The UK Government is planning to create a new organisation called the Child Protection Authority (CPA).
The formation of a Child Protection Authority (CPA) will have a direct impact on safeguarding practice for faith communities. It will mean moving away from a ‘doing it our own way’ approach to a more unified national standard.
This proposal directly addresses findings from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) 2022, which highlighted systemic failures and ‘disguised compliance’ within some religious organisations.
The CPA will have three core functions:
- Providing system leadership and national oversight.
- Promoting and embedding good practice.
- Driving improvement and accountability in multi-agency child protection.
The independent safeguarding charity Thirtyone:eight, which is a Charity and Network in Association with Churches Together in England, has put together a briefing paper explaining how organisations can have their say before the 5 March 2026 deadline.
For further enquiries about the consultation please email Public Policy and Advocacy Manager at Thirtyone:eight, Katy Jackson.
Respond to the UK government Child Protection Authority consultation.