Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to a) ensure schools and colleges follow statutory guidance on keeping children safe in education and b) offer support to students who have experienced sexual violence in school.

Sexual abuse in any form is abhorrent and protecting children from this is an absolute priority for this government.

Working Together to Safeguard Children is the statutory guidance which sets out the collaborative duties and responsibilities placed on agencies to safeguard and protect children. It can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children--2.

Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE) is the statutory safeguarding guidance that all schools and colleges must have regard to, when safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. It includes clear and detailed guidance on managing reports of child-on-child sexual harassment and sexual violence, and on recording concerns, discussions and decisions made. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2.

Local authorities, schools and colleges are held to account for safeguarding children through a number of routes, for example statutory guidance, legislation, child safeguarding practice review panels and inspection.