The UK Government has announced a major update on the action it is taking to combat child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSA). Speaking to the House of Commons, the government highlighted new measures, progress made so far, and how it plans to support victims and survivors while holding abusers fully accountable.
The Reality: CSA in the UK Today
An estimated 500,000 children are sexually abused in the UK each year. In 2023, police recorded 115,000 CSA cases, and the Grooming Gangs Taskforce alone contributed to 597 arrests in just nine months last year.
Sadly, many institutions have failed children in the past—focusing more on protecting reputations than victims. But the government now promises to change this.
Key Government Actions Announced
1. Tougher Laws and Policing
- New CSA police performance framework to hold forces accountable
- Border Force powers to detect digital child abuse material
- Online abuse crackdown, including AI-generated grooming
- Ban on sex offenders changing names to hide identity
- Extra investment into specialist police units like the Online Undercover Network
2. Action on Grooming Gangs
- Baroness Casey’s national audit on group-based CSA underway
- Local councils can apply for a £5 million fund to support local inquiries
- Police chiefs asked to reopen no further action cases involving group-based CSA
- Best practice framework to support victim-led local reviews coming soon
Better Support for Victims and Survivors
The government will now:
- Expand Independent Child Trafficking Guardians to support more children
- Double Home Office funding for adult survivors’ support services in 2024–25
- Remove the 3-year time limit on bringing abuse-related civil claims
- Shift burden of proof to defendants to make it easier for survivors to get compensation
- Improve access to therapy services – with plans due in the coming weeks
New Laws and Legal Protections Coming
The government has committed to:
- Mandatory reporting law for professionals and volunteers working with children
- New criminal offence for obstructing a report of CSA
- Child Protection Authority to oversee national safeguarding standards
- Inspection of abuse in family settings by Ofsted, CQC and HMICFRS this autumn
- Data retention code by the Information Commissioner to ensure survivors’ rights
IICSA Recommendations: Finally Taken Forward
Many of these changes come from the findings of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), which ended in 2022. The inquiry heard from over 7,000 survivors, reviewed over 2 million pages of evidence, and revealed major failings in how children were protected.
The government now promises to act on IICSA’s work and consult this year on creating a national Child Protection Authority.
What’s Next?
- Full implementation of mandatory reporting laws
- Spending Review to decide on a national compensation scheme
- More details on therapy access, redress, and victim support reforms
- Ongoing monitoring of police performance and CSA case handling
This is a big step forward in protecting children and supporting survivors of abuse. The UK Government has finally started to act on promises made years ago—to bring offenders to justice, support victims with compassion, and rebuild a broken system.
For survivors, this is just the beginning of real change.
FAQ’s
What are the new UK laws to tackle child sexual abuse?
The government will introduce mandatory reporting for people working with children, create a new criminal offence for blocking reports, and expand police powers to tackle grooming and online abuse.
How is the UK government supporting victims of child sexual abuse?
The government is doubling funding for adult survivor support services, improving therapy access, and removing legal time limits for civil abuse claims.
What is the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA)?
IICSA was a 7-year national inquiry that examined how institutions failed to protect children from abuse. It made major recommendations to improve child safeguarding.
What is the Child Protection Authority?
The new authority will oversee national child protection standards and replace the Child Safeguarding Review Panel. It will ensure better leadership and learning on abuse prevention.
When will these changes come into effect?
Many measures, including mandatory reporting and expanded support services, are set to begin in 2024. More updates will follow after the upcoming Spending Review.
