This briefing was prepared in response to the King's Speech. Barnardo’s welcomes the inclusion of the Victims and Prisoners Bill and the introduction of the Criminal Justice Bill in the King's Speech. These Bills offer the opportunity to take action to tackle child abuse and exploitation, and to ensure that children who are victims of crime are protected and supported.
The Victims and Prisoners Bill must be strengthened to better protect and support child victims of crime. This includes by ensuring that there is a funded duty on the relevant authorities to commission sufficient specific support services for child victims, including therapeutic and mental health services. This should also include the commissioning of advocacy services – including Child Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (CHISVAs) and Child Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (CHIDVAs).
The Victims and Prisoners Bill should also include a statutory definition of child criminal exploitation as recommended by the Education Select Committee. Too often, child victims of exploitation are criminalised for their own abuse, and this is often because of a lack of understanding about criminal exploitation.