One year on from Baroness Casey’s audit: policing continues to strengthen its response to group-based child sexual exploitation.

The audit was clear that too many victims and survivors were not listened to, not believed, and not supported in the way they should have been. That must not be repeated.

Over the past year, the Child Sexual Exploitation Taskforce has continued to lead work to improve how forces respond to group-based offending through working in partnership with the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), the Tackling Organised Exploitation (TOEX) Programme and the National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection (NCVPP).

This includes strengthening victim-centred approaches where work with third sector partners has gone from strength to strength, supporting forces in complex investigations, and embedding learning from both research and direct engagement with victims and survivors. This work is being driven through national coordination and includes programmes such as the National Crime Agency (NCA) led Operation Beaconport, which is delivered in partnership with the CSE Taskforce and brings together operational learning, victim and survivor insight, and partnership working to strengthen the collective response.

All this work builds on many years of national coordination, operational support, and practice development already in place. It is informed by ongoing research and the voices of victims and survivors, alongside the expertise of partners across the criminal justice system and specialist support services.

At the heart of all we do is a clear and consistent principle: victims and survivors must be treated with dignity, listened to, and supported to understand what will happen next, whatever the outcome of a case.

While criminal justice outcomes remain an important part of the response, victims and survivors consistently tell us that justice is not defined by court proceedings alone. Feeling heard, believed, and taken seriously matters deeply. Policing is working to ensure that these experiences are reflected in everyday practice.

A/Chief Constable Becky Riggs, National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Child Protection and Abuse Investigation, said:

“We know that for many victims and survivors, the harm they experienced was compounded by not being listened to or believed. That has had a lasting impact on trust and confidence.

“One year on from Baroness Casey’s audit, our focus remains firmly on improving how we respond, ensuring victims and survivors are at the centre of every decision we make.

“Through the work of the Child Sexual Exploitation Taskforce, Operation Beaconport, and law enforcement partners, policing continues to support forces across England and Wales to strengthen investigations, apply consistent practice, and build a more compassionate and effective response.

“This is not all new work, some builds on years of dedicated effort however, we recognise there is more to do. We remain committed to learning, to listening, and to making lasting change.”

Policing continues to work closely with partners across the criminal justice system, local authorities, and specialist organisations. This is a shared effort, but national policing remains clear about its leadership role in delivering improvements, supporting forces, and embedding consistent, victim-centred practice.

There is no single solution to addressing group-based child sexual exploitation. However, progress depends on sustained collaboration, openness to learning, and a continued focus on what matters most to victims and survivors.