Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Data Short Life Working Group minutes: August 2026

Attendees and apologies

Chair

• Alastair McAlpine, Chief Statistician, Scottish Government

Group members in attendance

• Officials from the Office of the Chief Statistician, Scottish Government
• Child Protection Unit Officials, Scottish Government
• Justice Analytical Services Officials, Scottish Government
• Centre for Excellence for Children's Care and Protection (CELCIS)
• Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)
• Police Scotland
• Education Scotland
• Social Work Scotland
• Scottish Children’s Reporter’s Administration (SCRA)
• Improvement Service
• University of Edinburgh
• Childlight

Apologies

• NHS
• NSPCC
• Barnardo’s 

Secretariat

• Child Protection Unit, Scottish Government

Items and actions

Welcome, introductions and apologies

The chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and noted apologies. 

The chair set out the agenda for the meeting:

• update on related Scottish Government (SG) work
• updates on workstreams
• presentation on workstream three: focus on definitions and helpline data
• plan for remainder of the year
• any other business and closing

Update on related Scottish Government work

Child Protection Unit (CPU) Officials gave an update on:

• changes to Ministerial portfolios
• the Family C Learning Review
• the forthcoming Public Inquiry into Group-Based Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (CSAE) and the expectation that Terms of Reference will be published in October
• Phase 1 of the National Review, which will be published on 3 September
• a CivTech challenge which will be launched on 8 September looking at digital solutions to support information sharing and data collection from child protection processes

Updates on workstreams

Workstream 1: Analysis of available CSAE data

Officials from the Office of the Chief Statistician provided an update on the progress of Workstream One.

Key updates included:

• a bespoke request for justice data has been submitted to Police Scotland
• survey data analysis remains ongoing
• consideration is being given to additional data sources, including the interim Vulnerable Persons Database (iVPD)

Justice Analytical Services Officials provided an update on recorded crime data and outlined work to identify additional datasets.

COSLA provided an update on the Joint Investigative Interviews (JII) data work, highlighting further engagement with partnerships and the development of a report.

SG officials will share the JII report with members of the group and draft a letter of thanks to participating partnerships. Findings to be discussed at next meeting.

The Chair updated members on recent discussions with Police Scotland regarding the Inter-Agency Referrals (IRD) data they hold and outlined constraints associated with the current spreadsheet-based system. Police Scotland clarified that iVPD data may be a more accurate and reliable data source.

The Chair advised that he has been engaging with UK partners to support alignment with wider UK approaches and outlined plans for a roundtable event in London in the coming months.

SG Officials sought updates on Police Scotland case file review and Police Scotland agreed to find out and report back on this.

Workstream 2: Data to support prevention and early intervention

CPU Officials provided an update on Workstream Two. Officials have been engaging with the Prevention Hub who are developing a common data platform. They are exploring how linking and sharing of data can support earlier identification of risk and more effective prevention. Aberdeen City Council are working with the Prevention Hub, using CSAE as a test case for the development of a Common Data Platform.

Officials to continue to engage with the work of the Prevention Hub.

Workstream 3: Data Quality and Capture

Covered in next agenda item.

Presentation on Workstream Three: Focus on Definitions and Helpline Data

CELCIS presented findings from recent work on CSAE definitions and classifications. Members received a background paper in advance of the meeting.

The presentation outlined CELCIS' desk-based review of UK and international approaches to defining and classifying CSAE.

The key findings were that there is broad consensus on the forms of abuse for which data should be collected but no universally or consistently used classification, definition or wording for these forms of abuse. 

CELCIS also updated members on engagement with third-sector helplines and organisations, including: NSPCC/Childline, Social Work Scotland, Barnardo's and Lucy Faithfull Foundation. Discussions had focused on the data currently collected by organisations, challenges in identifying and recording CSAE consistently and opportunities to improve data collection and sharing.

Members shared their perspectives on the findings and recommendations in CECLIS’ review. The importance of ensuring recording systems is accurately capturing the nature of the abuse was recognised. 

CELCIS to engage in further discussions with members on definitions.

The Chair concluded that the work provides an important foundation for future discussions and should be incorporated into the group's interim report. 

The group agreed that further work was required before any decisions are made regarding definitions or classifications.

Plan for remainder of year

The Chair presented the proposed outline for the interim report and sought feedback from members. 

There was broad agreement on the draft plan for the remainder of the year. Officials will start to draft report with support from members.

Any other business (AOB) and closing

There was no AOB raised by members. 

The Chair thanked members for the participation and noted that the next meeting would take place on 7 October. 

Actions 

• officials to continue to engage with the work of the Prevention Hub
• SG officials to share the JII report with members of the Group and findings to be discussed at the next meeting
• SG officials to draft a letter of thanks to participating partnerships
• Police Scotland agreed to share update on case file review with SG Officials
• further work on definitions to be developed and incorporated into the interim report
• CELCIS to follow up discussions with individual members and gather additional views
• SG officials to draft interim report with support from members