This guide is principally aimed at police officers in a Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH), or in their force’s Public Protection Unit (PPU) or equivalent child protection unit, to help them consider relevant issues at the start of and throughout a criminal investigation into child sexual abuse.
It is also relevant to any other professionals who support and protect children, to help them understand what happens at the beginning of such an investigation.
What happens at this stage?
At this point, a safeguarding concern about child sexual abuse will have been raised with the police. The police may have made an immediate safety visit.
If a decision is made to investigate further:
- a detective is assigned to the case (becoming the ‘Officer in the Case' or sometimes called the Officer in Charge (OIC), and;
- liaises with children’s social care to arrange a multi-agency strategy discussion and plan other next steps.
How may the child be feeling?
The child may be feeling complex emotions.
- They may feel relieved if they know the police are involved.
- they may have experienced trauma, anxiety and confusion if the police have made an immediate safety visit which they were not expecting.
- They may feel responsible for the abuse and any distress caused to their family, especially if they believe family members blame them for police involvement.
- They are likely to worry about what may happen next and feel uncertain about the future.
- Feelings of vulnerability may increase if the person of concern is aware of the police’s involvement and has made threats.
“I remember that there was one police officer who was good and, like, she was good at like keeping my mum informed and she just – she’d always, like, you know – ask and like – ask her what was going on – and she’d ring us – instead of like us ringing her.”
“I had two police officers who used to always deal with my cases and got a new one when I moved. Every six months [she phones to] check up on you. Sometimes just, ‘You’re doing really well’ or, ‘Has anything happened?’ I feel better having a police officer, ’cos we get to know each other and she understands me and the situation.”
“They [the police] were helpful but then I wouldn’t hear from them for ages and didn’t know what was going on … They would ring up and stuff but they wouldn’t come and see me face-to-face.”
The senior officer in the MASH/PPU will decide which of their available officers to assign to the case. Ideally, this person should:
- be a child protection officer.
- have received up to date ‘Achieving Best Evidence’ interview training.
- understand child sexual abuse.
- be the same officer throughout the investigation.
Where possible, it may be beneficial for a female officer to be assigned to the case if the person of concern is a male, regardless of the child’s gender.
- Remember their safety is your first priority.
- Consider how they can be kept informed, involved and supported.
- Consider diversity and how personal characteristics might increase vulnerability and shape the response to child sexual abuse.
Protecting the child
The information already available to you may give you an idea of the child’s immediate safeguarding needs, although you may not get a full picture until the multi-agency strategy discussion takes place. Immediate protective action may be taken, if appropriate.
- Consider what steps needs to be taken to keep the child safe from the person of concern, including court orders.
- Consider what steps need to be taken to remove the child from risk of harm, including using powers of police protection.
Supporting the child
The police have a responsibility to facilitate support. Consider:
- what support the child and their family may need.
- Whether the child would benefit from support from an independent sexual violence adviser (ISVA) or a child and young person’s sexual violence advocate (CYPSVA).
- Whether a referral for therapeutic support should be made for the child.
- You may need to liaise with the local sexual assault referral centre (SARC) to arrange the medical examination.
Communicating with the child and their non-abusing parent(s)
You will be communicating with the child and their family throughout the investigation, so it is important to consider and address their communication needs in advance.
- Consider the child and families communication need and what adjustments need to be made.
- When speaking with parents, consider how their past experiences, such as domestic or childhood sexual abuse, may affect them.
- Avoid using jargon or specialist language when talking to the child or their family.
There are several things that you can do to make sure that the child’s needs remain central while the criminal investigation is continuing.
- Provide continuity - ideally, you will be the officer communicating with the child throughout the investigation.
- Act sensitively and appropriately - make sure that the investigation is conducted in a way that will protect the child’s confidentiality as much as possible and provide regular updates.
- Liaise with children’s social care and keep other professionals updated.
- Remember that sharing information is the cornerstone of effective multiagency working.