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Latest news and work

The latest news, insights, publications and opportunities from our team.

A female teacher sat at a table next to a boy in a classroom. The teacher looks concerned and is listening to the boy

Communicating with children guide: 2025 update

We have updated our essential Communicating with children guide, to help professionals learn how to listen to and understand all children when concerned about sexual abuse.

The Communicating with children guide gives everyone who works with children accessible guidance on talking with children about child sexual abuse. Our latest version of the guide provides new guidance on how to support children with a variety of different communication needs so professionals can provide all children with the opportunity to communicate about what happened to them.

Download the updated guide
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What you need to know about child sexual abuse

Sadly, child sexual abuse is a very common form of harm. We estimate that 1 in 10 children are sexually abused by the age of 16 in England and Wales. To identify, respond to and prevent this abuse, we need to have a good understanding of the essential facts about it.

What you need to know about child sexual abuse is our accessible new overview introducing the topic of child sexual abuse, helping readers build an informed understanding of; what we know about the scale and nature of abuse, how to identify and respond to abuse, its impact, and what we can do to help children, adults and families recover and move forward.

 

Read What you need to know
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Child sexual abuse in 2023/24: Trends in official data

Our latest annual Trends in official data report collates of the latest data across local authorities, policing, criminal justice, sexual assault referral centres and, for the first time, data on what happens following convictions of child sexual abuse offences, to explore how child sexual abuse is being identified and responded to in England and Wales in 2023/24.

The new analysis shows that the number of people charged and convicted following child sexual abuse offences both increased, yet the number of children with a protection plan for sexual abuse in England fell to it’s lowest level in thirty years – making up just 3.5% of all new plans in 2023/24. Read all the trends in the report below.

Read Trends in official data
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Funding and commissioning child sexual abuse services

We’ve released our new Funding and commissioning child sexual abuse services guide. It is is designed to build understanding of where and how to address these gaps in provision. In four parts, the resource signposts each stage of the commissioning cycle: analysing local need for support, planning targeted interventions, delivering effective support services, and rigorously reviewing outcomes.

It is designed for funders and commissioners across a wide range of local, regional and national arrangements, including Police and Crime Commissioners, local authorities, NHS England and Wales and Integrated Care Boards, the guide offers a structured approach to developing and improving support provision.

Funders and commissioners guide

Published: National review into child sexual abuse within the family environment

The Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel published the results of their National Review into child sexual abuse within the family environment – which was conducted by the CSA Centre.

The review focuses on the experiences of 193 children who were sexually abused in the family environment. Sadly, for many of these children the abuse they experienced was not identified by professionals, or they did not get the support needed for their safety or recovery. In the report, we set out 10 national recommendations which could fundamentally transform the identification of abuse and the response that children and families receive. Please note  – the children’s experiences reviewed in this report are upsetting.

Read the report on gov.uk

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