Summary of official responses to Child Sexual Abuse recommendations

A summary of official responses to the Casey report from the Department for Transport, Welsh Government and LGA.

Department for Transport

The UK Government has issued a comprehensive response to the National Audit on Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, accepting all 12 of Baroness Casey’s recommendations. The response signals a firm commitment to systemic reform, victim protection, and stronger enforcement. Key measures include:

1. Legal Reform –The government will change the law so that adults who intentionally penetrate a child under 16 will face mandatory rape charges. This aims to ensure the law prioritizes child protection over shielding adult offenders.

2. National Criminal Operation –A new national police operation, led by the National Crime Agency, will be launched to investigate group-based child sexual exploitation (CSE). This will unify local and national policing efforts under a single framework.

3. Statutory National Inquiry – An independent commission with statutory powers will be established to investigate institutional failures in responding to group-based CSE. It will have authority to compel evidence and summon witnesses.

4. Mandatory Information Sharing – A new legal duty will require all statutory safeguarding partners to share information in CSE cases. This will be introduced through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

5. Unique Child Reference Numbers – The government will introduce a system of unique reference numbers for children to improve tracking and safeguarding across services.

6. Taxi Licensing Reform – Legislation will be brought forward to close cross-border taxi licensing loopholes, ensuring only locally licensed drivers can operate within an authority. Enhanced background checks and a shared database are already in place.

7. Data and Accountability – The government will improve data collection on perpetrators, including ethnicity, and hold local authorities accountable for compliance with safeguarding guidance.

8. Victim-Centered Approach – The response emphasizes putting victims at the heart of reforms, acknowledging the long-term trauma caused by abuse and institutional neglect.

Welsh Government 

Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle regulations are devolved to Wales. Cross-bordering (out-of-area working) is a major concern for local authorities and driver representatives. Our proposals to tackle cross-bordering are principally focused on the introduction of national standards (this will require primary legislation) which will discourage the practice by removing the incentives to do so. Whilst national standards would not prevent cross-border hire instantly, we anticipate future applicants would have no reason to apply for a licence out of area, as all local authorities would licence drivers, vehicles and operators to the same standard, therefore removing the incentive.

Prior to making legislative reforms, we propose to issue voluntary national standards during this Senedd term. This will enable us to test how effective our proposals are before they are made mandatory at a later stage. A significant number of stakeholders have called for national standards, and we hope that this is reflected in the number of Welsh local authorities who agree to use them when they are introduced.

Welsh Local Government Association

On 16 th June 2025, Baroness Casey of Blackstock’s National Audit on Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse was published with 12 key recommendations. One of the matters addressed relates to taxi licensing. Whilst a key part of the nighttime economy, taxis in their various guises, have historically been identified as a way that children can be introduced to sexual exploitation.

Ensuring that drivers are ‘fit and proper’ persons to undertake their duties as well as the introduction of voluntary national standards by Welsh Government during this term in respect of taxi and private hire vehicle driver licensing is seen as key to offering the protections that children and vulnerable adults deserve until such time as suitable legislation can be enacted to introduce mandatory national standards. Aligning policies to better protect and safeguard the public is paramount in this respect.

All 22 local authorities in Wales continue to work towards introducing such national standards to address issues of real concern to local authorities such as out of area working, in conjunction with Welsh Government which has devolved responsibility for taxi licensing in Wales.

Local Government Association

Responding to the report by Baroness Casey into CSE and grooming gangs, and the Prime Minister’s announcement that there will be a national inquiry, Cllr Louise Gittins, Chair of the Local Government Association, said:

“Child sexual exploitation is a horrific crime and one that we must all work together to tackle.  Children’s safety is of paramount importance. Councils stand ready to support and play their part in the national inquiry.”