After seven years, 325 days of public hearings and evidence from 725 victims, the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse (IICSA) in England and Wales has published its final report. It makes 20 recommendations for change, the first three of which are described as the “centrepiece” recommendations:
A statutory requirement for people working (whether paid or voluntary) in regulated activity or positions of trust to report allegations of child sexual abuse. The report says failure to comply should be a new criminal offence where a mandated person was in receipt of a disclosure of child sexual abuse from a child or perpetrator or witnessed a child being sexually abused.
Establishment of a national compensation scheme for people who have experienced child sexual abuse where there is a connection to state or non-state institutions. The level of compensation they should receive was not specified.
Creation of a child protection authority, one for England and one for Wales, to improve practice in child protection, inspect settings and provide advice to government.
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Appointment of a cabinet-level minister for children, one in the UK government and one in the Welsh government, to provide “leadership, profile and influence” on matters of child protection.
Banning the use of pain-compliance techniques in custodial institutions. The report says policy permitting their use in such institutions should be withdrawn and regulation introduced prohibiting it.
Improving compliance with statutory duties to inform the disclosure and barring service about individuals who may pose a risk of harm to children.
More robust age-verification requirements for the use of online platforms and services.
Regular public awareness campaigns about child sexual abuse and what action to take if it is suspected to be happening.
Amendment of the Children Act 1989 to give children in care more legal protection. This would allow a court, on application by a child, to prohibit a local authority from taking any acts it would otherwise be entitled to take in exercising its parental responsibility for the child.
Registration of care staff in children’s homes. This should be in the hands of an independent body, which should also set and maintain standards of training, conduct and continuing professional development with powers to enforce them.
Registration of staff in care roles in young offender institutions and secure training centres.
Enable any person engaging an individual to work or volunteer with children on a frequent basis to check whether or not they have been barred from doing so by the disclosure and barring service.
Extension of the disclosure regime with respect to those applying to work with children overseas.
Mandatory online pre-screening for known child sexual abuse material by all regulated providers of search services and user-to-user services.
The UK government should commission a joint inspection of compliance with the victims’ code in relation to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. The code sets out the minimum level of service to be provided by the criminal justice system.
Removal of the three-year limitation period for personal injury claims brought by victims and survivors of child sexual abuse.
A guarantee of specialist therapeutic support for child victims of sexual abuse. The report says services must be fully funded and the only eligibility criteria should be having been a victim of child sexual abuse.
A code of practice on retention of and access to records known to relate to child sexual abuse. It says the retention period should be 75 years.
Amendment of the criminal injuries compensation scheme, including by incorporating other forms of child sexual abuse, including online-facilitated sexual abuse, and increase the time limit for child sexual abuse applications.
Introduction of a single set of core data relating to child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation. This should include characteristics of victims and alleged perpetrators, settings and contexts where abuse takes place and factors that make victims more vulnerable to child sexual abuse or exploitation.
