Yvette Cooper announces plans to enforce mandatory reporting for child abuse claims by professionals in England and Wales
London: Yvette Cooper is making some big moves to tackle child sexual abuse. She’s saying that professionals who work with kids will have to report any claims of abuse. If they don’t, they could face criminal charges. This is part of a new law coming this year.
Cooper, the home secretary, is pushing this change after a major inquiry into child sexual abuse. It’s something she’s been advocating for a long time, especially after the Rotherham scandal a decade ago. She’s frustrated that it’s taken so long to get to this point.
The new rules will be included in a crime and policing bill that’s expected to hit Parliament this spring. Cooper emphasized that it will be a serious offense not to report abuse, and there will be real consequences for those who try to cover it up.
She pointed out that previous attempts to introduce similar laws were criticized for being too weak. The last government’s plans didn’t even include criminal penalties for failing to report abuse, which just didn’t sit right with many people.
Cooper also mentioned that the government is looking to make grooming a more serious factor in sentencing. This comes after a lot of discussions about how to better protect children and hold offenders accountable.
It’s clear that there’s a lot of pressure to get this right, especially with high-profile figures like Keir Starmer also calling for mandatory reporting. The conversation around child safety is heating up, and it looks like Cooper is ready to take action.
