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Learning from Audits

Theme: Child Sexual Abuse

Recognising the Signs Beyond Disclosure

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Following two multi-agency audits, the following information aims to provide practitioners with key findings, practical guidance, and essential resources to better identify, support, and safeguard children affected by Domestic Abuse (DA).

girl sitting by herself looking at her phone.

Key Learning Themes

1

Identification & Disclosure
 

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

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

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

2

Multi-Agency Working
 

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

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

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

3

Child's Voice & Lived Experience

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

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

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

4

Culture, Diversity & Professional Curiosity

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

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

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  • Consider the whole context before reaching safeguarding decisions.

5

Risk Assessment & Access to Support

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

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

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  • 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

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Recognise vulnerability

  • Look beyond disclosure.

  • Recognise cumulative indicators of abuse.

  • Strengthen professional curiosity through supervision.

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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.

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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.

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Maintain support

  • Continue safeguarding activity even where disclosures are withdrawn or police investigations do not progress.

  • Monitor children waiting for specialist support.

Further Resources

 

Croydon Resources

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National Guidance

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