Statutory notification | Children's Policy & Practice Hub

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

FGM is a cultural practice involving the cutting or injuring of female genitals where there is no medical reason for doing so. It is a form of child abuse and illegal in this country. It is a criminal offence to assist in enabling FGM to take place both in and out of the UK.

Social workers are one of the professions that has a statutory duty to report cases of FGM that come to their attention.

For further guidance on the duty and what steps need to be taken please see the CSCP statutory reporting of FGM guidance

Last updated: 05 January 2022