Over the last few days we have seen calls from many for a national public inquiry into CSE and grooming gangs, which has been fuelled by comments from Elon Musk. He has been criticising the government’s response to tackling child sexual exploitation (CSE). Many other high profile personalities have since come out criticising the current UK leader’s approach.

As a child sexual abuse solicitor I am firmly of the view that it is important for survivors of abuse to be heard, both to ensure that we learn from the errors of the past but also to ensure that those who have suffered feel heard.

That being said, for over a decade we have had inquiry after inquiry which has analysed local and national responses to CSE and little change has been seen to date. In addition, it is also important to be mindful that when issues such as CSE are discussed so publicly it can have a detrimental impact upon the mental health of those who have suffered such abuse. We must ensure that any discussion leads to meaningful change and is handled correctly, and that there are support services in place to assist survivors.

The overarching Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) spanned over seven years and its final report was published in 2022. During the course of its investigation the inquiry looked at CSE by organised networks and in February 2022 it made six recommendations. Those recommendations are:

1. Clear Guidance on Identifying Exploitation: The Department for Education and the Welsh Government should update national guidance to ensure that signs of child sexual exploitation are recognised as actual harm, not merely as indicators of potential risk.
2. Data Collection: Police forces and local authorities in England and Wales must collect and separate data on all known or suspected cases of child sexual exploitation, distinguishing them from other forms of abuse. This data should include details on the sex, ethnicity, and disability status of both victims and perpetrators.
3. Risk Assessment and Harm Distinction: Local authorities should refine their assessment processes to accurately differentiate between children at risk of exploitation and those already experiencing harm, ensuring appropriate interventions.
4. Specialist Training: Professionals involved in child protection should receive specialised training to identify and respond effectively to cases of child sexual exploitation by organised networks. 
5. Strategic Planning and Commissioning: Local safeguarding partnerships should develop strategic plans and commission services specifically addressing child sexual exploitation by organised networks, ensuring resources are allocated to areas of greatest need.
6. Evaluation of Disruption Tactics: Law enforcement agencies should evaluate the effectiveness of various tactics used to disrupt organized networks involved in child sexual exploitation, ensuring that successful methods are identified and implemented consistently.

IICSA made twenty key recommendations in its final report to improve child protection in England and Wales in October 2022. These are:

1. Mandatory Reporting: Introduce a legal duty for professionals working with children to report any allegations, suspicions, or knowledge of child sexual abuse to the appropriate authorities.
2. National Redress Scheme: Establish a redress scheme to provide financial compensation and support to survivors of child sexual abuse who were failed by institutions.
3. Child Protection Authorities: Set up a Child Protection Authority in England and another in Wales to oversee child protection and ensure accountability.
4. National Data Collection: Develop a unified system to collect data on child sexual abuse and exploitation to better inform policies and responses.
5. Cabinet-Level Minister: Appoint a minister specifically responsible for children's issues to ensure they remain a priority at the highest levels of government.
6. Public Awareness Campaign: Run a campaign to increase public understanding of child sexual abuse, including how to spot and report it.
7. Prohibit Pain Compliance: Ban the use of pain compliance techniques on children in custodial institutions.
8. Equal Protection for Children in Care: Amend the Children Act 1989 to provide the same protection for children in care as those living at home.
9. Register Care Staff: Mandate the registration of staff working in residential care, young offender institutions, and secure training centres to ensure accountability.
10. Improved Reporting to DBS: Ensure organisations fulfil their legal duty to report individuals who may pose a risk to children to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
11. International Disclosure Safeguards: Extend DBS safeguards to people working with children abroad, improving protection internationally.
12. Widen Barred List Usage: Increase the use of the barred list to prevent unsuitable individuals from working with children.
13. Strengthen Online Age Verification: Require online platforms to implement robust age-verification measures to protect children from harmful content.
14. Mandatory Online Pre-Screening: Ensure online platforms pre-screen content to detect and prevent the sharing of child sexual abuse material.
15. Guaranteed Therapeutic Support: Provide child victims and survivors of sexual abuse with lifelong access to specialist therapeutic support.
16. Code of Practice for Access to Records: Establish a standardised approach to accessing records relating to child sexual abuse to aid survivors and improve transparency.
17. Remove Time Limits for Claims: Abolish the three-year time limit for survivors of child sexual abuse to bring personal injury claims.
18. Reform the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme: Make the scheme more accessible for survivors, particularly those whose abuse was not reported to the police at the time.
19. Licence Taxi Drivers and Operators: Standardise licensing rules for taxi and private hire drivers to protect children from exploitation.
20. Independent Inspection of Religious Organisations: Introduce mandatory independent inspections of religious organisations to ensure child protection measures are in place.

Last night Yvette Cooper announced that a new law would be brought in making a failure to report child sexual abuse a crime. That is the first recommendation that has been confirmed following the recommendations made by IICSA and we do not yet have a timeline for the implementation of that law. It is pleasing to see action finally being taken, it could be said that pressure from Elon Musk and others has assisted in this development.

The IICSA cost a staggering £186.6 million up to the date that the final report was published. In my view, any money that would be spent on a new inquiry would be better spent implementing the recommendations of IICSA to ensure that our children are protected sooner rather than later. Again, in my view, the first recommendation that should be implemented is for a Child Protection Authority to be created. That way many of the other recommendations could fall under the remit of the newly established CPA.

Let’s collectively call on our government to #ActOnIICSA.

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