This investigation focuses on three forms of response by institutions in England and Wales to the sexual abuse of children outside the UK.
The first concerns the use of civil orders, which can be used to restrict foreign travel. The second response examined by this investigation concerns the prosecution in England and Wales of UK nationals and residents who sexually abuse children whilst abroad. The third response examined concerns the operation of disclosure and barring regimes, the purpose of which is to enable employers to make safer recruitment decisions and help prevent those who pose a risk to children from working with them.
Each of these regimes is therefore limited in its effectiveness. The gaps in these regimes operate, in some cases together, to enable offenders to perpetrate sexual abuse and exploitation overseas. This is symptomatic of a general lack of focus on this aspect of child protection.
We have made several recommendations aimed at providing a more coherent national strategy on these issues, making better use of the travel restriction regime, and enhancing the Disclosure and Barring Service scheme by extending its geographical reach to work with children overseas and making it mandatory in certain circumstances.