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From today domestic abusers to be marked and tracked in boost to victims’ safety

Source: Ministry of Justice published on this website Monday 5 October 2026

Domestic abuse is already recognised as an aggravating factor in a wide range of offences, such as assault or stalking, but until now there has been no consistent way to record this once an offender is convicted. This makes it harder to identify abusers; manage the risks they pose and identify patterns of repeat offending.

Under the new measures, the courts must now state in open court when an offence involved domestic abuse, creating for the first time a single, clear court record that can be shared across the criminal justice system. This will ensure perpetrators are identified and managed more effectively by enabling more tailored interventions to address abusive behaviour.

Minister for Victims and Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls and International Justice, Alex Davies-Jones said:

“Too many victims have suffered because patterns of abusive behaviour have not always been recognised across the justice system.

“This is an important step towards better identifying dangerous perpetrators, protecting victims and delivering on our commitment to halve violence against women and girls.”

Andrea Simon, London’s Victims’ Commissioner, said:

“As a panel member of the Independent Sentencing Review, I was committed to ensuring domestic abuse flags were enshrined in law through the Sentencing Act. This is so the context of an offence could be formally recorded and protections for victims of abuse could be strengthened. I am therefore, pleased to see these measures being implemented in practice. Within the context of early prison releases, it is vital that justice agencies can effectively identify and respond to the risks posed by domestic abuse perpetrators and put the right interventions in place to protect victims from further harm.”

Court flags will be shared with relevant partners and agencies, and be visible on police, probation and prison digital systems. This will give frontline staff a clearer picture of an offender’s history, helping them assess and manage risk effectively and better identify repeat domestic abuse offenders

More widely, victims are being supported through a new Victim Support helpline, funded as part of an £18 million support package, while the Prime Minister has blocked offenders convicted of rape, serious child sexual offences and grooming from benefiting from upcoming sentencing changes.

Victims will also be better protected through the expansion of electronic monitoring, including world-first restriction zones designed to keep the highest-risk offenders away from those they have harmed.

Dame Nicole Jacobs, Domestic Abuse Commissioner, said:

“This marks a step change in our ability to track domestic abuse perpetrators through the criminal justice system - something I have long called for.

“Not only will it enable us to better identify and respond to harmful behaviour, but it will also help ensure victims receive the right level of support they need, while giving us a clearer picture of how pervasive domestic abuse is within our justice system.

“That insight is crucial if we are to better protect victims and hold perpetrators to account.”

Further information

The Judicial Finding of Domestic Abuse was introduced by the Sentencing Act 2026. It has also been included in the Criminal Procedure Rules, making it obligatory for the courts to implement. The judicial finding will apply when an offence involved domestic abuse (as defined by the Domestic Abuse Act 2021) carried out by the offender.
The Judicial Finding of Domestic Abuse will only apply in the Criminal Court.
The finding will be recorded as a formal court result at the point of sentencing.
The reforms form part of wider action to improve outcomes for victims and survivors, including:
Introduced domestic abuse specialists in 999 call centres in selected areas. Specialists can support first responders to assess the risk and make sure there is an appropriate response.
The CPS and NPCC have launched the ‘Domestic Abuse Joint Justice Plan’, which brings police and prosecution expertise together – for a stronger, more co-ordinated approach to investigating and charging domestic abuse.
Improved access to civil legal aid for domestic abuse victims by extending the equity disregard for the main residence.
Expanding the Pathfinder pilots in family courts, which are helping to ensure that children’s voices are heard in each case, reducing their trauma, and providing more access to specialist support.
The rollout of the Domestic Abuse Protection Orders in selected areas. This puts tough restrictions on abusers and can include orders for behaviour change programmes.
Considering how to expand the use of specialist domestic abuse courts.

OPSS has issued a safety alert for certain baby sleeping bags because of the risk of overheating and suffocation.

Source: Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) published on this website 2 October 2026 by Jill Powell

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has issued a Safety Alert for certain baby sleeping bags because of the risk of overheating and suffocation.

The alert concerns baby sleeping bags that do not have arm holes or include a hood. They are marketed or intended to be used as bags for babies to sleep in unsupervised when in a crib or cot.

Without armholes to retain a baby in position, the child might slip into the sleeping bag which could result in overheating, suffocation and potentially death. Sleeping bags with hoods may also cover a baby’s nose and mouth and cause similar harm.

The Safety Alert has been issued following nearly 50 recalls or product safety reports for dangerous sleeping bag products in the UK since 2023.

OPSS is advising parents and carers not to buy – and to stop using – any sleeping bag products that lack armholes or which include a hood for unsupervised baby sleep. Parents and carers who have these products should contact the business that supplied them as they may be entitled to redress.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has also today issued a warning to parents and carers to be on high alert for online ads promoting baby products that claim to help with colic, reflux, sleep and soothing. The warning follows a large-scale monitoring exercise in which the regulator identified ads promoting potentially dangerous products and practices that could put babies at risk of serious harm or death.

From today 30 September new Information Duty Statutory Guidance comes into force.

Source: Department of Education published on this website Wednesday 30 September 2026 by Jill Powell

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 introduced an information sharing duty statutory guidance to provide clarity for Practitioner on what and when they should share information for the purposes of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Local safeguarding arrangements, practices and procedures, alongside pre-existing statutory responsibilities, then determine how this information should be shared, and with whom. As with all processing of personal data, data protection law determines how to do so appropriately.

Section 11(1) Children Act 2004 organisations (e.g. local authorities, Integrated Care Boards, NHS Trusts, the police, prison and probation services, youth justice services, and youth custody services)2. • Designated childcare or education agencies for the purposes of section 16E3.
Providers delivering services pursuant to arrangements made by the above for functions relating to safeguarding and promoting welfare. This includes GPs, dentists, and other primary care providers.

The Child Safeguarding Practice Review and Relevant Agency (England) Regulations 2018 3 Organisations and practitioners to whom the information sharing duty does not apply may find this guidance helpful for best practice, and for understanding how the statutory safeguarding framework, which they contribute information to, operates.

Section 11(4) of the Children Act 2004 requires persons and bodies to which the section 11 duty applies to have regard to any guidance given to them by the Secretary of State.

Section 7 LA Social Services Act 1970 requires LAs to act, in their social services function, under the general guidance of the Secretary of State.

Section 11(1) Children Act 2004

Designated childcare or education agencies are listed in 2018 Regulations

Help CQC to develop new guidance on what good dementia care looks like

Source: Care Quality Commission (CQC) published on this website Thursday 1 October 2026 by Jill Powell

CQC are developing new guidance on what good dementia care should look like across health and social care services. Before we launch a planned formal consultation on the guidance in early 2027, we would like your views to help shape the guidance before we start to write it.

This work aims to improve people’s experience of dementia care and their outcomes from care, including people who are living with dementia, their families and carers. Everyone should be able to expect to receive care that treats them as an individual person – recognising what matters most to them, and responding to their needs with dignity, compassion and understanding.

Why DBS are developing this guidance

The guidance will form part of our Dementia Strategy. It will be statutory guidance, which means that CQC-registered care providers must follow it. We want the guidance to create a clear, shared understanding of what people living with dementia should be able to expect from care services, and what good dementia care looks like in practice.

The purpose of the guidance is to:

describe what good dementia care looks like
support health and adult social care providers to deliver high-quality care
promote consistency across services
protect and promote people’s rights
improve experiences of care for people living with dementia and their carers.

We will need to combine evidence from our regulatory work, professional expertise and people’s lived experience into a practical framework that care providers and professionals can use to help deliver high-quality dementia care across different settings.

Take part in the survey

CQC are now moving to the co-design phase of developing the guidance. We want to hear a broad range of views from organisations and individual people who have knowledge, experience or an interest in this area about what the guidance should include.

The survey has 4 questions. Please submit your responses by 5pm on 30 October.

Before you answer the questions click

CQC staff will analyse the information you include in your response to this survey. CQC are not collecting any personal data, so please do not include any personal information in your responses.

You can find more information in our privacy statement.

Please do not include any personal information in your responses.

If you have any problems completing this form, please email our web team.

How CQC use your information

CQC staff will analyse the information you include in your response to this survey. We are not collecting any personal data, so please do not include any personal information in your responses.

You can find more information in our privacy statement.

Justice is Changing: Justice Minister Launches Campaign to Help Victims of Sexual Crime

Source: Department of Justice published on this website Tuesday 29 September 2026 by Jill Powell

The Justice Minister today launched a new public communications campaign to mark significant progress for victims of sexual crime.

Launching the ‘Justice is Changing’ campaign, Naomi Long said it demonstrates a commitment by the Department of Justice to deliver for victims across Northern Ireland.

The campaign aims to highlight the services introduced by the Department to support victims of sexual abuse; many of which were developed in response to the Gillen Review, an independent review of the handling of serious sexual offence cases within the Northern Ireland justice system.

Ms Long said: “Victims of sexual crime told the Gillen Review that the justice process could often exacerbate their trauma; particularly through unnecessary delays, invasions of privacy, and a lack of timely support and information.

“We have listened to these concerns and directly addressed them through a range of new measures.

“I hope this campaign raises public awareness of the services that are now available and that it will encourage victims to come forward and report these crimes and to remain within the justice system until their case concludes”.

The services introduced by the Department and its partners include:

Establishing new Remote Evidence Centres (RECs) in Belfast and Craigavon alongside the existing NSPCC-led facility in Derry/Londonderry that allow victims to give evidence in a safe, specially designed environment away from the courthouse and where there is no chance they will meet the defendant on the day of the trial. In 2025, over 600 vulnerable witnesses gave evidence from a REC. The conviction rate in REC cases stands consistently at around 90%;
The Adult Sexual Offences Legal Advisor (SOLA) scheme provides publicly funded legal advice to adult complainants in serious sexual offence cases, with over 2,200 people benefitting from the scheme since its launch in 2021. The service has since been extended to children, with more than 400 child victims benefiting from support provided by a CSOLA since its launch in 2025;
The Justice (Sexual Offences and Trafficking Victims) NI Act 2022 introduced stronger anonymity protection for victims, increased penalties for breaches of anonymity laws, and allowed for the exclusion of the public from courtrooms during serious sexual offence trials;
The Rape Myths = Real Harm social media campaign has worked to dispel misinformation about sexual crimes;
Committal reform has removed the requirement for victims of sexual offences to give oral evidence at two separate hearings; reducing delay and reducing the burden on victims;
The judge-led Under 13/16 Protocol is also reducing delay in sexual offence cases involving young children; and,
The Belfast Domestic Abuse Contest Court was set up to put victims of domestic and sexual abuse first. All complainants give evidence from the Belfast Remote Evidence Centre with specialist prosecutors and support services. The Court starts at 11am so people can attend to family commitments first. The conviction rate is consistently around 90%.

The Minister continued: “We have made good progress but I’m determined to keep going and build on the measures already in place.

We are working towards the introduction of a Barnahus type model to Northern Ireland; the creation of guidance for the media in relation to the reporting of rape and other sexual crimes and the introduction of new measures in the Victims & Witnesses Bill, introduced to the assembly in June, that will further protect the disclosure of complainants’ personal information, including counselling notes and medical records.

Sexual assault is one of the most heinous and violating crimes, and it can have a devastating and lasting impact on victims. As Justice Minister, I will do all I can to ensure that the justice system does not exacerbate that trauma.”

The ‘Justice is Changing’ campaign will run across the Department’s social media channels. Full details of the changes made by the Department as part of the Gillen implementation programme can be found at: Gillen Review Report into the law and procedures in serious sexual offences in NI | Department of Justice