A multi-agency strategy discussion or meeting is held

Children's social care receive the referral and decide next steps

Police log the concerns and take initial actions

This guide explains how you can best help the child before, during and after a multi-agency strategy discussion. It is designed for all professionals in any discipline – including social work, policing, education, probation, the voluntary sector and health – who may be involved in a multi-agency strategy discussion when child sexual abuse concerns have been raised.

What is a multi-agency strategy discussion?

A multi-agency strategy discussion (sometimes called a multi-agency strategy meeting) marks a crucial point in the response to child sexual abuse concerns. It must be held if there is reasonable cause to think that a child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. The strategy discussion creates a space for multi-agency partners to:

share information
assess risk and need
agree a plan that will address the risk and need
decide next steps.

Participants should include children’s social care, police, health and, where appropriate, education services, and any other professionals with specialist knowledge or knowledge of the child and their family.

A complex abuse strategy discussion should be convened where there are concerns about complex or organised abuse involving, for example:

one or more alleged individuals (acting together or in isolation)
abuse through exploitation of an institutional framework or position of authority
the abuse of three or more related or unrelated children.

Attendees at a complex abuse strategy discussion should include the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) or a representative from the exploitation team.

How may the child be feeling?

A child who is the subject of a multi-agency strategy discussion may be suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. They are likely to be experiencing a complex range of emotions:

They may hope and expect action will be taken about the sexual abuse, but worry about the impact on themselves and their family.
They will probably feel very vulnerable, especially if the person who has abused them has not been arrested.
Some children may hope to be removed from their current situation.
Some children, especially those exploited by groups or groomed online, may not recognise they are being sexually abused or at risk
Others may be aware of the abuse but worry about it being discovered, perhapd because of threats from the person abusing them.
The chhild may feel unhappy if they know that the police and/or social services are getting involved. They
are likely to feel a loss of control over their lives.

The strategy discussion should consider the child's feelings, hopes, worries, fears, and uncertainties, and clarify who will share information with the child. It should not make assumptions about the child’s wishes and feelings.

Whatever your profession – social work, policing, healthcare, education etc – gather all the relevant information you can.
Centre your thoughts on concerns about child sexual abuse, even if the child has not said unequivocally that they are being abused and you have not seen clear evidence that it is happening – do not focus on other concerns (such as neglect or physical abuse) which may feel easier to identify.
Use our Signs and Indicators Template to think about and record anything you have noticed which may indicate that the child is being sexually abused, so you can build a holistic picture of the child’s circumstances.

Everyone involved in the strategy discussion should ensure that concerns about child sexual abuse are central to the discussion, alongside any other concerns such as neglect and physical or emotional abuse. Focus on understanding who may be responsible for the abuse (or the risk of abuse) and how to stop it.

In any case of suspected child abuse, the strategy discussion should consider:

the child's hopes and wishes - take account of what the child wants and expects from your involvement, and consider what might be acting as a barrier to them telling about what has happened to them
the child's characteristics and circumstances – consider how their personal characteristics might increase their vulnerability to sexual abuse and shape your response to it (including by taking account of communication needs related to their age, ethnicity and any disability or neurodivergence)
the context of the suspected sexual abuse – for example, whether it has happened within the family environment, outside the home, or online, and the nature of the child’s relationship to the person of concern.

The strategy discussion will weigh up all the available information and evidence about whether a child has been, or is likely to be, sexually abused and/or harmed in other ways. It will then decide the most appropriate action to be taken. More than one discussion or meeting might be required. Outcomes may include:

Steps to protect the child from (further) immediate harm, including keeping the person(s) of concern away from the child, possibly through court orders, or removing the child from risk of harm
Further enquiry and assessment:
- The child may have a paediatric medical assessment/examination.
- If there is evidence that a crime may have been committed, the police will conduct a criminal investigation
- Children’s social care may carry out a child protection enquiry – or, if this is not needed but support could help the child and family, there may be a multi-agency assessment or an early help response.
- If both a criminal investigation and a child protection enquiry are needed, they should be conducted as a joint investigation.

The social work manager who chaired the discussion should record an account of the discussion and decisions made, and consider the need for a follow-up strategy discussion.
A designated person should feedback the outcomes to the child in a way that makes sense to the child and ensures their safety.
All participants should work to support the child’s wellbeing – their education, emotional health, physical health, and their relationship with family and friends.