In our next blog reviewing the UK Government’s response to the 2022 IICSA recommendations we look at recommendations 12 and 13 which deal with identifying and reporting child sexual abuse. 

Recommendation 12: Mandatory online pre-screening for sexual images of children.

Recommendation 13: Introduction of a statutory requirement of mandatory reporting for child sexual abuse.

Recommendation 12: Mandatory online pre-screening for sexual images of children.

The Government have taken the following steps in relation to online pre-screening for child sexual abuse images before material is uploaded to reduce risk of recurring trauma to victims and survivors.

  • The Online Safety Act gives Ofcom the power to require the use of accredited technologies to deal with child sexual abuse content in private channels where necessary and proportionate. This is in addition to the measures in Ofcom’s illegal harms codes of practice which tackle child sexual abuse and grooming more widely. 
  • From 17 March 2025, social media platforms and messaging apps and internet search services have to comply with the illegal content safety duty in the Online Safety Act 2023.  This means services must protect UK-based users from illegal content and activity that is facilitated or encountered via their services.
  • The Government says it is also committed to an ongoing assessment of whether additional measures are needed to ensure that children are not exposed to content in private channels, which could include pre-screening or other device level interventions.

Recommendation 13: Introduction of a statutory requirement of mandatory reporting for child sexual abuse.

The Government is introducing the mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse within the draft Crime and Policing Bill which is currently going through Parliament. IICSA described this as one of the most important recommendations delivered to the Government. The key measures proposed in the draft Bill are:

  • The duty will apply when disclosures are made by children and perpetrators of child sexual abuse, as well as incidents which are personally witnessed by a reporter. Those who fail to report witnessed or disclosed child sexual abuse may be referred to the Disclosure and Barring Service and face being barred from working with children. They could also be referred to their professional regulator to consider their fitness to practice. 
  • It will also become a criminal offence to obstruct a person from complying with their duty to report, which would be punishable by a fine or up to seven years in prison. This targets the behaviours underlying the concealment of abuse, particularly by senior or influential figures. 
  • There will be no requirement to report child sexual abuse in cases where recognised indicators of abuse are present, which was a recommendation by IICSA. However the Government says that concerns or suspicions should not be met by indifference or inaction and highlights that the new duty does not change or interfere current statutory guidance for individuals who have concerns over potential signs of child sexual abuse, including an immediate referral to the relevant local authority or the police. The Government states that everyone who is responsible for the safety and wellbeing of children should receive appropriate training on such referral processes and that the Government will work with regulators and professional standards-setting bodies to ensure the requirements of the new duty are clearly communicated ahead of implementation.