Flying Child Statement 8 March 2022
The Flying Child Project encourages educational staff to look at the bigger picture when it comes to ‘red flags’ of concern. Using the lived experience of many survivors, the overarching message to staff is not to shy away from trusting instinct, as CSA is a very hidden form of abuse, and the signs can be subtle. We stress the importance of logging causes for concern as these records will become evidence if needed in the future.
“Where information was disclosed, around 6 in 10 callers who spoke to NAPAC were over the age of 45 years (59%; Table 50a).16 This indicates that many adults do not disclose their abuse and do not seek support until later in life. This is consistent with evidence provided by Survivors UK to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse, which found that the average wait for people to disclose their experience of child abuse was 26 years.” (The ONS report on Child Abuse extent and nature March 2019).
Considering the average age of disclosure, we were unaware and shocked to discover that these records are destroyed when the individual reaches the age of 25yrs old. (Education act 2002 s175). This needs to change. So few people receive justice. Many non-recent cases never get to court due to lack of specific evidence. The Flying Child CIC would like to be instrumental in raising awareness and changing the way records are kept and the length of time they are kept for life, until there is no longer the opportunity for justice. The Flying Child CIC has formally submitted this concern, and the immediate need for change, to the DfE. Watch this space…
