This practice guide provides an overview of the initial response by police officers and staff following a report of suspected child sexual abuse. It is primarily aimed at police call handlers, attending or first response officers and support staff.
It is also relevant to any other professionals who support and protect children, to help them understand the police’s initial response when suspicions of child sexual abuse are reported.
What happens at this point?
Often the police will become aware of a child sexual abuse concern (including discovery of child sexual abuse images) through:
- a complaint made by the child themselves directly to the police.
- a phone call to the police from a member of the public (who may be a member of the child’s family) saying that a child is being or has been sexually abused or reporting a child’s disclosure of sexual abuse.
- an out-of-hours child protection referral made to the local authority’s Emergency Duty team or equivalent.
- a child protection referral made to a Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) or other ‘front door’ service.
- the identification of sexual abuse, or the risk of sexual abuse, by local authority children’s services while working with a child (including during a multi-agency strategy discussion).
The police:
- may need to make an immediate safety visit.
- will assign an Officer in the Case.
If images of child sexual abuse are discovered by another police force, the concerns will be logged, and local police will respond appropriately.
If the offender’s whereabouts are known an arrest request may be made by that force to arrest the offender.
If the child is identifiable and their location also known, the receiving force will hold a strategy discussion to plan what action is needed to protect the child.
How may the child be feeling?
If the child knows the police are involved, they may be experiencing a complex mix of feelings:
- Relief and hope that something will be done and that the abuse, if it is ongoing, will stop.
- Anxiety about what may happen to them, their family and/or the person who has abused them.
- Apprehension about the police visiting their home and what will happen next, particularly the impact on them and their family.
- They may have prior experience with law enforcement, social services, or other agencies, which can impact their current perceptions and emotions.
- They may be influenced by negative opinions within their family or community.
- They may not consider themselves to be victims of abuse and feel confused or angry.
“It feels like a police officer walks into your life and decides your every move and action.”
“Police need to hear the young person. Get two sides of the story and find out what the problem is. Make sure the young person feels they are listened to.”
If the police are called by a member of the public reporting a concern or suspicion that a child is being or has been sexually abused, or is at risk of sexual abuse, the caller may have little direct evidence to share.
There are many ways to help:
- Be aware that a concern about any form of child abuse may be raised as part of a call that is primarily about something else: domestic abuse, concern for welfare, a missing child, child neglect, criminal exploitation or a child’s own behaviour including criminal offending, for example.
- Once a concern about child sexual abuse has been raised, a child protection response will be required.
- This initial contact is the start of the investigative process. It is an opportunity to obtain accurate and relevant information to support a thorough investigation, ascertain whether a crime has occurred, and give reassurance and guidance to the caller (about the preservation of forensic evidence, for example).
- As the call handler, remember that you have safeguarding responsibilities; the immediate priority is to ascertain the level of risk to the child.
- Ensure that all information gathered is recorded accurately in the words used by the caller.
- Following the call, carry out any relevant Police National Computer and other checks on the child, their family and the suspect, and start an incident log.
This initial contact is the start of the investigative process. It is an opportunity to obtain accurate and relevant information to support a thorough investigation, ascertain whether a crime has occurred.
As the call handler, remember that you have safeguarding responsibilities; the immediate priority is to ascertain the level of risk to the child.
If you are the attending officer making an immediate safety visit, this is an opportunity to gather information and evidence that will lead to the appropriate safeguarding of the child as well as the detection of any crimes. Opportunities to locate and gather evidence may be limited in the future, and material mustn't be lost.
Before the immediate safety visit
- Think what information you need to determine the immediacy of any safeguarding issues.
- If time allows, contact children’s social care or the emergency duty team (EDT out-of-hours service) for information.
- Consider how you will communicate with the child and family in a way that causes minimal distress.
- Remember to think about the child as an individual.
- If the concerns raised relate to harmful sexual behaviour by another child (including a sibling or other family member), you will need to consider the welfare of the child who has harmed as well as the child who has been harmed.
During the visit
- Consider how you can communicate with the family to manage trauma, anxiety, and confusion.
- Find out as much as you can about the alleged abuse, and record the facts as told to you by the child, in their own words.
- Record what you hear and see in a contemporaneous note.
- The child's safety is the first priority – consider what, if any steps need to be taken to ensure the child's safety.
- Secure evidence - whatever form the suspected abuse has taken, and whether it is suspected to have taken place inside or outside the family home, gather as much evidence as possible.
- Consider how best to support the child.
After the visit
- Before going off duty, complete a child protection referral and alert the local police child protection unit by following local guidance.
- A multi-agency strategy discussion will be held to assess next steps, including the need for children’s social care to carry out a child protection enquiry.