Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

Female Genital Mutilation is a criminal offence – it is child abuse and a form of violence against women and girls, and therefore should be treated as such. Cases should be dealt with as part of existing structures, policies and procedures on child protection and adult safeguarding. There are, however, particular characteristics of FGM that front-line professionals should be aware of to ensure that they can provide appropriate protection and support to those affected.

The following principles should be adopted by all agencies in relation to identifying and responding to those at risk of, or who have undergone FGM, and their parent(s)or guardians:

  • the safety and welfare of the child is paramount;
  • all agencies should act in the interests of the rights of the child, as stated in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989);
  • FGM is illegal in the UK;
  • FGM is an extremely harmful practice - responding to it cannot be left to personal choice;
  • accessible, high quality and sensitive health, education, police, social care and voluntary sector services must underpin all interventions;
  • as FGM is often an embedded social norm, engagement with families and communities plays an important role in contributing to ending it;
  • all decisions or plans should be based on high quality assessments (in accordance with Working Together to Safeguard Children (2015)5 statutory guidance in England

For information on a local counselling service available to victims of FGM and Honour Based Violence please see link on IKWRO in links below.

Adobe PDF Document

FGM: an information leaflet 

FGM: an information leaflet from Department of Health and NHS England
Adobe PDF Document

Sutton FGM referral and assessment guidance 

Sutton FGM booklet 
Adobe PDF Document

Sutton FGM flowchart 
Adobe PDF Document

FGM risk & safeguarding: Guidance for professionals 

This document provides practice guidance, and is designed to provide an example which can be used to implement day-to-day frontline processes; it is not a substitute for existing multi-agency practice guidelines or statutory guidance
Adobe PDF Document

Multi-agency Practice Guidance 

National multi-agency Practice Guidance issued 1 April 2016 
Adobe PDF Document

FGM Mandatory Reporting Flowchart (2015) 

Department of Health and NHS England FGM: Mandatory reporting flowchart (2015)
Adobe PDF Document

Mandatory reporting procedural information 

Home Office and DfE. Mandatory reporting of female genital mutilation: procedural information. October 2015.
nspcc_45876.png

NSPCC - FGM legislation, policy, and guidance

This page sets out the FGM statutory requirement and guidance.
ikwro-logo_82474.png

IKWRO - Sutton support for FGM and Honour Based Violence victims & those at risk

IKWRO is a registered charity which provides advice and support to Middle Eastern and Afghan women and girls living in the UK who are facing Forced Marriage, Child Marriage, "Honour" Based Violence, Female Genital Mutilation and Domestic Violence. We offer advice in Farsi, Dari, Kurdish, Arabic, Turkish, Pashto and English and run a free counselling service in Farsi, Kurdish, Arabic and English. IKWRO also deliver counselling in Sutton for women survivors
national-fgm-centre_87984.png

National FGM Centre

The National FGM Centre is a partnership between Barnardo's and the Local Government Association (LGA) to achieve a systems change in the provision of services for girls and women affected by female genital mutilation (FGM). The website contains a knowledge hub for professionals wishing to find out more about FGM.
gov-uk_94800.png

FGM: Resource Pack 2016

This resource was developed in response to requests for clearer direction from central government about the safeguarding responsibilities of local authorities. It is designed to highlight examples from areas where effective practice has been identified and to emphasise what works in fighting female genital mutilation (FGM).