This post proposes an approach to future-proof your organisation from being targeted by child sex offenders. Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) can be prevented!

Guiding considerations

1. Child sex abuse happens wherever safeguarding is weak and it almost always happens after grooming activities. Early identification of grooming allows an organisation to stop physical abuse.
2. Perpetrators generally operate in a network– rarely they are lone wolves!
3. Perpetrators & those who enable CSA must be accountable – if you really want to stop CSA
4. Apply a zero tolerance approach – no exceptions ever!
5. False allegations of CSA is statistically small – investigate all allegations
6. Know that legislative (CYSOF) compliance does not equal child safety – it is just the foundation for safety.
7. Know your mandatory reporting obligations and comply
8. Engage the support of parents in helping to keep children safe
9. Equip children to help keep themselves safe

A proposed best practice approach:

1. Use the research evidence to inform your strategy. Implement those things that work to stop CSA in your type of institution. Parse the literature!
2. Draw on local intelligence and data – about the incidence and nature of child sexual abuse in the community and your institutional sector
3. Establish guiding principles – e.g. transparency, personal accountability, with prevention being everyone’s responsibility including parents
4. Develop implementation guidelines
   • Use trauma-informed practices when engaging with victims
   • Publicly acknowledge the victims of child sexual abuse and the harms they have experienced
   • Conduct a forensic review of past failures to ensure that the strategy will ‘fix’ historical failures in your institution
   • Commit to focus on worst-first risks to deliver high impact improvements in safeguarding. That is, high risk activities in high risk settings involving children at particular risk!
   • Ensure high-visibility of your strategy to key stakeholders especially parents!
   • Make reporting options safe and easy – anonymous, confidential and named
   • Know your statutory and legislative obligations and meet them, especially mandatory reporting requirements
   • Keep your Board informed of emergent risks
   • Don’t prioritise reputational or professional interests- it will almost certainly backfire!
5. Risk stratify
   • Establish the risk rating of your type of organisation- high, medium, but never low!
   • Identify the high risk activities within your organisation
   • Identify the children who are most at risk in your organisation
6. Develop and apply practical risk mitigation strategies for your high-risk activities with particular protections afforded to children at heightened risk
7. Consider self-accrediting to the CYSOF standards with the input and guidance of the Independent Regulator
8. Periodically review the effectiveness of the strategy with reference to available performance data/ information
9. Systematically modify your strategy and its practical implementation in light of its performance
10. Proactively inform the Office of the Independent Regulator as to your actions

Conversation starters

1. Would your organisation align with best practice?
2. What might be the barriers to the adoption of best practice?
3. Is your organisation safeguarding children?
4. What might be the consequences if the public were to become aware of ongoing safe guarding failures in your organisation?