Children will be better protected from sexual predators under plans being brought forward by the Home Secretary
Children will be better protected from sexual predators under plans being brought forward by the Home Secretary today (Wednesday 21 February).
There will be a legal requirement for anyone in regulated activity relating to children in England, including teachers or healthcare professionals, to report it if they know a child is being sexually abused.
Those who fail to report child sexual abuse they are aware of, falling short of their legal duties, face being barred from working with young people.
Anyone who actively protects child sexual abusers – by intentionally blocking others from reporting or covering up the crime – could go to prison for 7 years.
By making mandatory reporting a legal requirement, the government is delivering on a key recommendation in the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) report to protect children from harm and make sure authorities never again turn a blind eye to this kind of devastating crime.
In a move to further protect people from sexual predators, the police are being given greater powers to stop registered sex offenders from changing their name if they think they still pose a risk to their communities.
This will mean those who commit these despicable crimes face the full force of the law and are managed under tough measures, preventing them from offending again.
Home Secretary James Cleverly said:
Minister for Victims and Safeguarding Laura Farris said:
Gabrielle Shaw, Chief Executive for The National Association for People Abused in Childhood said:
National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for the Management of Violent and Sexual Offenders, Assistant Chief Constable Jonny Blackwell, said:
Chair of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, Professor Alexis Jay OBE said:
Under the proposed changes, police will be able to issue a notice to sex offenders who continue to spark concern blocking them from changing or attempting to change their name on official documents such as passports and driving licences without their approval.
Today’s announcement builds on the UK’s existing laws to manage sex offenders, which are among the toughest in the world.
The government is also investing in a range of work to strengthen law enforcement capacity and capability to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation. This includes:
The new measures will be introduced as amendments at report stage of the Criminal Justice Bill in the House of Commons and will apply in England and Wales.