‘No reliable picture’ of group-based child abuse in Scotland, review finds

There is “no reliable picture” of the scale of group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation in Scotland, a review has found.

The review was ordered by the Scottish Government in December amidst calls for a national inquiry into the subject.

The calls followed cases including the “beastie house” trial, which exposed serious abuses against young children by a group of adults in Glasgow between 2012 and 2019. 

Social services missed evidence about the victims’ welfare, including rotten teeth, missed medical appointments and episodes in which they begged neighbours for food.

The national review was intended to inform a decision on whether or not to establish a judge-led public inquiry, and in February ministers announced this would go ahead.

That news came months ahead of today’s publication, which has highlighted challenges with the way key organisations deal with the realities of group-based harm to children.

It found an “inconsistent” response across the country, and concluded that the lack of a nationally-agreed definition is hampering the response by authorities.

Led by the Care Inspectorate and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland, it calls for the government to set that definition and standardise approaches across the country.

The review team met more than 300 chief officers and representatives from all 32 council areas.

The report – described as a “catalyst for change” – states: “There was a lack of accurate national data related to group-based harms.

“While some partnerships collected local data, they were not required to collect or report data on group-based harms.

“This, together with the absence of a definition, limited the chief officers’ groups’ ability to report on the scale, prevalence, characteristics and threat of group-based harm.

“As a result, there is no reliable picture across Scotland of these types of harms.”

Healthcare Improvement Scotland and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education in Scotland also worked on the review, which treated group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation and child criminal exploitation as “significant harms that involve two or more individuals who take advantage of a power imbalance to coerce, manipulate, or deceive children and young people into sexual and/or criminal activity”. 

It found that existing reporting arrangements are primarily focused on individual incidents of harm, and inconsistent recording and reporting means that neither partnerships nor national bodies can accurately determine the scale, prevalence, characteristics or threat posed by group-based child sexual abuse, exploitation or criminal exploitation. 

Jackie Irvine, chief executive of the Care Inspectorate, said: “Child sexual abuse and exploitation and child criminal exploitation are significant harms that have a devastating impact on survivors, their families and carers, and on wider Scottish society.

“This national review assessed multi-agency Chief Officers’ Groups’ (COGs) understanding and oversight of group-based child sexual abuse, exploitation, and group-based child criminal exploitation.

“Our report makes a series of recommendations to strengthen national understanding of the harmful nature of group-based sexual abuse and exploitation of children and young people.  

“Addressing these complex and often hidden harms requires strong and sustained collaboration across all sectors, including social work services, justice, health and education. These recommendations can support the collective efforts being made across Scotland to prevent harm, improve protection and ensure learning leads to meaningful change.”

Craig Naylor, HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary in Scotland, said: “Whilst there was a clear commitment across partnerships to strengthen intelligence gathering and prevention activity around group-based harms, we found structural gaps that impeded strategic governance and oversight of group-based harm – including the limited sharing by all agencies with Police Scotland of intelligence concerning child sexual abuse and exploitation and child criminal exploitation using the Partners Intelligence Portal.

“Less than half of partnerships gathered data relating to characteristics, such as ethnicity, disability, and care experience.

“This report should act as a catalyst for change.”

Responding, Education Secretary Màiri McAllan said: “Ministers commissioned this work to establish facts and be a catalyst for change.

“The Scottish Government accepts each recommendation and will work urgently to implement the changes needed.

“The important findings of this Report will feed into the statutory public inquiry into Group Based Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation, which we have established to be chaired by expert Professor Alexis Jay.

“This review, the Jay Inquiry and our Truth Project together will mean no stone is left unturned in our work to tackle this horrific form of abuse.”