12th March 2026: Wales launches ten-year plan to tackle child sexual abuse
The Welsh Government has published a ten-year strategy to prevent and respond to child sexual abuse between 2026-2036, alongside a three-year delivery plan.
The strategy sets out the vision of the Welsh Government that all children in Wales should live free from the harm of sexual abuse and everyone affected is supported across their lifetime.
The strategy focuses on these four key objectives:
- Preventing child sexual abuse: stopping abuse before it happens through awareness-raising and education about healthy relationships.
- Protecting children when there are concerns: ensuring professionals work together quickly and effectively when concerns are raised about a child's safety.
- Supporting children and families: providing timely access to counselling, therapy and support for children who have experienced abuse, along with their parents, carers and siblings.
- Supporting adult survivors: providing ongoing help for adults who were abused as children, whenever they need it.
You can read the strategy here.
5th March 2026: The High Court granted permission for a full Judicial Review into whether the government has failed to act on the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA)
The Maggie Oliver Foundation has taken the government to the High Court seeking a full Judicial Review for its failure to act on the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA).
The High Court has granted permission for a full Judicial Review which means that there is a potential case that the government may have acted unlawfully or unreasonably and that there are concerns about the time it is taking to implement the inquiry’s recommendations.
The Judicial Review will consider evidence and arguments from both sides and conclude whether the government has failed in it’s duty to implement the inquiry’s recommendations.
UPDATED: 04 March 2026
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) was established in 2015 as a statutory inquiry for England and Wales and took seven years to complete. It was independent and was therefore not led by any specific government department. The inquiry heard 7,000 personal testimonies, 15 investigations, public hearings and considered two million pages of evidence.
The final report was published in October 2022 and made 20 specific recommendations for England and 6 specific recommendations for Wales based on the evidence considered as part of the inquiry. These recommendations aim to strengthen safeguards for children and young people at risk of sexual abuse and Survivors who have experienced child sexual abuse.
Although some progress has been made with regards to implementing the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), further progress is required.
This blog tracks the progress of key activities.
2 March 2026: Adjournment Debate in the House of Commons on safeguarding in small religious organisations
On the 2nd of March 2026, Sam Carling (Labour MP for North West Cambridgeshire) hosted an adjournment debate in the House of Commons on safeguarding in small religious organisations.
Sam raised three key issues relating to the proposed mandatory reporting duty in the Crime and Policing Bill: the lack of sanctions for non-compliance, the fact that duty proposed only applies when someone receives a direct disclosure or witnesses abuse occurring (not when they have strong reasons to suspect it) and loopholes in who is included, the drafting proposed that religious leaders who have “unsupervised” contact with children to come under the duty to report.
Sam announced that the House of Lords have approved a Government amendment to remove the word “unsupervised” from that definition of religious leaders. This will open up the duty applying to more religious leaders and keep further children safe in safeguarding communities.
Jess Philips (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls) responded to the other two areas stating that the Government will not introduce further sanctions for non-compliance or add suspicions of abuse to the current proposed duty.
5 February 2026: Consultation launched on a new Victims’ Code in England
In February 2026, the Ministry of Justice launched a consultation seeking views on the draft Victims’ Code (a key recommendation of IICSA). Thirtyone:eight responded to this consultation.
You can read information on this consultation here
11 December 2025: Consultation launched on establishing the Child Protection Authority in England
In December 2025, the Department for Education launched a consultation seeking views on the establishment of the Child Protection Authority in England (a key recommendation of IICSA). Thirtyone:eight responded to this consultation.
You can read information on this consultation here:
July 2025: Jess Phillips attended the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Safeguarding in Faith Communities
Jess Phillips MP and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls attended the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Safeguarding in Faith Communities. Jess Philips MP is a prominent advocate for survivors of abuse and a long-standing campaigner for safeguarding reform. Jess’ participation was welcomed by fellow APPG members, who were encouraged by her continued commitment to elevating the voices of survivors, pushing for systemic change within institutions where safeguarding failures have occurred and the implementation of recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA).
Read the press release here:
25 May 2025: Consultation launched in Wales on The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) and The Code of Safeguarding Practice
In November 2023, the Home Office released a consultation seeking views on the mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse in Wales (a key recommendation of IICSA). Thirtyone:eight responded to this consultation.
You can read information on this consultation here:
Safeguarding in Wales stakeholder engagement survey | GOV.WALES
25 February 2025: Crime and Policing Bill announced in House of Commons
The Crime and Policing Bill introduced a new statutory duty for individuals undertaking key roles with responsibility for children and young people in England to report sexual abuse when they are made aware of it. In line with the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), the bill maps out a clear legal requirement for anyone in regulated activity relating to children in England to report to police and/or the local authority if they are made aware a child is being sexually abused; either by being told about it by a child or perpetrator or witnessing the abuse themselves. The bill states that a report must be made as soon as reasonably practicable to prevent the risk of harm, however in circumstances which involve risk to the life of the child, they may be delayed for a maximum of seven days. The bill also creates a new criminal offence of obstructing an individual from making a report under the duty.
The Crime and Policing Bill also proposes the removal of the supervision exemption from the definition of regulated activity. This means that those who are eligible for a check issued by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and are supervised can now access this check. Previously, those who were eligible but were supervised in their roles would have been exempt from having to get a DBS check.
The bill introduced grooming as an aggravating factor in the sentencing of child sexual offenses. This means that the offending would be viewed as more serious and therefore must be considered by the court when deciding the length of the sentence when a person has utilised grooming behaviours to commit child sexual offenses.
Moreover, the three-year limitation period for personal injury claims brought by victims and survivors of child sexual abuse has been removed under this bill. This allows victims and survivors to bring their personal injury claims at any time following their abuse.
This bill is currently progressing through the House of Lords and therefore this measure is not currently in legislation.
Read the bill here:
27 January 2025: All-Party Parliamentary Group re-registered
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Safeguarding in Faith Communities is proud to announce it has had its inaugural meeting on the 27 January 2025 and is now re-registered following on from the general election.
Thirtyone:eight are proud to continue providing the Secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Safeguarding in Faith Communities for a sixth year.
The aims of the group are to increase awareness of issues relating to safeguarding within faith contexts and to provide an opportunity for faith communities to inform the safeguarding conversation in Westminster. The APPG for Safeguarding in Faith Communities is focusing on the following aims to advocate for this change:
- Exploring the effectiveness of partnership working between faith settings and statutory agencies and other voluntary sector organisations in safeguarding;
- Encouraging the implementation of recommendations arising from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), and in particular,
- Supporting the implementation of robust measures to support the introduction of effective mandatory reporting legislation.
17 January 2025: Second Reading of the Private Members Bill - Regulated and Other Activities (Mandatory Reporting of Child Sexual Abuse) Bill in the House of Lords
On the 17 January, Baroness Grey Thompson introduced the Private Members Bill on Regulated and Other Activities (Mandatory Reporting of Child Sexual Abuse) for its second reading into the House of Lords.
The bill’s aim is to mandate those providing and carrying out regulated or other activities with responsibility for the care of children to report known and suspected child sexual abuse; to protect mandated reporters from detriment; to create a criminal offence of failing to report prescribed concerns; and for connected purposes.
The bill was welcomed by the Lords and has progressed to the Committee Stage for a detailed review of the bill.
You can watch or read the debate here:
Parliamentlive.tv - House of Lords
Regulated and Other Activities (Mandatory Reporting of - Hansard - UK Parliament
16 January 2025: Home Secretary's statement on the next steps to tackle child sexual exploitation in the House of Commons
On the 16 January, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper gave a further update to the House of Commons on the actions the government will take to protect young people from sexual abuse and grooming gangs.
The Home Secretary committed to the implementation of all 20 recommendations from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) and a timetable will be drawn up before Easter for the implementation. You can read these here:
Recommendations | IICSA Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse
The Home Secretary also announced a rapid audit into the current scale and nature of gang-based exploitation across the country will be undertaken by Baroness Louise Casey). Baroness Casey will undertake a three-month review and produce recommendations on further work that is needed.
Other noteworthy announcements from the Home Secretary’s update include the extension of the remit of the Independent Child Sexual Review Panel to include not only cases before 2013, but all cases since so that Survivors will have the right to an independent review, grooming to be introduced as an aggravating factor in sentencing for exploitation and the commitment to drawing up a “duty of candour” to ensure accountability to those in positions of trust.
Read the Home Secretary’s statement in full.
You can watch or read the debate here:
Parliamentlive.tv - House of Commons
Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse - Hansard - UK Parliament
6 January 2025: Home Secretary’s statement on child sexual abuse in the House of Commons
On the 6 January Home Secretary Yvette Cooper gave a statement about the government's commitment to tackle child sexual abuse and grooming gangs.
The Home Secretary announced action on three of the 20 recommendations from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) undertaken by Professor Alexis Jay.
Firstly, the Home Secretary committed to Mandatory Reporting measures to be included in the Crime and Policing Bill in the spring. She explained that this would make it an offense with professional and criminal sanctions to report or cover up child sexual abuse.
Secondly, grooming was announced to become an aggravating factor in the sentencing of child sexual offenses.
Thirdly, the Home Secretary stated that they will introduce a single child identifier in the Children and Wellbeing Bill and a clear new performance framework for policing to strengthen standards.
Read the Home Secretary’s statement in full.
Read Thirtyone:eight’s response to the announcement.
You can watch or read the debate here:
Parliamentlive.tv - BSL - House of Commons
Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse - Hansard - UK Parliament
April 2024: Thirtyone:eight publishes a manifesto
We published our first-ever manifesto setting out the key opportunities we have identified to improve policy, legislation and guidance to offer greater protection from harm and abuse to all children and adults living in the UK.
The manifesto, entitled ‘Together we can - a manifesto for a safer society for all’, contains a number of key recommendations grouped into three main themes. The recommendations aim to strengthen the safeguards that are already in place, better protect victims and survivors of abuse, and create safer environments for all.
Read the Thirtyone:eight manifesto.
Read about the work Thirtyone:eight is calling for
November 2023: Consultation launched in England on the mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse
In November 2023, the Home Office released a consultation seeking views on the mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse in England (a key recommendation of IICSA). Thirtyone:eight responded to this consultation.
You can read information on this consultation here:
May 2023: Government responds to the final report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse
In May 2023 the Government issued its response to the recommendations contained in the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) report. Despite the Government accepted the issues highlighted in the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), they proposed a number of amendments to arrangements that already exist and further consultations.
You can read the response here:
April 2023: the Welsh Government respond to the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA)
From the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), 6 of the recommendations are specifically for Wales. In April 2023, the Welsh Government responded to these recommendations, accepting 4 of them fully and 2 of them in principle. The Welsh Government has accepted the recommendations for a single core data set, a Child Protection Authority for England and Wales, a Cabinet Minister for Children and the need for public awareness on child sexual abuse. The Welsh Government has accepted in principle the need for mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse and specialists therapeutic support for child victims of sexual abuse with the view that they want to explore the options around this further.
You can read the response here:
October 2022: Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) published
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) was established in 2015 as a statutory inquiry for England and Wales and took seven years to complete. It was independent and was therefore not led by any specific government department. The inquiry heard 7,000 personal testimonies, 15 investigations, public hearings and considered two million pages of evidence.
The final report was published in October 2022 and made 20 specific recommendations based on the evidence considered as part of the inquiry.
Read the full report of the Independent Inquiry into Sexual Abuse (IICSA).
Read the 20 recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Sexual Abuse (IICSA).