Expanding on legislation England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales each have their own guidelines for how professionals must respond to child abuse and protect children from harm, which includes child sexual exploitation (NSPCC, 2018). Overall, there is no specific offence of ‘child sexual exploitation’ in the UK. Instead, prosecutions can be brought under a range of offences in each nation’s legislative frameworks to protect children from harm. Focusing on England alone, legislation in place which covers similar areas similar to child sexual exploitation are; the Sexual Offences Act 2003 covering rape, sexual assault, rape and other sexual offences against children under 13, arranging or facilitating commission of a child sex offence, meeting a child following sexual grooming, paying for sexual services of a child, controlling a child in relation to sexual exploitation and trafficking within and outside the UK for sexual exploitation (NSPCC, 2018). And Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, as section 116 states ‘Protection from sexual harm and violence’ …show more content…
Firstly, the guidance covered the legislative requirements and expectations on individual services to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Secondly, it gave a clear framework for local safeguarding children’s boards to monitor the effectiveness of local services (HM Government, 2015). The guidance was for all relevant professionals to read so they can respond to individual children’s needs appropriately. In, 2013-14 over 650,000 children in England were referred to local authority children’s social care services by individuals who had concerns about their welfare (HM Government, 2015). Children are best protected when professionals are clear about what is required of them individually, and how they need to work