Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Police forces and local authorities in England and 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.

The Inquiry asked the government to ensure authorities collect disaggregated child sexual exploitation data. In July 2022, HM Government stated that it was working with police to improve the collection, analysis, and use of child sexual exploitation data (Home Office response, Jul 2022; Home Office, Jul 2022). It highlighted funding for regional analysts and noted a mandatory requirement for police forces to record the ethnicity of suspected grooming gang arrestees (Home Office response, Jul 2022). The response did not mention local authorities or disaggregation by sex and disability, and noted that the first ethnicity data publications were expected in late 2023 (Home Office response, Jul 2022). The record holds nothing dated later than the response of July 2022 (Home Office response, Jul 2022).

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.

The Home Office and the Ministry of Justice stated in May 2026 that the Crime and Policing Act 2026 includes provisions to "legislate to make grooming an aggravating factor in the sentencing of child sexual offences" (Home Office and Ministry of Justice, May 2026). HM Government had previously stated in July 2022 that the factors set out in the recommendation were already adequately covered by existing criminal law and sentencing guidelines (Home Office response, Jul 2022; Home Office, Jul 2022).

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.

HM Government stated in July 2019 that NHS England had developed and published chaperone guidance notes to establish clear principles across healthcare settings, and that the Department of Health and Social Care would continue to require the Care Quality Commission to assess providers' chaperone policies during inspections (HM Government, Jul 2019). In October 2022, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse recorded that the guidance had been produced and that the department would maintain these inspection requirements (The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, Oct 2022).

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.

In September 2020, HM Government reported that all government departments had whistleblowing policies in place, supported by a civil service model policy that specifically covers the abuse or mistreatment of children (Cabinet Office response, Sep 2020; Cabinet Office, Sep 2020). It stated in September 2020 that parliamentary procedures remain a matter for both Houses, while noting that an additional cross-government campaign was planned for 2021 (Cabinet Office response, Sep 2020). The record holds no update since the government's response of September 2020 (Cabinet Office response, Sep 2020).

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.

In September 2020, HM Government reported that all departments had been made aware of the recommendation and that Civil Service HR had launched a model safeguarding policy and a "Health Check" process (Cabinet Office response, Sep 2020; Cabinet Office, Sep 2020). It stated that a review of departmental use of these tools was planned for later that year (Cabinet Office response, Sep 2020). The record holds no update since the Cabinet Office's response of September 2020 (Cabinet Office response, Sep 2020; Cabinet Office, Sep 2020).

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.

The Inquiry recommended amending sexual offences legislation to include clergy within positions of trust. In a letter of October 2019, published by the Ministry of Justice in November 2019, Chris Philp MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice, stated that existing criminal law provided protections against sexual abuse and that a cross-government review of offences had been conducted (Chris Philp MP response, Oct 2019). The Minister explained that the government was considering the review's findings and would announce next steps in due course (Chris Philp MP, Nov 2019). Amending Section 21 to include clergy was not mentioned in the letter (Chris Philp MP response, Oct 2019; Chris Philp MP, Nov 2019).

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.

The Inquiry asked the government to require companies to pre-screen material uploaded to the internet. In November 2020, HM Government stated that an interim code of practice on tackling child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA) set out its expectation that companies prevent access to known abuse material (Home Office response, Nov 2020; Home Office, Nov 2020). It noted that pre-screening is one way of preventing access, while recognising that responses vary according to the service offered (Home Office response, Nov 2020). The code builds upon voluntary principles launched with international partners to drive collective industry action (Home Office response, Nov 2020). The record holds nothing dated later than the response of November 2020 (Home Office response, Nov 2020).

The Department for Work and Pensions 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.

In April 2020, HM Government reported that it had begun and would continue discussions with the Association of British Insurers on the feasibility of establishing a public liability register (Ministry of Justice response, Apr 2020; Ministry of Justice, Apr 2020). It stated that this work needed to be co-ordinated with other reform proposals to take a holistic approach to achieving justice for victims of child sexual abuse (Ministry of Justice response, Apr 2020). The record holds no update since the government's response of April 2020 (Ministry of Justice response, Apr 2020; Ministry of Justice, Apr 2020).

The Chair and Panel recommend that CICA 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.

The recommendation asked that caseworkers handling child sexual abuse claims have specific training. In July 2019, HM Government stated that the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority had adapted operational practices and was providing named caseworkers for applicants affected by the pre-1979 same roof rule, but it did not mention specialist caseworker training (HM Government, Jul 2019). The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, on its website archived in October 2022, recorded the government's December 2018 response that all operational staff receive training on sexual abuse cases and that the authority was considering options to extend dedicated caseworkers beyond complex cases (HM Government response, Dec 2018; The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, Oct 2022).

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.

In April 2020, HM Government stated that the Ministry of Justice would explore amending the Compensation Act 2006 or taking alternative action to clarify that its provisions facilitate apologies in vicarious liability cases (Ministry of Justice response, Apr 2020; Ministry of Justice, Apr 2020). It noted that the statute was not intended to apply solely to claims in negligence and breach of statutory duty, and promised to provide an update in due course (Ministry of Justice response, Apr 2020; Ministry of Justice, Apr 2020). The record holds no update since the government's response of April 2020 (Ministry of Justice response, Apr 2020; Ministry of Justice, Apr 2020).

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 CCOs, where appropriate, in cases involving child sexual abuse by, among other things, implementing guidance for the judiciary and prosecutors in the Crown Courts and Magistrates' Courts.

The Inquiry recommended consulting relevant bodies to increase the use of criminal compensation orders. In April 2020, HM Government stated that the Ministry of Justice had consulted the Judicial College, the Sentencing Council, and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), concluding that existing judicial guidance is sufficient (Ministry of Justice response, Apr 2020). It also noted that prosecutors are reminded in CPS legal guidance of their role in applying for compensation orders (Ministry of Justice, Apr 2020). The government stated that it would undertake further exploration to understand the low use of these orders, after which it would consider next steps and provide the Inquiry with a substantive response (Ministry of Justice response, Apr 2020). The record holds nothing dated later than the response of April 2020 (Ministry of Justice response, Apr 2020).

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.

The Inquiry asked the Cabinet Office to extend honours forfeiture criteria to child sexual abuse offences. In guidance updated in December 2025, the department specified forfeiture criteria covering sexual offences convictions and determinations following a trial of the facts, though cautions were not mentioned (Cabinet Office, Dec 2025). Previously, in September 2020, HM Government stated that the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals was conducting an in-depth review of forfeiture policy (Cabinet Office response, Sep 2020; Cabinet Office, Sep 2020).

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.

The Inquiry asked the Cabinet Office to re-examine posthumous honours forfeiture policy. In September 2020, HM Government stated in a response published by the department that the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals was taking forward an "in-depth review of forfeiture policy in this area" (Cabinet Office response, Sep 2020; Cabinet Office, Sep 2020). It explained that policy changes are made on advice from the committee and stated that it would keep the Inquiry informed of progress (Cabinet Office response, Sep 2020). The response described a review of forfeiture policy, while posthumous forfeiture and the perspectives of victims and survivors were not mentioned in the sources (Cabinet Office response, Sep 2020). The record holds nothing dated later than the response of September 2020 (Cabinet Office response, Sep 2020).

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.

The Inquiry recommended pressing the WeProtect Global Alliance to curb child abuse material overseas. HM Government stated in November 2020 that, as a permanent member of the alliance's management board, it provides strategic leadership to direct prioritisation and engagement with partner countries and technology companies (Home Office response, Nov 2020; Home Office, Nov 2020). It explained that the alliance was preparing for a 2021 summit in Brazil and working with regional bodies and individual countries to develop effective legislation (Home Office response, Nov 2020). While the response detailed legislative guidance and international engagement, procedures to prevent access to hosted imagery were not mentioned (Home Office response, Nov 2020). The record holds nothing dated later than the response of November 2020 (Home Office response, Nov 2020).

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.

The Inquiry recommended that the government legislate for stricter online age verification across platforms and devices. In November 2020, HM Government stated that age assurance and age verification would play a key role in its upcoming regulatory framework for online services, though it did not mention devices (Home Office response, Nov 2020; Home Office, Nov 2020). It noted in November 2020 that platforms were expected to adopt proportionate tools to protect children and highlighted research it supported into the feasibility of identifying child users online (Home Office response, Nov 2020). It added in November 2020 that, ahead of legislation, it would publish guidance on embedding safety by design principles and develop practical advice for online companies (Home Office response, Nov 2020). The record holds nothing dated later than the response of November 2020 (Home Office response, Nov 2020).