National Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Strategic Group

Overview

Child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE), including online abuse, are significant harms that have a devastating impact on victims, their families and carers and wider Scottish society. 

Cross-directorate government-supported workstreams collectively take action to prevent and protect children in Scotland and to provide appropriate support to victims and survivors of such abuse. 

The National Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Strategic Group has been established to increase cross-sectoral coordination and capability to address the risks and harms of CSAE in Scotland by scrutinising existing and emerging evidence and practice to inform, prioritise and agree actions. 

The group meets as a minimum on a quarterly basis. 

Meetings of sub-groups comprising practitioners, academics and other CSAE practice and topic experts will be undertaken for further evidence-gathering (‘deep dives’). The role and functioning of the group will be reviewed after a year in consultation with the co-chairs and group members. 

Minutes of each meeting will be published.

Members

• Iona Colvin, Independent Chair 
• Action for Children 
• Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES) 
• Barnardo's Scotland 
• Centre for Excellence for Children's Care and Protection (CELCIS) 
• Childlight 
• Child Protection Committees Scotland 
• Child Protection Service, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde 
• Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice (CYCJ) 
• Children First 
• Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) 
• Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) 
• Education Scotland 
• Lucy Faithfull Foundation Scotland 
• National Organisation for Treatment of Abuse (NOTA) 
• National Social Work Agency 
• National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) 
• Ofcom Scotland 
• Public Health Scotland 
• Public Protection Service, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde 
• Public Protection, Police Scotland 
• Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, Child Protection Sub Committee 
• Scottish Children's Reporter Administration (SCRA) 
• Scottish Directors of Public Health Group 
• Scottish Government 
• Scottish Nursing Child Protection Leadership Group  
• Social Work Scotland  
• The Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers (SOLACE) 

Publications