Swindon Safeguarding Partnership

The CSA Centre’s Report on the scale and nature of child sexual abuse: review of evidence (2026) highlighted that there remains an urgent need to improve the identification of and response to child sexual abuse to help close the gap between the estimated scale of child sexual abuse, and the number of victims and survivors who receive help and support from professionals. 

Safeguarding reviews highlight recurring issues in how child sexual abuse is recognised and responded to, particularly when it occurs within families: 

• Child sexual abuse is often hidden.  Practitioners need to recognise subtle, indirect or behavioural signs and not rely on children to tell.
• Much abuse takes place within families/within the family environment, including abuse by parents, siblings, grandparents, step parents or others considered “one of the family”
• Multi agency working is essential. Professionals need to share information proactively and keep the child’s safety central to all decision making.
• Children need safe, trusted opportunities to share concerns. Trust, consistency and supportive professional relationships are critical.  

#CSAspotthesigns
#Bcurious
#askandnotice

To find out more, we have provided some information and resources below:

• SSP Safeguarding theme October - Child Sexual Abuse (PDF)
• SSP Safeguarding theme October - Child Sexual Abuse email signature (Word)

If you would like to provide feedback on this theme, please use the form below:

• Child Sexual Abuse feedback form