Female Genital Mutilation (FGM ) / So called ‘honour-based violence’ (HBV) 

Mandatory Reporting of Female Genital Mutilation came into force on 31.10.15. Staff are aware of their mandatory reporting duty provided for in the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 (as amended by the Serious Crime Act 2015). The legislation requires regulated health and social care professionals and teachers in England and Wales to make a report to the police where, in the course of their professional duties, they either:

• are informed by a girl under 18 that an act of FGM has been carried out on her; or
• observe physical signs which appear to show that an act of FGM has been carried out on a girl under 18 and they have no reason to believe that the act was necessary for the girl’s physical or mental health or for purposes connected with labour or birth.

Staff are aware that Honour Based Violence (HBV) encompasses crimes which have been committed to protect for defend the honour of the family or community.  It includes:

• FGM
• forced marriage
• practices such as breast ironing

All forms of HBV are abuse, regardless of the motivation and are handled and escalated as such.

Local safeguarding procedures are followed and where there is a risk to life or likelihood of serious immediate harm, cases are immediately reported to the police, including dialing 999 if appropriate. The school recognises that under best practice guidelines reports should be made by the close of the next working day.

See Multi-agency statutory guidance on FGM (p59-61) and the guide-lines ‘Handling cases of forced marriage’ (p13-14)

For the Safeguarding Policy, Child Protection Policy and other relevant policies, go to the Policies section of the website.