Following the Home Office’s consultation on Sexual Abuse Mandatory Reporting in November last year, they have issued a press release advising that “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. 

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.”

Teachers would also be “protected from any repercussions by their employer or wider organisation as a result of a making a report in good faith; or alerting appropriate authorities that a report which should have been made under the duty has been withheld”

Concerns around this proposal include the potential negative impacts of implementing a new duty, from overburdening public services, lowering the quality of referrals to safeguarding agencies and reducing the amount of ‘safe spaces’ available to children, young people who may wish to discuss sexual abuse in confidence and the potential for a new duty to be misused through false and malicious reporting”

The date for this to come into force has not yet been set.  The changes will be introduced as amendments at the report stage of the Criminal Justice Bill in the House of Commons and will apply in England and Wales.   The press release can be found here: Tougher laws to protect children from sexual abuse – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)