Written question WQ90383
- Asked by
- Rhys ab OwenIndependent
- To be answered by
- Minister for Health and Social Services
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 9 days
Question
What is the Welsh Government doing to combat the rising number of child sexual abuse crimes being committed by children, following the release of the National Analysis of Police-Recorded Child Sexual Abuse & Exploitation Crimes Report?
Answer
Answered by Deputy Minister for Social Services
Children in Wales should have the right to be safe from exploitation and abuse in all forms. We are taking forward a range of initiatives to protect children from harm across Wales. This includes joint work with the police and other partners to safeguard children and ensure they may live free of fear.
The Welsh Government Keeping Learners Safe statutory guidance supports schools and colleges in creating and maintaining a safe learning environment for children and young people and includes a section on peer-on-peer abuse and harmful sexual behaviour.
There are also robust, collaborative working arrangements in place to ensure a multi-agency response to victims of sexual abuse – with the ultimate aim of improving health outcomes for victims and survivors of sexual assault. This includes the Welsh Sexual Assault Services Programme, an improvement project led by the NHS Executive working with the health boards, police, Police Crime Commissioners and in partnership with the specialist third sector.
Health Boards, police forces, Police and Crime Commissioners, in partnership with the third sector, have agreed a service model for the delivery of sexual assault referral services in South Wales, Dyfed Powys, Gwent and North Wales. This model will provide a more integrated service that is driven by the needs of victims.
Additionally, there are a range of Welsh Government funded helplines in place to support victims of sexual harassment and abuse. These include Childline Cymru, Live Fear Free and the MEIC service.
Along with our partners, Welsh Government is also developing a second National Action Plan for Preventing and Responding to Child Sexual Abuse. This will build on the tools and resources for families and practitioners created under the first Action Plan. The second Action Plan will also take into consideration the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) published in October 2023.
Welsh Government is also working with partners to develop a Child Exploitation Toolkit. This toolkit will include information for practitioners on how to recognise and respond to all forms of child exploitation, including Child Sexual Exploitation. The toolkit will complement Practice Guides which already exist within the Wales Safeguarding Procedures.