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Introduction
This section outlines the types of information held by different organisations which could be useful to share within the multi-agency network when there are concerns about child sexual abuse. Whatever your role, it aims to help you understand what information exists within your own organisation, and what other practitioners and organisations may hold, so that decisions and interventions are based on the fullest possible picture of the child and their family.
Sharing information appropriately can support early recognition of risk, improve safeguarding responses, and ensure that support is timely, coordinated and proportionate.
Social care practitioners in local authorities play a central role in safeguarding and supporting children and families who may be experiencing or affected by sexual abuse. Social workers, family support workers and other practitioners regularly engage with children and families over time, gaining a detailed understanding of the child’s circumstances, relationships and needs.
Case records, assessments and direct work notes can provide valuable insights into a child’s daily life, wellbeing, risk factors and protective factors. This information is especially useful if the child, their sibling or another family member has previously had contact with local authority social care; building a detailed family chronology is essential in developing a thorough understanding of the needs of each family member.
Criminal justice agencies play a key role, in both protecting children and investigating/managing risk, when there are concerns about child sexual abuse. Police, probation and other criminal justice practitioners may have contact with children and families at points of crisis or enforcement, and may hold critical information about allegations, incidents, patterns of behaviour, or known risks. Records from criminal justice agencies can provide important insights into immediate safety concerns, offending histories, bail or licence conditions, and ongoing risk management.
Children and families may have contact with a wide range of health practitioners. When concerns of child sexual abuse arise, these practitioners may be able to provide valuable information relating to the child and those around them, including the individual(s) who may have abused them.
- Family GP
- Practice nurse
- Health visitor
- School nurse
- Midwife
- Paediatrician (general or community)
- Emergency department doctor or nurse
- Sexual assault referral centre (SARC) clinician or paediatric forensic examiner
- Child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) practitioner
- Clinical psychologist/therapist (children)
- Speech and language therapist
- Occupational therapist
- Dental practitioners (dentist, dental nurse, hygienist)
- Sexual health services
- Substance misuse services
- Adult mental health services
- Clinical psychologist/therapist (adults)
Education practitioners are in a key position to recognise and respond to concerns of child sexual abuse; they are also the practitioners whom children are most likely to talk to when they are being or have been sexually abused. Staff in schools, colleges, and other education settings regularly observe children over time and can be the first to notice behavioural changes or signs of distress.
Education records can provide valuable insights into a child’s daily life, academic progress, social development and safeguarding history. Sharing timely and accurate information from and with education practitioners is essential for risk assessment, contextual understanding, and coordinated multi-agency safeguarding.
Voluntary and community services often play an important role in supporting children and families where there are concerns about child sexual abuse. Staff and volunteers in these services may build trusting relationships with children and their parents or carers through ongoing informal or specialist support, and may be among the first people a child feels able to talk to about their experiences.
Records held by voluntary and community organisations can provide valuable insights into a child’s emotional wellbeing, relationships, daily experiences and sources of support.
- Sexual assault referral centre (SARC) crisis workers
- Independent sexual violence advisers (ISVAs)
- Victim support or advocacy workers
- Voluntary-sector youth workers
- Family Hub/Children’s Centre workers
- Faith leaders and youth ministers
- Sports coaches and sports club welfare officers
- Staff and volunteers in voluntary organisations such as Scouts, Guides and after-school clubs
- Neighbourhood officers and housing officers
- Workers in refuges and domestic abuse services