Child sexual abuse within early years

Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FOI/26/009690/I

Version Date: 07/04/2026

The Performance & Analysis Department has provided the following information:

Data Source:

Crime information system – Niche

Data Processing:

Qliksense Occurrence People Links (All) Report

Filtered on Date Created: 1 April 2021 to 10 March 2026

Charges                                                                               

Filtered on CSA Related Flag                                                                              

Filtered on Outcomes                                                                                

1: Summonsed/postal requisition                                                                         

1: Charged                                                                           

Search of Person Occupation at Time for "Nursery",  "Child Care", "Childcare", and "Early Years".                                                                           

Arrests                                                                                 

Filtered on CSA Related Flag                                                                              

Filtered on Arrest Linked to Occurrence: Yes                                                                           

Search of Person Occupation at Time for "Nursery",  "Child Care", "Childcare", and "Early Years".                                                                           

Qliksense Offence Management Report V5                                                                             

Search of Niche Ref for conviction data                                                               

Caveats/Limitations                                                                                

No crimes/Cancelled Crimes excluded                                                                 

Restricted Crimes Excluded                                                                                

Person Occupation at Time field is reliant on the date of occupation start and end being filled out, and also it must coincide with the offence date.                         

Of the 647 results where a person was charged, 376 had no recorded occupation.

Of the 2190 results where there was an arrest linked to an occurrence - 1519 had no recorded occupation.                                                                                  

I would like to request information for the financial years 2021 - 2022, 2022 - 2023, 2023 - 2024, 2024 - 2025, 2025 - 2026:

1. The number of individuals arrested or charged with a child sexual offence where the occupation recorded by police was listed as working in an early years childcare setting. This could include occupations recorded as:
   o nursery worker - Two
   o          nursery assistant
   o          nursery practitioner
   o          early years practitioner
   o          childcare worker
   o          nursery teacher
   o          or similar early years childcare roles.
   
   
2. If available, the number of these individuals who were subsequently convicted. Please note, the force does not hold reliable conviction data. The police deal with arrests and charges. For prosecutions pleae contact the courts: HM Courts & Tribunals Service - GOV.UK
   
   
3. If available, a year-by-year breakdown of the figures above.
   Please provide the information in aggregate statistical form only. I am not requesting any personal data or identifying information.
   If the specific occupation categories above cannot be isolated, please provide any equivalent occupation category used by your force’s recording system relating to early years childcare or nursery work.
   
   

Between 1 April 2021 to 10 March 2026 only two offences have been identified, two arrests of two separate individuals, which had a Child Sexual Abuse/ Exploitation (CSA Related and by default CSE Flag) flag attached to the offence and the Person Occupation at Time was recorded as Nursery Worker (Education).                      

Please note that data quality is reliant on the occupation being provided and entered correctly.                                                                                                                                                   

The first offence, recorded in 2024 - no conviction was recorded. Person Occupation at Time was recorded as Nursery Worker (Education).                                                             

The second offence, recorded in 2024 - no conviction was recorded. Person Occupation at Time was recorded as Nursery Worker (Education).