Offences against Children
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Crime and Police Bill 2024-26, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure a mandatory duty to report child sexual abuse for people undertaking key roles with children and young people are adequately trained to meet this duty.
Answered by Jess Phillips
Everyone who is responsible for the safety and wellbeing of children should receive appropriate training on referral processes. The government will set out clear guidance on the operation of the duty, and we will work with regulators and professional standards-setting bodies to ensure the new duty is clearly communicated ahead of implementation.
Each organisation will need to judge how best to support its own staff in in adhering to the requirements of the duty and developing their response to child sexual abuse.
Recognising that support is necessary in this complex area, the Home Office funds the independent Centre for Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse to further strengthen the ability of professionals to understand, identify and respond appropriately to concerns of child sexual abuse through the provision of evidence-based training and practice resources.
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