Source: HM Government

Date: 21 March 2022

The HM Government have issued new multi-agency statutory guidance and practice guidelines on forced marriage for agencies in England and Wales. It highlights the importance of treating forced marriage cases as a child protection issue, the need for early identification of risks children could face and awareness of the potential harm to the child when involving the family.

Visit the webpage: Forced marriage: access guidance and training
Download the guidance: HM Government multi-agency practice guidelines: handling cases (PDF)

See also on NSPCC Learning 
> Early help (or early intervention)

Source: Department for Education 

Date: 11 January 2022

The Department for Education (DfE) has announced that it will be making changes to Keeping children safe in education, its statutory guidance for schools and colleges in England. The DfE has launched an open online consultation to allow practitioners to share their views on proposed revisions to the guidance until the closing date of 08 March 2022. The updated guidance is due to be published in September 2022.

Read the press release: Keeping children safe in education: schools and colleges: proposed revisions 2022
Download the consultation document: Keeping children safe in education 2022: statutory guidance for schools and colleges draft for consultation (PDF)

Source: Stop abuse together 

Date: 13 January 2022

The UK Government has launched a new advice and support site to help keep children safe from sexual abuse. The site includes advice for parents and carers on spotting the signs of sexual abuse and speaking to your child about relationships and safety. It also signposts to sources of further support for children, adults and professionals including the NSPCC helpline and Childline.  

Visit the website: Stop abuse together

See also on NSPCC Learning 
> Protecting children from sexual abuse

Source: UK Government 

Date: 04 January 2022

The UK Government has announced new measures targeted at keeping women and girls safer in England and Wales that will be added to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. The measures include: victims of domestic abuse will be allowed more time to report incidents of common assault or battery against them; the overall time limit to commence prosecutions for common assault and battery will be increased to within two years of the offence; and taking non-consensual photographs or video recordings of breastfeeding mothers will be a specific offence punishable by up to two years in prison. The government also intends to build on plans to increase sentences for sexual offences. 

Read the press release: Domestic abuse victims in England and Wales to be given more time to report assaults

See also on NSPCC Learning 
> Protecting children from domestic abuse

Source: Department for Education 

Date: 05 December 2021

The Department for Education (DfE) has announced that there will be an independent national review, led by the National Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel, into the circumstances leading up to the murder of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes. A Joint Targeted Area Inspection, led jointly by Ofsted, the Care Quality Commission, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services and HM Inspectorate of Probation, has also been commissioned to consider where improvements are needed.

Read the news story: Government action following murder of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes