Information regarding group-based child sexual exploitation Serious Case Reviews or internal audits: FOI release

Information requested

Has the Scottish Government or any national body conducted Serious Case Reviews or internal audits into grooming gangs or group-based child sexual exploitation since 2014?

If yes, please list the titles or provide summaries.

Response

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance it is not possible to do so because the Scottish Government has not conducted any Serious Case Reviews or internal audits of this nature and therefore does not hold the information you have requested.

Reviews of cases and internal audits are for local areas to commission and manage. To support a consistent national approach to learning from significant cases, the Scottish Government introduced the newer learning review model in 2021. The new Learning Review model was designed in order to support reflection, learning and improvements in systems and practice by reviewing events when children or young people have been harmed, placed at risk of harm, or where effective practice has prevented harm or risk of harm. National guidance for child protection committees undertaking learning reviews was published in September 2021 and updated in June 2024. The Guidance supports local areas to undertake learning reviews and disseminate and implement learning from reviews.

Sexual abuse and exploitation are serious criminal offences that have profound and lasting impacts on victims and their families. The Scottish Government considers the protection of children to be of the utmost importance. To support this, the National Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Strategic Group has been established and is progressing a programme of work aimed at strengthening Scotland’s response to child sexual abuse. This includes ongoing activity in relation to workforce development, improving data, and consideration of mandatory reporting.

In addition, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland, Healthcare Improvement Scotland and the Care Inspectorate are undertaking an independent national review of responses to group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation.

The first phase of this review is expected to report in late summer 2026. This review will be conducted alongside the independent Statutory Inquiry into Group-Based Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation in Scotland, announced in February 2026 and chaired by Professor Alexis Jay. It will also complement work being undertaken by Police Scotland to review previous cases and gather evidence on the scale and nature of group-based offending in Scotland.

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