Overview

• The Crime and Policing Bill introduces mandatory reporting of suspected child sexual abuse by professionals, including teachers and health workers.
• A ‘Romeo and Juliet’ exemption permits discretion in reporting consensual sexual relationships between teenagers, provided both are over 13 and no abuse, coercion, or power imbalance is evident.
• The clause, inspired by similar laws in Australia and France, aims to prevent criminalising consensual teenage relationships and encourage access to healthcare and advice.
• Professionals who fail to report child sexual abuse may face regulatory sanctions or, in cases of deliberate obstruction, up to seven years in prison.
• The exemption, supported across party lines in committee, progresses with the bill as it moves toward further parliamentary readings and final approval.