Learning from Audits

Theme: Child Sexual Abuse

Recognising the Signs Beyond Disclosure

Child sexual abuse can have a devastating impact on children, families and communities. This page provides guidance, resources and learning opportunities to help professionals recognise signs of abuse, respond appropriately, and support children through a trauma-informed, child-centred approach.

girl sitting by herself looking at her phone.

Key Learning Themes

Identification & Disclosure

Disclosure is uncommon. Children often disclose gradually, partially, retract disclosures or never disclose at all.

Recognise indicators. Self-harm, emotional distress, behavioural change, poor attendance and family instability should all prompt professional curiosity.

Ask difficult questions. Practitioners should feel confident discussing sexual abuse when concerns arise rather than waiting for evidence to emerge.

Multi-Agency Working

Information sharing remains inconsistent. Agencies did not always share information or attend key safeguarding meetings.

Cross-borough working creates additional risk. Children educated or supported outside Croydon require particularly robust communication between agencies.

Good recording matters. Clear chronologies help practitioners understand cumulative risk and support effective decision-making.

Child's Voice & Lived Experience

Listen beyond the disclosure. Children's experiences should shape assessments, plans and interventions.

Understand daily life. School attendance, relationships, emotional wellbeing and family circumstances all contribute to understanding risk.

The child's voice should influence decisions, not simply be recorded.

Culture, Diversity & Professional Curiosity

Explore cultural influences sensitively. Stigma, family expectations and community pressures may affect disclosure and engagement.

Remain professionally curious. Avoid assumptions or over-reliance on parental accounts.

Consider the whole context before reaching safeguarding decisions.

Risk Assessment & Access to Support

Risk assessments were inconsistent, even where significant indicators of harm existed.

Children should not lose support because criminal thresholds are not met.

Know local pathways. Delays accessing specialist services increase safeguarding risk and require active oversight.

How agencies can improve practice

To address the audit findings, agencies must adopt a proactive, trauma-informed approach. The following suggestions are structured around the three pillars of improvement: Foundation, Action, and Impact, which outline key areas for local practice improvement.

Pillar 1: Earlier Identification

Recognise vulnerability

Look beyond disclosure.
Recognise cumulative indicators of abuse.
Strengthen professional curiosity through supervision.

Improve confidence

Build practitioner confidence to discuss Child Sexual Abuse directly.
Make effective use of CSA training and learning opportunities.

Pillar 2: Strengthen Partnership Working

Improve information sharing

Ensure all relevant agencies contribute to safeguarding discussions.
Develop accurate chronologies.
Strengthen cross-borough communication.

Consistent decision-making

Use structured risk assessment.
Clearly record rationale for decisions.
Maintain oversight when cases step down.

Pillar 3: Keep the Child at the Centre

Hear the child's lived experience

Ensure children's views influence planning.
Consider emotional wellbeing alongside physical safety.
Explore culture, identity and family context.

Maintain support

Continue safeguarding activity even where disclosures are withdrawn or police investigations do not progress.
Monitor children waiting for specialist support.