Teachers and other professionals who fail to report child abuse suspicions should face prosecution, the former director of public prosecutions says. Keir Starmer said that under a “mandatory reporting” law, those who failed to act could be sent to jail.
Keir Starmer said “There are just too many examples of cases where those who have suspected abuse have not really done anything about it and the perpetrator has either got away with it or, worse still, been able to perpetuate the offending”. While statutory guidance has been issued previously urging professionals such as teachers, doctors and social workers to report child abuse, failure to do so is not a crime.
Mr Starmer said a criminal penalty would “focus people’s minds” and said there should be “immunity for individuals if they did report”. He said the penalty for failing to report abuse could be a short jail sentence or a fine.