New Guidance on Joint Inspections into Child Sexual Abuse in the Family Environment

Guidance has been published for the second round of joint targeted area inspections (JTAIs), with a focus on child sexual abuse in the family environment, one of the most complex and hidden forms of harm children face.

The inspections will examine how police, social care, probation, and health services work together in local areas. Because no single agency can protect children alone, safety depends on coordinated, confident, and consistent action.

At Emmaus, we believe these inspections highlight more than process. They raise difficult but vital questions:

• Do professionals have the training and confidence to recognise subtle signs of abuse?

• Are children’s voices being heard and acted on, even when disclosures are indirect?

• Is there a culture of early, joined-up action instead of waiting for crisis?

Guidance and frameworks matter but it’s the everyday culture and choices of professionals that protect children in reality.

You can read the full announcement and access the guidance here 👉 Joint targeted area inspections to focus on child sexual abuse in the family environment