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Mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse could overwhelm councils, say DCSs

2 mins read Social Care
Government plans to make the reporting of child sexual abuse a legal requirement for some professionals threatens to overwhelm councils with referrals, warn children's social care leaders.
John Pearce is the current ADCS president. Picture: ADCS
John Pearce is the current ADCS president. Picture: ADCS

The requirement is one of 20 recommendations made by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) the government intends to take forward.

But the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS) warns that the move could lead to a spike in referrals and overwhelm children’s services, diverting them away from early support for families as they investigate and assess more cases.

“We believe the proposal for mandatory reporting needs careful consideration,” warned ADCS president John Pearce.

“Currently, the evidence does not suggest this offers greater protections for children or improves their outcomes.”

In addition, it “could have the unintended consequence of overwhelming local services requiring a pivot away from the provision of help and support to assessment and investigation”.

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