Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation: Recording Practices in Children's Social Care and Serious Incident Reporting -- Qualitative Insights for Policy and Practice
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| Title: | Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation: Recording Practices in Children's Social Care and Serious Incident Reporting -- Qualitative Insights for Policy and Practice |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Emma Ball, Michelle McManus, Jessica McElwee, Paige Monaghan, Department for Education (DfE) (United Kingdom) |
| Source: | UK Department for Education. 2026. |
| Availability: | UK Department for Education. Castle View House East Lane, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 2GJ, UK. Tel: +44-37-0000-2288; Fax: +44-19-2873-8248; Web site: http://www.education.gov.uk |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 77 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Reports - Research Tests/Questionnaires |
| Descriptors: | Child Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Police, Social Work, Foreign Countries, Legal Responsibility, Case Records, Documentation, Disclosure |
| Geographic Terms: | United Kingdom (England) |
| ISBN: | 978-1-83870-774-3 |
| Abstract: | Recent national reviews and analyses highlight a persistent gap between police-recorded child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE) and what is visible in children's social care datasets, particularly the Children in Need (CIN) census and Serious Incident Notifications (SINs). Recommendation 9 of the Casey Audit called for further investigation into the potential explanations for these differences, including potential under-identification, variation in local authority recording practices and the adequacy of current statutory data systems. In direct response, the Department for Education (DfE) commissioned this qualitative study to explore how CSAE is identified, assessed, recorded and reported within children's social care practice. This study involved 48 semi-structured interviews with practitioners across six local authorities. While not representative of practice across England, the research provides in-depth, practice-grounded insights that help explain national quantitative patterns and identify structural, cultural and system-level factors shaping CSAE visibility in statutory data. |
| Abstractor: | ERIC |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | ED679897 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Recent national reviews and analyses highlight a persistent gap between police-recorded child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE) and what is visible in children's social care datasets, particularly the Children in Need (CIN) census and Serious Incident Notifications (SINs). Recommendation 9 of the Casey Audit called for further investigation into the potential explanations for these differences, including potential under-identification, variation in local authority recording practices and the adequacy of current statutory data systems. In direct response, the Department for Education (DfE) commissioned this qualitative study to explore how CSAE is identified, assessed, recorded and reported within children's social care practice. This study involved 48 semi-structured interviews with practitioners across six local authorities. While not representative of practice across England, the research provides in-depth, practice-grounded insights that help explain national quantitative patterns and identify structural, cultural and system-level factors shaping CSAE visibility in statutory data. |
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| ISBN: | 978-1-83870-774-3 |
