National CSAE Review and Inquiry ECSPB
Renfrewshire Council · 21 May 2026
Back to Education and Children's Services Policy Board — 21 May 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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PUBLIC Page 1 of 5 To: Education and Children’s Services Policy Board On: 21 May 2026 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Children’s Services ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: National review of group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation. Announcement of a statutory public inquiry on group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1. The Care Inspectorate wrote to the Chief Executive of all 32 local authorities in Scotland on 9 February 2026 in relation to a national review of group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation. The letter advised the Scottish Government had formally requested the Care Inspectorate and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) to lead a national review of group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation. This report provides information in relation to purpose and process of the national review, and on how Renfrewshire will engage in that process. 1.2. On 25 February 2026, the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills announced to the Scottish Parliament a statutory public inquiry under the Inquiries Act 2005 into group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation. Professor Alexis Jay has agreed to chair the inquiry. There is limited information in respect of the inquiry but what is known is detailed in this report. 1.3. This report provides; • background on the review • background on the model of the review. • information on key dates for the review process • the governance arrangements for the review process • Information regarding the National Inquiry ___________________________________________________________________
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PUBLIC Page 2 of 5 2. Recommendations 2.1. The Board is asked to note the following a) the national review of group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation has been confirmed by the Care Inspectorate. b) the nature of the review activity detailed in this report and the tight timescale for phase one activity. c) the announcement by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills of a public inquiry into group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation to be chaired by Professor Alexis Jay. ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1. The Care Inspectorate with HMICS has been formally requested by Scottish Ministers to lead a national review of group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation. Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education in Scotland (HMIE) will be working alongside the Care Inspectorate on the national review. There remains a possibility that other scrutiny bodies e.g. the Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland (IPS) could be invited to participate in the national review as it progresses. The national review will be conducted under Section 115 of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 and the Public Services Reform (Joint Inspections) (Scotland) Regulations 2011. 3.2. In addition to the Care Inspectorate the joint inspection team includes representatives from Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS), Education Scotland and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) and volunteer Young Inspectors. 3.3. The national review will look at the manner in which community planning partnerships are working together to prevent, identify and respond appropriately to group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation. The national review will also consider how Child Protection Committees and Chief Officer Groups understand the scale and nature of group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation and also group-based child criminal exploitation. 3.4. The methodology being utilised by the inspectorate bodies is similar to that followed when they undertook the children at risk of harm inspections. The national review will focus on children under the age of 18 (including those who were under the age of 18 in the past two years but are now over the age of 18 but could have been vulnerable to group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation when they were aged under 18). 3.5. The review will focus on current practice and therefore will seek information from Chief Officer Groups on activity over the past two years. The inspectorate bodies reserve they may request more historical information if it is considered necessary, and in these circumstances will provide a clear rationale for the request.
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PUBLIC Page 3 of 5 3.6. The national review will consider: i) How strategic and operational leaders work together to ensure there are effective arrangements in place for the prevention, identification and response to concerns around group-based sexual abuse and exploitation and group-based child criminal exploitation. ii) How effective are processes in place to support the prevention, identification and response for children at risk or subject to group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation and group-based child criminal exploitation. iii) How supports are helping to improve the safety and wellbeing of children who have experienced or are at risk of group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation and group-based child criminal exploitation. 3.7. The inspectorate bodies have advised the national review will be in three phases. Phase one which has commenced is assessment and involves the evaluation of COG’s understanding and oversight of group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation and group-based child criminal exploitation. Renfrewshire COG will require to complete a self-evaluation and respond to a questionnaire from the inspectorate bodies. There will be a structured interview with representatives of COGs across Scotland. We await further detail on this. The inspectorate bodies advise they will analyse the data and information and produce a report on this by the summer of 2026. This means the collation of information will require to be completed by 8 May 2026. Structured interviews will commence thereafter to allow the production of a phase one report by September 2026. 3.8. Phase two of the process will be informed by the findings and data from phase one. It will be a risk-based and flexible approach to identify strengths and areas for improvement. The inspectorate indicates this phase will commence in the summer of 2026. The findings from phase two will be published in Autumn 2027. 3.9. Phase 3 will be influenced by the findings of phase one and phase two. This phase will focus on national improvements and recommendations. 3.10. Each local area was asked to nominate a local co-ordinator at a sufficiently senior officer level to link with the Care Inspectorate. Michelle McCargo, Strategic Manager Children and Justice/Depute Chief Social Work Officer will be the Renfrewshire co-ordinator and will liaise with partner agencies as required. Michelle is also a member of the National Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Strategic Group and a co-chair of one of Workforce Development sub-group. 3.11. On 25 February 2026, the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills announced to the Scottish Parliament a statutory public inquiry under the Public Inquiries Act 2005 on group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation. 3.12. Professor Alexis Jay, who chaired the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) in England and Wales and the Rotherham has been asked and agreed to chair the Scottish Public Inquiry.
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PUBLIC Page 4 of 5 3.13. As part of the public inquiry John O’Brien who worked with Professor Jay on the IICSA leading a truth project, which provided a space for victims of group- based child sexual abuse and exploitation to have their voices heard will develop a Scottish truth project. 3.14. The terms of reference for the public inquiry will be developed over the next few months and further updates will be provided when these are available. 3.15. The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills has been clear the public inquiry will run in parallel with the national review and the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry being chaired by Lady Smith. It is not clear as yet how the public inquiry will interface with the national review ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of this report 1. Financial None. 2. HR and Organisational Development None. 3. Community/Council Planning Our Renfrewshire is safe - The national review and public inquiry provides learning for continuous improvement and helps to protect vulnerable local children. 4. Legal None. 5. Property/Assets None. 6. Information Technology None. 7. Equality and Human Rights The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. 8. Health and Safety None. 9. Procurement None. 10. Risk None.
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PUBLIC Page 5 of 5 11. Privacy Impact None. 12. Climate Risk None. 13. Children’s Rights None. 14. Cosla Policy Position None. List of Background Papers None. ___________________________________________________________________ Children’s Services Michelle McCargo Author: Michelle McCargo – email michelle.mccargo@renfrewshire.gov.uk