Summary
Barnardo’s welcomes measures aimed at protecting children from abuse and exploitation:
• Introduction of a new offence of child criminal exploitation (Part 4, Chapter 1, Clause 17) defined as “the person engages in conduct towards or in respect of a child, with the intention of causing the child to engage in criminal conduct (at any time).”
• Introduction of a new offence of cuckooing (Part 4, Chapter 2, Clause 32) defined as to exercise control over another person’s dwelling without their consent for the purpose of enabling the dwelling to be used in connection with the commission of specified criminal activity for example, drugs, weapons and sexual offences
• New offences to keep children safe online including related to the creation and supply of image generators (Part 5, Chapter 1, Clause 36) as well as AI generated images (Part 5, Chapter 1, Clause 37).
• Introduction of mandatory reporting as a statutory duty for professionals to report sexual abuse if they are made aware of it (Part 5, Chapter 2).
• Introduction of a new offence for concealment of child sexual abuse (Part 5, Chapter 2, Clause 52).
• Legislation to make grooming an aggravating factor in the sentencing of child sexual offences (Part 5, Chapter 1, Clause 43).