Source · HMICFRS

Inspection of the effectiveness of police and law enforcement bodies’ response to group-based child sexual exploitation: A progress report

24 October 2025 Thematic Inspection 9 recommendations

National — applies to all forces

Recommendations

1 Open By 31 December 2024, the Home Office, the Department for Education, the Welsh Government, the National Crime Agency, the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the College of Policing should adopt the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse’s definition of an ‘organised network’ as a definition of group-based child sexual exploitation. Or they should devise and implement a suitable alternative. Status: Incomplete

2 Open By 31 December 2024, all chief constables should make sure that their forces have problem profiles for child sexual exploitation, each of which should include an assessment of the nature and extent of group-based child sexual exploitation. This should include relevant data from local partner agencies and should be updated frequently, at least annually. Status: Incomplete

3 Open By 30 May 2025, the National Crime Agency should produce an assessment of group‑based child sexual exploitation as part of its annual ‘Strategic Assessment of Serious and Organised Crime’. The assessment should use the agreed definition of group-based child sexual exploitation from our recommendation 1. Status: In progress

4 Open By 31 December 2024, all chief constables and the relevant business user groups for police record management systems should make sure there are sufficient measures in place to identify group-based child sexual exploitation. Status: Incomplete

5 Open By 31 March 2025, the Home Office should stop collecting group-based child sexual exploitation data through its annual data requirement on custody known as ADR149. Status: Incomplete

6 Open By 31 March 2026, the Home Office should introduce a new and specific annual data requirement on group-based child sexual exploitation. This should be aligned with its existing child sexual abuse and exploitation crimes annual data requirement. The supporting guidance to forces should use the agreed definition of group-based child sexual exploitation from our recommendation 1. Status: In progress

7 Open By 31 December 2024, the College of Policing should update its authorised professional practice on child sexual exploitation to include group-based child sexual exploitation. And it should use the agreed definition from our recommendation 1. Status: In progress

8 Open By 30 June 2024, all chief constables of forces that are yet to receive the Hydrant Programme’s continuing professional development offer should arrange it. Status: Completed

9 Open With immediate effect, all chief constables should take effective steps to eradicate victim-blaming language in their forces. Status: Completed