CSA experience for Chief Officer progression
The Chair and Panel recommend that any police officer (or staff equivalent) who wants to progress to the Chief Officer cadre must first be required to: have operational policing experience in preventing and responding to child sexual abuse; and achieve accreditation in the role of the police service in preventing and responding to child sexual abuse. The Home Office should amend entry requirements using its powers under the Police Regulations 2003 to achieve this. The Chair and Panel recommend that the College of Policing develops the training content and accreditation arrangements.
- In May 2023, the government noted that this recommendation was being progressed through College of Policing competency frameworks (Government Response to IICSA Final Report, HM Government, May 2023).
- No published mandatory requirement that all prospective chief officers must have operational child protection experience has been identified to March 2026.
How was this evidence gathered?
Response
Not Accepted
Response
Not AcceptedThe Home Office agrees that there is a need within the police to raise the profile and status of work to tackle child sexual abuse. However, the Home Office is concerned that the Inquiry's recommendation is not practical and would not achieve the desired aim. The Home Office and the College of Policing have drawn up a programme of non-legislative changes which seek to ensure that there is a broader understanding of safeguarding and vulnerability across all levels of leadership in policing.
The College of Policing has made progress delivering the programme of non-legislative changes: 1) Testing a licence to practise scheme through its Public Protection and Safeguarding Leaders programme (first cohort commenced May 2019); 2) Developed a self-assessment tool for Senior PNAC applicants; 3) Redesigned the 2019 Strategic Command Course with increased vulnerability-related learning including a day dedicated to child sexual abuse; 4) Updating advice to chief officers and PCCs on selection processes; 5) HMICFRS continues its National Child Protection Inspection programme.
On 22 July 2019, the UK government stated that the Home Office and College of Policing had drawn up a programme of non-legislative changes which sought to ensure that there is an understanding of safeguarding and vulnerability across all levels of leadership in policing. Its response also stated that the Home Office had not identified any need for legislative changes but that it would keep this under review.