In this blog reviewing the UK Government’s response to the 2022 IICSA recommendations we look at recommendations 1 (core data) and 14 (the victim's code). 

Recommendation 1: A single set of core data relating to child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation

By December 2025, the latest data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) module on adults’ experiences of sexual abuse as a child, will be published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), providing an updated estimate on how many adults had experienced CSA before the age of 18. The Government will support delivering the ONS’ new “Safety During Childhood Survey” to measure the prevalence of child abuse, which includes child sexual abuse. Subject to agreement on funding, this will involve the ONS:

  • Piloting the survey in Autumn 2025/Spring 2026
  • Producing an estimate of abuse experienced during childhood by those aged 18-25 by late 2026
  • Producing a prevalence estimate of child abuse (including child sexual abuse) to be published in mid/late 2027.

The Government will continue funding the CSA Centre which, through its Trends in Official Data report, brings together and provides up to date analysis of the latest official data from children’s social care, policing, criminal justice and health to help inform improvements in prevention and response to child sexual abuse. The Government will also continue to fund the CSA Centre to provide updates to the Data Insights Hub, which brings together local and national data on the prevalence, identification and response to child sexual abuse. This is said to support the assessment of need and improve the availability of appropriate support.

The Government will also take forward a wider programme of work to support better multi-agency data-sharing:

  • By improving cross-agency use of data through measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to introduce provision for a single child identifier and ensure the legal framework leaves no doubt on agencies’ ability to share information to safeguard children.
  • By May 2025 will introduce an improved police performance framework, including new standards on public protection, child sexual abuse and exploitation.
  • By June 2025, will set out a timetable to act on Baroness Casey’s audit of group-based child sexual exploitation, including any improvements to the collection and quality of data.
  • Will work with stakeholders across the Criminal Justice System to agree clear targets on child sexual abuse to drive up charges and prosecutions.

Recommendation 14: Compliance with the Victims’ Code

The Government has asked the Criminal Justice Joint Inspectorates (CJJI) to include an inspection on the experiences of victims of child sexual abuse in the criminal justice system, including compliance with the Victims’ Code, in their 2025-27 Business Plan as a priority. This would build on their 2023 inspection which looked at Victims’ Code compliance for victims of other crime types and focus on issues that affect CSA victims in particular. The Government are awaiting confirmation of the final programme, which they expect later Spring 2025.