A Supportive Response When a Child Retracts After Initial Disclosure

We have seen how difficult it can be for a child to report abuse; it is also true that even when they do tell us, it may be difficult for them to sustain this account. Many of the factors that can prevent a child from telling us they have been harmed may also lead to the child subsequently varying their story or saying that nothing happened; through fear of not being believed by the police or the court, for example, or a wish to protect a perpetrator who claims to ‘love’ them.

When a child tells us that they have been sexually abused, and subsequently says that nothing happened, a new strategy discussion (if Initial Child Protection Conference ICPC has not yet taken place) or core group meeting (where the ICPC has already occurred) should take place to assess the impact of the child’s new testimony on the s47 enquiry and propose amendments to the strategy or Child Protection Plan as appropriate.

The new strategy discussion or core group meeting should form a view as to whether it believes the child has said nothing happened of their own volition, or whether they have been influenced or coerced into saying this. If it is believed that they have been influenced or coerced, further protective measures should be considered.

Where a section 47 enquiry is based solely on the child’s original account, with no corroborating evidence or intelligence, the focus of the revised strategy or plan may need to be on multi-agency work with the child to assure them that they will not be judged for saying that nothing happened, and to give them opportunities to talk further about their circumstances and concerns. Only when practitioners feel confident that the child is not at risk of significant harm should these efforts cease.

Where there is other evidence that supports the child’s original account, the new meeting may wish to consider how efforts to gather and evaluate further evidence can be reinforced. Again, a plan should be made for multi-agency support for the child, to re-assure them that they continue to be trusted and listened to.