THDTH action checklist

Five demands

1. Prevention by design: standards, safer recruitment, risk review and funded leadership.
2. Consent & power literacy: regular learning on boundaries, coercion and bystander options.
3. Survivor-centred response: accessible routes, privacy, immediate safety and respectful choices.
4. Accountability without exception: fair investigation, protection from retaliation and corrective action.
5. Controlled-access Sex Offenders Register: lawful entry criteria, independent oversight and serious vetting for every position of trust involving children and young people.

Safer first words

• “I’m glad you told me.”
• “This is not your fault.”
• “Are you in immediate danger?”
• “I’ll explain what I may need to share before we continue.”
• “Would you like me to help you look at support options?”

30-day institutional start

1. Map policies, risks, roles and referral routes.
2. List every role involving care, instruction, supervision, transport or accommodation of children and young people.
3. Confirm official criminal-record vetting requirements and document who verifies results.
4. Close urgent gaps in safety, escalation and conflicts of interest.
5. Publish and test a plain-language reporting pathway.

Before relying on a check

• Use only official, lawful criminal-record or authorised register checks.
• Verify identity and document the decision-maker without circulating sensitive results.
• Never use allegations, social-media posts or unofficial naming lists as a substitute for lawful process.
• Remember that a clear check does not guarantee safety.
• Maintain supervision, professional boundaries and accessible reporting routes.