In January 2025, Yvette Cooper, Home Secretary announced that the Labour government would be implementing all 20 of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) recommendations.
One of the key recommendations, and one we are campaigning to come to law is on Mandatory Reporting. This is a subject that has been discussed at length in parliament, and for our members it's been difficult to keep track of developments.
This blog shows the timeline of events over the last couple of years. With the most recent events at the top.
27th 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 27th of 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.
17th 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 17th of 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
16th January 2025: Home Secretary's statement on the next steps to tackle child sexual exploitation in the House of Commons
On the 16th of 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
6th January 2025: Home Secretary’s statement on child sexual abuse in the House of Commons
On the 6th of 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.
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).