homes and young offender institutions.

Secure training centres (STCs)

Secure training centres (STCs) are custodial institutions for children aged up to 17. They are run by private companies and house between 50 and 80 young people, split into units of 5 to 8 people. They should provide 30 hours of education and training per week.

Self-generated imagery

A naked or partially naked image of a child taken by the child themself.

Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs)

Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) offer medical, practical and emotional support to anyone who has been raped or sexually assaulted.

Sexual harassment

Sexual harassment is unwanted conduct of a sexual nature which has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for another person.

Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO)

A Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) is a civil order which may be made following a conviction for a sexual offence. It can include a range of restrictions, including on foreign travel.

Sexual Risk Order (SRO)

A Sexual Risk Order (SRO) is a civil order which may be made by a court where there has been no conviction but the person is proven to have done an act of a sexual nature, and it is necessary to make an order to protect the public. It can include a range of restrictions, including on foreign travel.

Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014

An Act of the Welsh Government which establishes the requirement for a national independent safeguarding board and regional safeguarding boards, made up of representatives from local authorities, local health boards, the police and others.

Special measures

A series of provisions that help vulnerable and intimidated witnesses in criminal cases give their best evidence and help to relieve some of the stress associated with giving evidence. These measures may vary depending on whether the witness is an adult or child, but they include screening a witness present in court from the accused, giving evidence via a live link and having video-recorded evidence played as the witness’s evidence in chief.

Special school

A state-funded or independent school specially organised to make provision for pupils with special educational needs. It may be maintained by a local authority, an academy or a non-maintained special school.

Spent convictions

The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 provides that criminal cautions or convictions resulting in no more than 4 years’ imprisonment become ‘spent’ after a certain time period. Spent convictions do not have to be declared when applying for most jobs (although this does not apply to jobs working with children).

Statutory agencies

Institutions set up by law to carry out public activities such as social services, local authorities more broadly, and police and healthcare organisations.

Subject access request (SAR)

Under the Data Protection Act 1998, victims and survivors have a legal right to request copies of records containing their personal information. This is known as the right of access and the request is commonly known as a SAR.

Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA)

Executive agency of the Department for Education which regulates the teaching profession in England and maintains a record of those with qualified teacher status (QTS).

Trafficking

Child trafficking is the practice of transporting children into, within and out of the UK or any other country for the purposes of exploitation, including sexual abuse and exploitation.

Truth Project

The Inquiry’s Truth Project gave more than 6,000 victims and survivors of child sexual abuse an opportunity to share their experiences with the Inquiry and put forward suggestions for change.

This listening exercise was set up because the Inquiry recognised that victims and survivors could provide a uniquely-informed contribution to understanding and learning from past mistakes and improving child protection in the future.

Most importantly, victims and survivors were entitled to give their accounts and opinions, be listened to respectfully, and have their feelings of hurt, frustration and anger acknowledged.

Each experience shared with the Truth Project made an important contribution to the work of the Inquiry, enabling it to build an understanding of child sexual abuse and its impact on victims and survivors. Their experiences and views have helped to inform the Inquiry’s final recommendations.

Uniform Resource Locator (URL)

A Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is the network identification or address where a particular page or resource, e.g. images or sound files, can be found on the worldwide web.

Unregulated placements

Under the Care Standards Act 2000, services that provide accommodation and care for young people under the age of 18 are required to register with Ofsted. If accommodation without care is provided, the placement is considered ‘unregulated’.

Unspent convictions

Records which have not yet reached the defined time as set out in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, or which are not eligible to become spent. Unspent convictions will appear on a basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) criminal record check.

Upskirting

Taking a photo under a person’s clothing without them knowing, with the intention of viewing their genitals or buttocks to obtain sexual gratification, or to cause the victim humiliation, distress or alarm.

Victims’ Code

Code of Practice for Victims of Crime. Established by the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004, it came into effect in 2006.

It sets out what all UK criminal justice agencies (the police, Crown Prosecution Service, Courts Service and Probation Service) must do for victims and survivors, and the timeframe in which they must do it.

Rights under the Code include being kept informed on the progress of cases; the current legal status of suspects and offenders; information regarding compensation and restorative justice schemes; help in giving evidence and making victim personal statements; and referrals to victims’ support services.

Victim and survivor

An individual who has experienced child sexual abuse.

Victims and Survivors Consultative Panel (VSCP)

The Victims and Survivors Consultative Panel (VSCP) assisted and advised the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) on all aspects of its work.

Victims and Survivors Forum

A forum at the Inquiry for all victims and survivors of child sexual abuse, with more than 1,700 members across England and Wales from diverse backgrounds. The Forum provided an opportunity to engage with the Inquiry and to attend a wide range of online and face-to-face events which contributed to its policy and research work. Forum members’ comments and suggestions were also shared with the Chair and Panel to inform recommendations in the Inquiry’s final Report.

Virtual Global Taskforce

The Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT) is a group of 12 law enforcement agencies from around the world which work together to tackle the global threat from online child sexual abuse. The National Crime Agency (NCA) in the UK is the current chair of the VGT.

Virtual reality (VR)

Virtual reality (VR) is the use of computer modelling and simulation which enables a person to interact with an artificial 3D environment. VR applications can use goggles, headsets, gloves or bodysuits.

Web crawler

A computer programme that automatically searches the internet for, in this context, child sexual abuse images.

Working Together to Safeguard Children

Statutory guidance issued by the Department for Education (and prior to that the Department of Health) since 1991, which provides advice on child protection practices and processes for those working with children across all sectors.

Youth Custody Service (YCS)

The Youth Custody Service (YCS) is a distinct part of His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS). It is responsible for the operational running of young offender institutions, secure training centres and secure children’s homes.

Young offender institutions (YOIs)

Young offender institutions (YOIs) are custodial institutions for 15–21-year-olds. They are run by the Prison Service and private companies. They house between 60 to 400 offenders, split into groups of 30 to 60 people.

1. Children Act 2004, section 18(1); Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, part 6 ↩

2. The Department for Work and Pensions is responsible for matters related to workplace compensation and insurance in the UK. It consulted on the introduction of the Employers’ Liability Tracing Office (ELTO) in 2010. ↩

3. INQ006513 ↩

4. INQ006513 ↩