Two years on from IICSA

Over the last few days, we have seen sexual abuse by grooming gangs and the requirement for mandatory reporting highlighted in the media.

Calls have been made by the Conservative party for there to be a full national public inquiry into the UK’s “rape gang scandal”. This followed the Home Office Minister, Jess Phillips’ refusal of Oldham’s Council’s request for a government led inquiry into historical child sexual exploitation.

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) was set up in 2015 and published its final report in 2022. The inquiry carried out 15 investigations which included grooming gangs, mandatory reporting, together with abuse in school and church settings. The recommendations, necessary to reduce child suffering, have yet to be implemented.

Professor Alexis Jay, the Chair of IICSA has called for the full implementation of her reforms and for the Government to commit to a timeline. “Our mission is not to call for new inquiries but to advocate for the full implementation of IICSA’s recommendations.”

The slow government response to the recommendations has been frustrating for survivors of abuse who showed courage to come forward and participate in the inquiry. There are genuine concerns that another public inquiry would just delay progress. Survivors want and deserve action now.

It is encouraging that in recent reports the Government have indicated that they are “getting on” with the implementing the recommendations with a Home Office spokesperson stating that they are “working at pace across government.”

Yesterday’s announcement by the Home Secretary Yvette Cooper would appear to come on the back of recent media reports. Ms Cooper announced that the Government would introduce mandatory reporting and, “make it an offence with professional and criminal sanctions to fail to report or cover up child sexual abuse.”

Mandatory reporting was one of the recommendations of IICSA. It stated that there should be a legal requirement for those who work in regulated activity or in a position of trust to report abuse in certain circumstances including if they observed recognised indicators of child sexual abuse.

The Home Secretary also stated that the Government intended to make grooming an aggravated factor in sentencing of abuse cases and “overhaul how information and evidence on child sexual abuse is gathered.”

The new measures will be included in the Crime and Policing Bill which is due to come before Parliament this spring. 

Ms Cooper also stated that herself and Minister Jess Phillips had met with Professor Jay and have convened a cross-government group which would set out timescales following work with a new “victims and survivors” panel. 

Whilst the way in which the child sexual abuse has been highlighted in the media over the last few days is perhaps disappointing, we can hope that the media coverage will urge the Government to move forward with implementing IICSA’s recommendations and provide a timeline for action.