Reporting Concerns About Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
Female genital mutilation is illegal in the UK under the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003. It is also unlawful to take a child abroad for FGM. If you are worried that a child has undergone, or is at risk of, FGM, you can contact the NSPCC's dedicated FGM helpline for advice or to make a referral. Regulated health, social care, and teaching professionals in England and Wales have a personal mandatory reporting duty under section 5B of the Act when they identify FGM in a girl under 18. Anyone can also raise concerns about a child who may be at risk before any procedure has taken place.
Immediate danger — call 999
If you believe a child is about to be taken abroad imminently for FGM, or is in immediate physical danger, call 999. If a flight or journey is planned, mention this clearly so police can act quickly.
What to report
- •A girl under 18 who you believe has been subjected to FGM
- •A girl who has been told she will be 'cut' or taken abroad for a procedure
- •Plans for a trip to a country where FGM is practised that coincide with school holidays without clear purpose
- •Family pressure or community ceremonies that suggest a child is being prepared for FGM
- •A child disclosing pain, bleeding, or difficulty walking or going to the toilet that may indicate recent FGM
How to report
NSPCC FGM Helpline
When to use
When you are worried that a child has had, or is at risk of, FGM and want confidential advice or a referral
How to contact
Call 0800 028 3550 (free, anonymous, 24/7) or email [email protected]. You do not have to give your name.
What to expect
Trained NSPCC advisers will discuss your concern, talk through options, and can make a referral to children's services or police on your behalf where appropriate. They can also signpost specialist community services.
Police — 999 (immediate) or 101 (non-immediate)
When to use
When FGM has occurred, is being planned, or a child is about to be taken abroad
How to contact
Call 999 if a child is in immediate danger or travel is imminent. Otherwise call 101 and ask to speak to the child abuse investigation team or public protection unit. FGM is a criminal offence.
What to expect
Police will record the report, assess risk, and work jointly with children's services. In urgent cases they can apply for an FGM Protection Order under Schedule 2 of the FGM Act 2003 to prevent a child being taken abroad.
Local authority children's services (MASH)
When to use
For any safeguarding concern where a child is at risk of FGM, or to make a multi-agency referral
How to contact
Contact your council's Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub. Find your local route at gov.uk/report-child-abuse-to-local-council. Mention FGM specifically so the case is allocated to a worker with the relevant experience.
What to expect
Children's services will carry out a strategy discussion with police and health, in line with the multi-agency statutory guidance on FGM and Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023. An FGM Protection Order can be sought through the family court.
FORWARD (Foundation for Women's Health Research and Development)
When to use
When you want specialist community support, survivor-led advice, or culturally informed guidance for a family
How to contact
Visit forwarduk.org.uk for advice lines, community advocates, and links to specialist clinics. FORWARD has worked on FGM in the UK and African diaspora communities for decades.
What to expect
FORWARD provides one-to-one support, group programmes, and signposting to specialist NHS FGM clinics. They do not replace statutory reporting but can help families engage with services.
Karma Nirvana — honour-based abuse helpline
When to use
When FGM concerns overlap with forced marriage, honour-based abuse, or family or community coercion
How to contact
Call 0800 5999 247 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm). Karma Nirvana supports victims of honour-based abuse, including FGM, and can advise on safe disclosure.
What to expect
Advisers will discuss safety planning and help you understand referral options. They liaise with police, children's services, and the Forced Marriage Unit where relevant.
Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) — joint Home Office and FCDO
When to use
When FGM concerns are linked to a planned overseas trip that may also involve forced marriage
How to contact
Call 020 7008 0151 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm; out-of-hours via 020 7008 5000). Email [email protected].
What to expect
The FMU provides advice to victims, professionals, and family members. In overseas cases they work with British embassies to assist a child. They can help coordinate with police if an FGM Protection Order or Forced Marriage Protection Order is required.
Evidence checklist
Gather this information before or during your report. Do not delay reporting while collecting evidence — but preserve what you can.
- The child's name, age, and address if known
- Any disclosure the child has made, recorded in their own words as soon as possible
- Details of planned travel — destination country, dates, who is travelling
- Names of family members or community figures said to be involved
- Any medical signs the child has reported (do not examine the child)
- Whether siblings or other girls in the family may also be at risk
What to say
You do not need to use a script, but this template may help if you are nervous about making the call. Adapt it to your circumstances.
"I am calling about a child I believe is at risk of FGM. The child is aged [age] and lives in [area]. I am concerned because [brief description — e.g. she has told me she is being taken abroad / I have heard family members discuss 'cutting']. I am her [relationship — teacher, neighbour, family friend]. I would like advice about what to do next and, if appropriate, for a referral to be made."
What happens next
Following a referral, police and children's services will hold a strategy discussion and agree a safeguarding plan. If travel is planned, an FGM Protection Order can be granted by the family court at short notice, including conditions such as surrendering passports. Health services may offer the child a specialist assessment at an FGM clinic. Where a regulated professional has identified FGM in a girl under 18, the section 5B mandatory reporting duty requires them to notify police, normally by calling 101.
What not to do
- ✗Do not confront the family or warn them you are reporting — this can lead to a child being moved abroad sooner
- ✗Do not promise the child confidentiality — explain you may need to share information to keep her safe
- ✗Do not attempt to examine the child or ask intrusive questions about her body
- ✗Do not delay because you are unsure — call the NSPCC FGM helpline for advice if you are not certain what to do
- ✗Do not assume the child is safe simply because the family is settled in the UK — FGM can take place in this country or abroad
Frequently asked questions
Who has the mandatory reporting duty for FGM?
Section 5B of the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 places a personal duty on regulated health and social care professionals and teachers in England and Wales to report to police when, in the course of their work, they identify that FGM appears to have been carried out on a girl under 18. The duty does not extend to suspicions about a child at risk before any procedure, although safeguarding referrals should still be made in those cases.
Can the family be prosecuted if FGM happened abroad?
Yes. The FGM Act 2003 has extraterritorial reach — it is an offence for a UK national or resident to carry out FGM, or to assist or arrange it, anywhere in the world. Taking or sending a girl abroad for FGM is also an offence.
What if the situation feels urgent right now?
If a child is in immediate danger, call 999. For non-emergency police matters, call 101. The NSPCC FGM helpline (0800 028 3550) is free and anonymous. The Forced Marriage Unit (020 7008 0151) can advise where overseas travel is planned. For a decision tree, see /tools/reporting-route-finder.
Sources and further information
- NSPCC FGM Helpline — NSPCC
- Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 — UK Parliament
- Multi-Agency Statutory Guidance on FGM — Home Office
- FORWARD UK — FORWARD
- Karma Nirvana — Karma Nirvana
- Forced Marriage Unit — Home Office / FCDO
This guidance is for informational purposes. It is not a substitute for emergency services or professional safeguarding support. If a child is in immediate danger, call 999 (UK) or 911 (US) now.
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Last reviewed: 2026-06-14. This page provides general educational information, not legal or professional safeguarding advice. UK helplines and legislation may change — verify current details with the relevant organisation.