Plans dropped to compel reporting of possible child sex abuse

Professionals in England will not face charges for not passing on suspicions, ministers confirm

Plans to introduce mandatory reporting by doctors, social workers and police officers of possible child sex abuse cases backed up by the threat of prosecution and imprisonment have been dropped, ministers have confirmed.

The decision followed a backlash from child protection workers over a new statutory requirement that they said would do little to protect children and risked diverting attention away from the most serious cases, hampering professional judgment and jeopardising vital relationships between social workers and vulnerable families.

Related: Crewe reject calls for inquiry into Barry Bennell sexual abuse

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from Children | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2D0JGGO