A NEW national inspection has highlighted the growing and evolving threat of online child sexual abuse, and the increasing pressure this places on police forces across England and Wales.
The latest report from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) sets out how demand continues to rise faster than the resources available.
Despite these challenges, West Mercia Police’s partnership with the charity Family Matters has been singled out as an example of practice that should be adopted nationally.
Funded by Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion, Family Matters supports the indirect victims of indecent image offences – keeping families updated on investigations and helping them understand the processes involved.
In West Mercia, as of March 1 2026 there were 487 ongoing investigations into online child sexual abuse.
Nationally, the scale of the issue continues to grow. Referrals from the National Crime Agency to police forces for online child sexual abuse rose by 66 per cent in a single year, from 12,469 in 2023 to 20,704 in 2024.
The number of registered sex offenders has also increased by 48 per cent over the past decade, with nearly 3,000 more added to the register in 2024/25 compared to the previous year.
Mr Campion said: “At the heart of my Safer Communities Plan is a commitment to ensuring those who cause the most harm in our communities are identified and brought to justice.
“I welcome HMICFRS’s focus on this issue, and I will continue to seek regular reassurance from the Chief Constable on West Mercia Police’s work to safeguard children as well as demanding greater levels of financial support from the Government. But this is a societal challenge that policing cannot tackle alone.
“Strong partnership working with safeguarding services, education, health, and the voluntary sector is essential. I remain committed to supporting services that help victims and their families, recognising the profound and lasting impact these crimes can have – not only on children, but on wider family networks.”
