A mandatory reporting duty is a duty or obligation, placed on an individual or organisation, to report child abuse to the relevant authority. The goal of any child protection policy is to ensure that children are protected from harm, and so the introduction of any new policy must be backed by evidence that this protection will happen. It is Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health’s (RCPCH’s) priority that changes are made which will work within existing child protection systems, alongside wider system reforms which will move, on the whole, to improve child protection and outcomes for children.
An evidence review by RCPCH has shown that mandatory reporting of child abuse (“mandatory reporting”) often increases the instances of reported abuse, however there is limited evidence to show that an increase in reports leads to an increase in children being protected from harm or specific improved outcomes for children. If a mandatory reporting duty were to be introduced, it is essential to be sure that reported abuse will be investigated and acted upon, and to ensure that outcomes for children are improved.
RCPCH is asking the government to consider five key points before considering whether a mandatory reporting duty is best for children in England and Wales:
- All types of child abuse must fall under any mandatory reporting duty
- A children’s rights impact assessment must be carried out
- A Government systems impact assessment must be carried out
- Measurable outcomes for children must be built into any plans
- Clearer definitions must be provided before further consultation
More detail on these points can be found in RCPCH’s response to the Home Office’s call to evidence.
RCPCH cannot recommend a blanket introduction of mandatory reporting until these recommendations are addressed, however our position statement highlights important strengthening measures which can be applied to existing mechanisms, such as better use of the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) system, increased registration (with regulators) of professionals, and an alignment of standards across regulators in relation to mandatory reporting. We will continue to review this position as further information and evidence becomes available.
Speaking on the current mandatory reporting recommendations, RCPCH Officer for Child Protection, Professor Andrew Rowland said:
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse has shown us that much more needs to be done to protect all children from abuse. It is important that the government acts promptly to strengthen existing mechanisms while it takes the necessary care to ensure that any new measures introduced are based on tangible evidence that outcomes will improve for children.
Paediatricians understand that current guidelines need to change, but we can’t have change for change’s sake. We need to see effective evidence-based policies and recommendations implemented and regularly reviewed in order to protect our children. We hope that the Home Office will take note of our evidence-based considerations and work together with us to improve and implement robust and dynamic changes to child protection policy and systems.