Statutory guidance to ensure local authorities and schools address peer on peer abuse

Recent reasurch has shown significant numbers of children report sexual harassment and sexual abuse by peers. 2/3 of children who report sexual abuse say it is committed by other children.
The recent enquiry into sexual abuse in institutions show wide spread failings with organisations covering up abuse blaming victims and their families.
With peer on peer sexual abuse occuring in schools including in reception age children in primary schools and upwards this remains prevalent with schools prioritising reputational damage or poor Ofsted reports covering up abuse intimidating parents and punishing victims.
The current guidance is not robust enough to ensure the responsibilities of schools and local authority act quickly to protect children and ensure they can access support and education.
Local authorities do not adequately support children who experience peer on peer abuse and fail to address the root of the issue within establishments.
There needs to be clear guidance on what support is needed agencies responcibilities to investigate the root cause of incidents and learn from them to create a culture where these incidents should be addressed robustly and systemically similar to 'never events' in healthcare.

There needs to be a independant body who can take reports and have the power to ensure action. The local authority is not always independent enough to investigate within schools and Ofsted and the departmentfor education are inaccessible and do not investigate individual safeguarding in schools. Govoners do not have the skills or training and are often too easily swayed by the local authority or school to protect reputation and the complexities of the system is impossible to navigate failing children and parents.