National Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Strategic Group minutes: January 2026

Attendees and apologies

Chair

• Alexis Jay, Independent member

Group members in attendance

• Alison McIntyre, Assistant Director - Children's Services, Barnardo’s
• Alison Penman, Social Work Scotland
• Alison Wales, Senior Policy Officer, National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) Scotland
• Alistair Hogg, Head of Practice and Policy, Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA)
• Brian Taylor, Deputy Director Children’s Rights, Protection and Justice, Scottish Government
• Carrie Lindsay, Executive Officer, Association of Directors of Education Scotland (ADES)
• Catriona Scobbie, Safeguarding Lead Officer, Education Scotland
• DCS Sarah Taylor, Head of Public Protection, Police Scotland
• Deirdre McCormick, Chief Nurse and Head of Public Protection, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
• Donna McEwan, Practice Adviser, Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice (CYCJ)
• Doug Marshall, Senior Impact Lead, Childlight
• Glenn Preston, Scotland Director, OFCOM
• Fiona Dyer, Director, Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice (CYCJ)
• Jane Scott, Head of Early Help and Protection, Centre for Excellence for Children's Care and Protection (CELCIS)
• Jillian Taylor, Child Health Commissioner & Chief Nurse, NHS Forth Valley
• Joanna Macdonald, Chief Executive, National Social Work Agency and Chief Social Work Adviser to the Scottish Government
• Joanne Smith, Policy and Public Affairs Manager, National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) Scotland
• Kathryn Lindsay, Chief Executive, Angus Council, SOLACE representative
• Kirsty-Louise McNally, Senior Policy and Public Affairs Lead, Barnardo’s
• Lucy Coleman, Chair, National Organisation for the Treatment of Abuse (NOTA) Scotland
• Mary Glasgow, Chief Executive, Children First
• Moira McKinnon, Vice Chair, Child Protection Committee Scotland (CPC Scotland)
• Nicola Dickie, Director of People Policy, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)
• Rhona Robb, Scottish Nursing Child Protection Leadership Group
• Stuart Allardyce, Director of Lucy Faithful Foundation Scotland
• Tam Baillie, Chair, Child Protection Committee Scotland (CPC Scotland)
• Yvonne Friel, Health Improvement Manager, Public Health Scotland

Apologies

• Anna O’Reilly, Assistant Director, Children First
• Joe McGinty, Centre for Excellence for Children's Care and Protection (CELCIS)
• June Welsh, Centre for Excellence for Children's Care and Protection (CELCIS)
• Laura Bradley, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS)
• Michelle McCargo, Renfrewshire Council, Social Work Scotland
• Ruth Sills, Centre for Excellence for Children's Care and Protection (CELCIS)
• Sharon Glasgow, Protecting Children Social Work Policy & Practice Advisor, Social Work Scotland
• Steph Ross, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS)

Also in attendance

• Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Jenny Gilruth MSP

• Alistair McAlpine, Chief Statistician, Scottish Government
• Angela Latta, Deputy Chief Social Work Office, Scottish Government
• Craig Naylor, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary (HMICS)
• Jackie Irvine, Chief Executive, Care Inspectorate
• DSupt Brian Manchester, Police Scotland
• Scottish Government officials

Secretariat

• Child Protection Unit, Scottish Government
   

Items and actions

Welcome, introductions and apologies

Chair welcomed members, expressed her thanks to the former co-chairs of the group and invited members to introduce themselves.

Chair introduced the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills to speak to the group. The Cabinet Secretary highlighted the importance of ensuring the response to CSAE harms takes into account the evidence of those at greatest risk, the importance that survivor engagement is carried out in a trauma-informed manner, and that statutory bodies work together to resolve data variation. Ms Gilruth thanked the group for their important work, noting their expertise and the need to ensure work is done at pace. 

Reflections on the operation of the group

The Chair highlighted that the remit had been updated to reflect her role as independent Chair, that the Group is directly accountable to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, and membership updates. The Chair invited thoughts on this and the development of the work of the group.

The group discussed the need to ensure appropriate membership to fulfil the group’s purpose and to ensure the most effective use of their collective expertise. It was highlighted that the broad remit and purpose requires both strategic working as well as delivery by dedicated sub-groups. It was agreed that mapping activities happening within the group and across other areas would be required to review spans of responsibility of national groups and ensure greatest use of resources. It was also commented that the group could benefit from setting out its intended actions and plan for the next 12 months.

The Group welcomed in-person meetings to ensure more voices are heard, to help discussion and enable a way to generate ideas. However, it was recognised that this is a significant commitment given the large membership of the Group, so there would remain a need to have online meetings as required to support regular engagement.

It was noted that the Care Inspectorate is one of the four Inspectorates leading the National Review and will therefore not be part of the group whilst the Review is undertaken. However, Education Scotland will remain members as the Education Inspectorate – His Majesty's Inspectorate of Education in Scotland – has recently been made independent of Education Scotland.

Minutes of previous meeting and actions arising

The group last met on 25 November. Minutes of both meetings have been agreed and published on the SG website.

Outstanding actions

It was noted that most actions arising from previous meetings were being covered as part of this meeting’s agenda items.

Feedback on the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) Benchmarking paper

The Child Protection Unit have received feedback from some members and invited any further feedback across the group. 

Data and evidence – update

The Chief Statistician provided an update to the group following the first meeting of the CSAE Data Short Life Working Group (SLWG) on 21 January, highlighting that CSAE data is fragmented and Scotland needed to build up a national picture that moves away from estimates drawn from international and UK evidence. The group will look at all forms of abuse and is considering looking at regional data initially as part of building a national picture of the scale and nature of CSAE in Scotland. 

Minutes of the sub-group meeting have been published on the Scottish Government website: National Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Strategic Group Data Short Life Working Group minutes: January 2026 - gov.scot

The Chief Statistician invited feedback from members.

It was noted that consideration should be given to where data is available to be exploited, for example locally from Inter-agency Referral Discussions (IRDs). It was also noted that also considering data on perpetrators would be important given the known under-reporting by victims, to provide data that is actionable intelligence to disrupt perpetrator behaviour. It was noted delivery of this and other improvement would have resourcing implications, with the example of funding streams attached to the Scottish Government’s Equally Safe strategy cited as an approach which helped to support delivery of a broad range of interconnected improvement actions.

Inspectorate-led National Review 

Chair invited Care Inspectorate and HMICS attendees to provide an update on the National Review of local responses to group-based CSAE.

It was noted that Professor Jay had been consulted and is continuing to engage as the inspection methodology is developed. The Inspectorates have invited the Chief Officers’ Group to a dedicated in-person briefing session on the National Review, scheduled for 9 February. There will be a 12 week period for return of local responses, with further engagement sessions provided to support local leadership throughout this period. 

The Chair noted that she was asked to assist with the methodology in drawing on her previous experience at developing similar approaches when she was Chair of the IICSA in England and Wales.  

There was a discussion about opportunities to support engagement with other relevant groups including Child Protection Committees and locally elected members. Inspectorates agreed to consider and follow-up with relevant members directly. 

Concerns were raised around the timing of the National Review at a time when local authorities are engaged with budget planning and Scottish Parliament election planning is underway. Concerns were also raised around the work focusing on children already known to be at risk and the need to ensure all factors are considered. Inspectorates attendees noted and acknowledged these challenges and advised that the review would not be solely addressing children currently known to be at risk.

More information of the National Review can be found on the Care Inspectorate website: National review of group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation.

Police Scotland Review of cases

An update was provided by Police Scotland on their review of cases of group-based CSAE. It was noted Police Scotland’s approach reflects the same criteria used by Operation Beaconport in England and Wales, established following the findings of Baroness Casey’s Audit of group-based CSAE. It was highlighted that given the broad range of offences related to CSAE harms in their various forms, as in other UK jurisdictions, work to identify and review cases is complex, and requires the involvement of skilled investigative officers.

The first phase of work to identify relevant cases has now been completed. Police Scotland highlighted that an additional £2.75 million had been provided by the Scottish Government  to support the next stage of the review. Given the complexity and time required to carry out this detailed work, further updates would be provided when there are significant developments. It was noted that engagement with Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA) and COGs will be taking place.

Mandatory reporting - update

Comments on the draft remit and Terms of Reference for the Task and Finish Group had been received from some Members. The new chair of the group was confirmed as Dr Ariane Critchley from the University of Stirling, with the first meeting due to take place in the next few weeks. 

Workforce Sub-group - update 

The sub-group co-chair provided an update on their engagement with the frontline workforce involved in responding to CSAE harms to further explore and seek views regarding the practical changes needed to improve practice and multi-agency service delivery. It was highlighted most of the planned engagement with local leaders, management and frontline staff has been carried out. Most social work and police sessions have been completed, with a focus on third-sector practitioners planned for February. It was indicated an initial report on engagement findings will be completed by early March with a final report to be produced following the April meeting of the sub-group after which a further update will be provided to the Strategic Group.

Discussion on engagement with survivors

At the invitation of the Chair, a third-sector representative provided an overview of existing forums and opportunities for the Group to consider as it develops its approach to survivor engagement. It was highlighted that the former chairs of the CSAE group have met with the Cross-Party Group (CPG) of Adult Survivors of Childhood Abuse in the Scottish Parliament and that there is an appetite from the CPG to engage with the Strategic Group going forward. It was also noted that the Scottish Government provides funding to a range of third-sector and support organisations via its Survivors Of Childhood Sexual Abuse Fund (SOCAS) with the management group of these organisations also keen to connect with the work of the Strategic Group.

A number of members discussed the need to consider how we engage children and young people as well as adult survivors of abuse to ensure that the Group appropriately considers the evolving nature of CSAE harms e.g. peer on peer and online abuse. It was noted that significant work has already been completed to consider the experiences of children and young people through Bairns Hoose services which would be a valuable resource. It was also noted that engagement was carried out in support of the Equally Safe Delivery Plan which may provide insights into the experience and links between CSAE and domestic violence and abuse.

There was discussion about the IICSA’s Truth Project. There was recognition of the significant resources required for such an approach. The National Confidential Forum was also highlighted as an example of an engagement exercise carried out in Scotland which could similarly provide insights.

It was recognised that there were a number of ways to engage survivors and it would be useful to continue further discussions to consider next steps at a future meeting of the Group.

Next Steps and Close

The next meeting is planned for 5 March 2026.

Actions

• members to provide further feedback on the Terms of Reference and operation of the Group before the next meeting
• Chair and Secretariat to consider feedback and provide proposed plans to support Group business for further discussion with Members 
• members to review IICSA benchmarking paper and provide feedback to the Secretariat
• members to contact Secretariat to engage with the SLWG Chair and Group on data developments
• Child Protection Unit to issue invitations to Task and Finish Group members
• Chair to arrange an input from those involved in the IICSA Truth Project at a future meeting