No mandatory child abuse reporting
Lack of statutory duty for certain individuals ('mandated reporters') to report child sexual abuse when disclosed.
Source spread
Where this theme appears
This theme appears across 9 independent accountability sources, so the source mix matters as much as the headline total.
1 inquiry rec
5 PFD reports
4 committee recs
4 IOPC recs
1 detention investigation rec
1 DHR rec
2 PHSO decisions
24 LGO/SPSO decisions
1 CJINI report
Browse by source
Source-grouped records are useful for tracing where a concern came from. Large sections show the 50 strongest matches for that source; counts still show the full theme total.
Prevention of Future Deaths reports(5)
Harry Mellor
Concerns: The coroner identifies concerns regarding the lack of a legal requirement or reliable system for tracking child GP registration and de-registration. This creates potential safeguarding risks, especially for children with chronic health needs, and specialist teams were not informed of Harry's de-registration.
Response (Department of Health): • The Minister stated an intention to ask the Department of Health and NHS England to review current NHS processes to reduce the possibility of similar incidents. (AI summary)
Response (UK Health Security Agency): • The UK Health Security Agency alerted the relevant NHS England team and the Director of Public Health for Nottinghamshire. • The agency noted that the Nottinghamshire Safeguarding Board had … (AI summary)
Response (GMC): • The GMC discussed the safeguarding concerns with the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP). • The GMC reported that work is ongoing to improve clinical guidance for doctors regarding … (AI summary)
Response (CCG): • The CCG has requested assurance from specialist paediatric services regarding the effective implementation of 'Did Not Attend' (DNA) procedures. • The CCG will appoint an independent author to undertake … (AI summary)
Overdue
Harper Denton
Concerns: Police had not adopted specific guidance for managing sexual and violent offenders, and proactive information sharing to protect children was lacking. Concerns also related to the absence of an offender register for those with child cruelty convictions and non-mandatory health visitor safeguarding assessments for co-parent risks.
Response (National Police Chiefs Council): • The College of Policing will update its Authorised Professional Practice (APP) within three months to clarify that information disclosure can be made to parents and carers of children who … (AI summary)
Response (Metropolitan Police Service): • The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) stated it uses existing mechanisms, including Category 3 Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) and Violent Offender Orders, for managing violent offenders. • The MPS … (AI summary)
Response (Home Office): • HM Government is continuing to consider options for better management of domestic abuse offenders, including the implementation of a domestic abuse register. • The Home Office stated it would … (AI summary)
Response (Department of Health and Social Care): • The Department of Health and Social Care is updating resources for health visitor and school nurse-led services, which are due to be published shortly. • A cross-Government programme of … (AI summary)
Responded
Molly Russell
Concerns: The coroner noted a lack of age verification and age-specific content on online platforms, along with no separation between adult and child parts of platforms. Concerns were also raised about algorithms providing content and adverts, and the absence of parental control or access to material viewed by children.
Response (Twitter International Unlimited Company): • Twitter automatically restricts users under 18 from viewing sensitive media content and prohibits advertising of certain products to minors. • Twitter provides a 'Safe Search' mode, automatically enabled for … (AI summary)
Response (META): • Meta has implemented a tailored experience for teenagers, including defaulting under-18s to private accounts and restricting sensitive content options. • Meta employs a multi-layered approach to age verification, which … (AI summary)
Response (Snap): • Snap introduced Family Centre, an in-app tool providing parents with insight into their teen's friends and recent communications. • Snap added suicide and self-harm as a dedicated category in … (AI summary)
Response (Department for Digital Culture Media Sport): • The government introduced the Online Safety Bill to Parliament on 17 March to establish an independent regulator and protections for children online. • The government announced new offences to … (AI summary)
Response (Pinterest): • Pinterest committed to developing and testing automated signals to further limit the distribution of depressive content to teens. • Pinterest updated its self-harm policy to remove references to self-harm … (AI summary)
Overdue
Alexander Eastwood
Concerns: The coroner identified a lack of guidance and regulation for children's contact sports, meaning there are no minimum standards for safeguarding, risk management, medical support, or incident planning, particularly for unofficial matches.
Response (Department For Culture Media And Sport): • The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has tasked its Department with exploring ways to urgently improve the safety and welfare of children in martial arts. • Sport England … (AI summary)
Responded
[REDACTED]
Concerns: Concerns include child death investigation teams missing forensic opportunities and potential poisoning, and nannies lacking training on chlorpheniramine administration. The report also notes the absence of national nanny regulation and potentially insufficient product warnings.
Response (MET): • MPS policy was updated in May 2025 and May 2026 to reflect new national guidance on child death investigation, including clearer direction on scene examination, seizure of feeding equipment, … (AI summary)
Response (College of Policing): • The College stated that its Investigating Sudden Death in Childhood Course, reviewed and re-launched in 2025, provides knowledge for thorough investigations, safeguards against bias, and emphasizes considering poisoning. • … (AI summary)
Response (NCA): • The Forensic Medical Advice Team (FMAT) will conduct a keyword search of Op Marshall to identify records involving unexpected child deaths where chlorpheniramine was administered. • FMAT will combine … (AI summary)
Response (Haleon UK Trading Limited): • Haleon completed a focused review of how age restriction messaging is presented across its UK-facing materials. • Haleon confirmed its product labelling conforms with the UK Human Medicines Regulation … (AI summary)
Responded
Select committee recommendations(4)
#26 — High prevalence of sexual violence and controlling behaviour affects young people aged 11-20.
Recommendation: Professor Katin Hohl told us that the most common age of survivors and perpetrators of sexual violence is between 11–20 years old.63 Evidence submitted by the Youth Endowment Fund suggested that 7% of girls and 6% of boys between 13–17 …
Response attribution not verified
#68 — Improve training and guidance for child sexual abuse reporting and implement robust IICSA duty.
Recommendation: The Department for Education should improve training and guidance around reporting of child sexual abuse and work jointly with the Home Office towards implementing the more robust mandatory reporting duty recommended by IICSA, ensuring that the sector is well-prepared for …
Response attribution not verified
#67 — Urgent need to implement IICSA recommendations as mandatory reporting is limited.
Recommendation: There is an urgent need to take forward the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. The introduction of the mandatory reporting duty is an important step forward, but it is limited in scope to instances of a …
Response attribution not verified
#3 —
Recommendation: The Committee is clear that the companies whose platforms are responsible for these harms cannot be left to self-regulate. We recommend that the Government treats online harms to children explicitly as a safeguarding and public health issue, rather than relying …
Response status not verified
IOPC learning recommendations(4)
Recommendation - Avon and Somerset Constabulary, August 2022
Avon and Somerset Police amend their policy to require that all suspects in cases relating to alleged child sexual abuse or exploitation are provided with the same level of suicide risk assessment, regardless of whether they attend voluntarily or are …
Recommendation - South Wales Police, October 2022
The IOPC recommends that South Wales Police should amend their procedures to ensure a risk assessment is always conducted for suspects of child sexual abuse offences when answering bail. This would reflect operational advice provided by the College of Policing …
National recommendation - National Police Chiefs' Council, December 2022
The IOPC recommends that the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) shares the learning from IOPC cases with force bail leads, asking them to review their bail policies, procedures and training to ensure that risk assessments are conducted when suspects of …
Recommendation - West Yorkshire Police, September 2022
The IOPC recommends that West Yorkshire Police devises supplementary guidance on safeguarding suspects during child sexual abuse investigations. At present the guidance is contained within force policy on Safeguarding Children and Young People. We recommend that the guidance is embedded …
PHSO casework decisions(2)
P-002640 — Education and Skills Funding Agency
Mr N complained the ESFA wrongly stated a college's accommodation licence permitted unconsented room searches, which he believes contravenes law and led to his son's dismissal.
UK Government
May 2024
P-004411 — A practice in the Barnsley area
Mr A complained the Practice did not listen to or escalate his concerns about a safeguarding and domestic violence incident involving his parents and their neighbour, leaving him frustrated and unheard.
NHS in England
Nov 2025
LGO / SPSO decisions(24)
25-000-774 — Central Bedfordshire Council
Summary: We cannot investigate Mr X’s complaint about his children being removed from his care following family court proceedings because it lies outside our jurisdiction. The law prevents us from investigating complaints about matters that have been subject to court proceedings. We have no discretion to do so.
LGO (Local Government & …
Children S Care Services
Jun 2025
25-000-593 — Hertfordshire County Council
Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint that a safeguarding referral was unlawfully made and then considered by the Local Authority Designated Officer. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault.
LGO (Local Government & …
Children S Care Services
Jun 2025
25-000-495 — Suffolk County Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the removal of a child from their mother’s care and related events. We cannot investigate matters that have been considered in court. We have no power to investigate the actions of police officers and a judge.
LGO (Local Government & …
Children S Care Services
Jun 2025
25-000-995 — Isle of Wight Council
Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of concerns he has raised in relation to his daughter over the past year. This is because there is no sign of fault in the Council’s decision not to consider his complaint until the ongoing court proceedings have …
LGO (Local Government & …
Children S Care Services
Jun 2025
25-005-778 — Nottingham City Council
Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the involvement of the Council’s children’s services with her family. The complaint is older than 12 months and is late. Mrs X’s complaint about the conduct of a social worker would be better considered by Social Work England.
LGO (Local Government & …
Children S Care Services
Jul 2025
24-013-539 — Lancashire County Council
Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint. This is because there is no sign of fault in the Council’s decision not to investigate her complaint whilst there is an ongoing police investigation into related matters.
LGO (Local Government & …
Children S Care Services
Dec 2024
25-013-687 — Northumberland County Council
on the lessons that can be learnt from our complaints about end of life care given in care homes and in the home.
LGO (Local Government & …
Children S Care Services
Feb 2026
25-013-575 — Sunderland City Council
on the lessons that can be learnt from our complaints about end of life care given in care homes and in the home.
LGO (Local Government & …
Children S Care Services
Feb 2026
21-006-378 — Liverpool City Council
Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about children services actions. It is unlikely we could add to the Council’s resolution.
LGO (Local Government & …
Children S Care Services
Feb 2022
21-015-468 — Stoke-on-Trent City Council
Summary: We will not investigate Ms X's complaint about children services actions. It is unlikely we would find fault which has caused the Council to have a child protection plan.
LGO (Local Government & …
Children S Care Services
Feb 2022
22-007-427 — London Borough of Bromley
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to continue the complainant’s daughter’s child protection plan. This is because we cannot achieve the outcome the complainant is seeking.
LGO (Local Government & …
Children S Care Services
Sep 2022
22-006-677 — Norfolk County Council
Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the Council’s actions concerning Mr X’s child. This is because the matter complained of are not separable from matters that were or could have been raised in court.
LGO (Local Government & …
Children S Care Services
Sep 2022
21-012-067 — Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council
Summary: Miss Y complained her complaint the Council failed to support and protect her daughter was not properly considered by the Council under the statutory complaints procedure. We have found fault by the Council regarding the remedy proposed in response to her complaint, and the delay in completing the Stage …
LGO (Local Government & …
Children S Care Services
Upheld
Sep 2022
23-020-830 — London Borough of Redbridge
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the conduct of staff during an Initial Child Protection Conference. This is because there are other bodies better placed to consider this complaint. Also, we cannot achieve the outcome Mr B wants.
LGO (Local Government & …
Children S Care Services
May 2024
24-020-944 — Wokingham Borough Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s involvement with Miss X’s family and the Council starting child protection court proceedings.
LGO (Local Government & …
Children S Care Services
May 2025
25-000-479 — Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s child protection investigation. The complaint is late and there is no good reason to exercise discretion to investigate it now.
LGO (Local Government & …
Children S Care Services
Jun 2025
25-001-835 — London Borough of Camden
Summary: Mr X complained that the Council caused a delay in responding to his complaint about its children’s social care service. We have discontinued our investigation, because there is no worthwhile outcome we can achieve until Mr X receives the Council’s final response to his complaint.
LGO (Local Government & …
Children S Care Services
Not Upheld
Jun 2025
24-022-867 — Cornwall Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about words used by the Council following a safeguarding referral it received. There is not enough evidence of fault in the way the Council responded to the referral to warrant investigation by us. Any factual inaccuracy in its records would be a matter …
LGO (Local Government & …
Children S Care Services
Jun 2025
25-003-447 — Buckinghamshire Council
Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about his dealings with the Council in connection with the care of his grandchildren because there is nothing we could add to the independent investigation commissioned by the Council.
LGO (Local Government & …
Children S Care Services
Sep 2025
25-013-075 — London Borough of Bexley
We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the Council’s children services teams handling of safeguarding allegations between 2017 and 2019. There are not enough reasons to disapply the late complaint rule. We cannot investigate recent safeguarding referrals as the Court could have made orders about this.
LGO (Local Government & …
Children S Care Services
Feb 2026
24-010-010 — Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council
Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about how the Council responded to concerns about bullying in a school. This is because the complaint flows from the internal management of a school which we have no jurisdiction to consider. The law says we cannot consider complaints about the actions of councils …
LGO (Local Government & …
Education
Sep 2024
24-007-895 — North East Lincolnshire Council
Summary: We found fault on Mr Y’s complaint about the way the Council dealt with allegations against him which it referred to the Local Authority Designated Officer. Minutes were not accurate and failed to show consideration of a recommendation. This caused him lost opportunity and uncertainty about whether the recommendation …
LGO (Local Government & …
Children S Care Services
Upheld
Apr 2025
25-001-816 — Leeds City Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council has failed to remove inaccurate information it holds about Ms X. This is because the Information Commissioner is better placed to consider the matter.
LGO (Local Government & …
Children S Care Services
Jun 2025
24-004-807 — London Borough of Bromley
Summary: We have decided not investigate Mr X’s complaint about a lack of social care for his child, Y, and a failure to properly consider his request for direct payments. The Council has accepted some fault and will investigate further using the statutory children’s complaints process.
LGO (Local Government & …
Children S Care Services
Upheld
Nov 2024