The document Mandatory reporting of female genital mutilation: Procedural information was published in 2015 by the Department for Education (DfE) and the Home Office. In January this year, the guidance was updated and so it seems timely to refresh ourselves of the requirements that schools and teachers must meet.
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is an act of child abuse and violence against women. Teachers are required to report to the police “known” cases of FGM in under-18s which they identify in the course of their professional work.
“Known” cases are those where either a girl informs the person that an act of FGM – however described – has been carried out on her, or where the person observes physical signs on a girl appearing to show that an act of FGM has been carried out and the person has no reason to believe that the act was, or was part of, a surgical operation (see Section 1(2)(a) or (b) of the FGM Act 2003).
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