MANDATORY REPORTING DUTY · FGM ACT 2003 s.5B

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

FGM is child abuse and a criminal offence under English law. This guide covers the mandatory reporting duty for regulated professionals, at-risk indicators, peak risk periods, referral pathway, and the WHO classification of FGM types.

FGM Act 2003 Mandatory Reporting 2015 KCSIE 2025 Annex B
170,000+
Women and girls in England and Wales estimated to be living with FGM (City University)
6,500+
Girls under 13 in England and Wales at risk (BMJ estimate)
July–Sept
Peak risk period — "cutting season" during summer school holidays
Criminal
Performing or arranging FGM carries up to 14 years' imprisonment

⚠️ The Mandatory Reporting Duty — FGM Act 2003 s.5B

A regulated professional (teachers, doctors, nurses, social workers) who discovers that FGM has been carried out on a girl under 18 must report to the police. This is a personal, non-delegable duty — reporting to your DSL does not fulfil it.

When the duty applies:
  • ▸Girl discloses that FGM has been performed on her
  • ▸You observe physical signs consistent with FGM
  • ▸A third party discloses that FGM has been performed on a girl
How to report:
  • ▸Call 101 to make the report to police
  • ▸Also make a referral to children's social care / MASH
  • ▸Record your actions and the time you reported

Note: The duty is to report known cases, not suspected future risk. Suspected risk → refer to children's social care under s.17/s.47 Children Act 1989.

🔬 WHO Classification of FGM Types
Type 1 — Clitoridectomy

Partial or total removal of the clitoris and/or prepuce

Type 2 — Excision

Partial or total removal of the clitoris and labia minora

Type 3 — Infibulation

Narrowing of the vaginal opening by cutting and repositioning

Type 4 — Other

All other harmful procedures including piercing, incising, scraping

All four types are illegal in England and Wales under the FGM Act 2003. It is also illegal to take a UK national or permanent resident abroad for FGM to be performed.

⚠️ Risk Indicators for Future FGM

These indicators suggest a girl may be at future risk — refer to children's social care, not police (police reporting is for known cases only):

  • ▸Family originates from a high-prevalence country (e.g. Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea, Sierra Leone, Egypt, Gambia, Guinea)
  • ▸Older sister has undergone FGM
  • ▸Girl is approaching puberty and family discuss "becoming a woman"
  • ▸Long unexplained absence planned — particularly to countries with high prevalence
  • ▸Parents insist FGM is a religious or cultural requirement
  • ▸Girl says she is to have a "special procedure" or "cut"
📅 Peak Risk Periods & School Duties

🗓️ High-Risk Periods

  • ▸Summer holidays (July–September) — highest risk; long window for recovery before school returns
  • ▸Christmas and Easter breaks
  • ▸Before puberty begins (ages 5–8 most common globally)

🏫 School Action Before Holidays

  • ▸DSLs should brief staff on FGM risk indicators before summer term ends
  • ▸Consider a welfare check conversation with at-risk girls before the holiday
  • ▸Share concerns with MASH before the holiday so a check can be arranged
📚 Key Legislation
  • ▸Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 — prohibition of FGM, extra-territorial jurisdiction, mandatory reporting (s.5B added 2015)
  • ▸Serious Crime Act 2015 — inserted s.5B mandatory reporting duty; introduced FGM Protection Orders (FGMPOs)
  • ▸Children Act 1989 — basis for s.17/s.47 referrals for future risk
  • ▸KCSIE 2025 Annex B — mandatory training requirement for all school staff
  • ▸Multi-Agency Statutory Guidance on FGM (HM Government, 2020)

📞 Key Contacts

Police (mandatory report)
101 · Non-emergency reporting line
Report known FGM cases here
NSPCC FGM Helpline
0800 028 3550 · help@nspcc.org.uk
Free · 24/7 · professionals & public
MASH / Children's Social Care
Your local authority number
For future risk referrals
Karma Nirvana
0800 5999 247
HBA & FGM specialist support
→ Honour-Based Abuse Hub → Forced Marriage Hub