4: Non-recent disclosures of abuse

Chapter 4: 
Management of non-recent disclosures of abuse

Aim of the chapter

1. To describe what non-recent abuse is
2. To understand our context
3. To know how to respond to a disclosure of non-recent abuse
4. To outline the responsibilities of Mandated Personnel
5. To assess current risk

This chapter has been written in line with Children First, Addendum to Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children (2017) and Dealing with Adult Retrospective Disclosures of Child Abuse (2025).

What is non-recent abuse?

Non-recent child abuse (sometimes known as historical abuse, or retrospective disclosure) is when an adult was abused as a child or young person under the age of 18. 

Sometimes, adults who were abused in childhood blame themselves or are made to feel it’s their fault. But this is never the case: there’s no excuse for abuse occurring at any time.

Someone might have known they were abused for a very long time or might only recently learnt or understood what happened to them. 

Whether the abuse happened once or hundreds of times, a year or 70 years ago, whatever the circumstances, there’s support to help. It’s never too late (NSPCC).

Our context

Disclosures can be about abuse that: 

1. Has occurred within our denomination. That means abuse perpetrated by a leader of PCI at any time, or abuse that occurred on PCI premises or abuse that was instigated through a PCI contact or activity.
2. Has been disclosed pastorally and is not connected to PCI. For example, familial abuse disclosed to a Minister for pastoral support.

Adults have, and will continue to, come forward to report experiences of abuse as children within our denomination. 

This should be of great sadness to us, and such disclosures must be met with compassion and concern. 

Disclosures of non-recent abuse can occur within pastoral situations, when the adult has developed a trusted relationship with an individual who is part of their faith community.

This can also occur when an adult has left our denomination and feels they are in a safer place to disclose their experiences. 

Adults choose to disclose, when they feel ready, for many reasons. These include but are not limited to:

• they feel safe, possibly with a person or in different situation
• something significant has changed; for example, the perpetrator has passed away
• they have a concern that the perpetrator is still active and they want to protect others
• they want justice and/or redress 

Responding to a disclosure that is non-recent

Critically, we must respond with the victim/survivor as our central focus. 

We should not jump too quickly to the management of the allegations, and instead ensure the well-being of the person in front of us, both immediately and in the near future. 

It is critical that we respond in an attentive manner, reassuring them for the steps they have now taken, praising their bravery and demonstrating compassion.

Most disclosures occur within the pastoral relationships between individuals and their Minister or Elder. 

Follow these simple steps if someone begins to disclose non-recent abuse:

Listen carefully

• stay calm
• try not to ask lots of questions or make clarifying points

Reassure

• acknowledge the courage of the individual and tell them they’ve done the right thing
• tell them you have understood them

Be serious

• let them know you believe them
• let them know you are going to continue to support them 

Safety first

• if there is any immediate risk of harm established, protect them first
• use emergency services if necessary 

What is next

• tell them what you are going to do
• tell them who you need to tell 

Record 

• write down everything you have been told
• use the person’s own words
• take advice from the central PCI Safeguarding Office
• See below 

Report 

• take advice from the central PCI Safeguarding Office
• See below 

Reporting non-recent abuse

Responsibilities of mandated personnel

If, as a result of information received from an adult, the Mandated Person knows, believes or has a reasonable suspicion that a person who is currently a child has been harmed, is being harmed or is at risk of being harmed, they must report this information without delay to Tusla. This information could come from a variety of sources. 

Where possible, pastoral support should extend to supporting the individual to engage with any report to Tusla themselves. When the person making the disclosure is able to support the Mandated Person’s report to Tusla, it will greatly assist Tusla to examine the current or potential future risk to children. 

However, Mandated Persons are not required by the Children First Act to report adult retrospective disclosures of childhood abuse to Tusla, in circumstances where harm or risk of harm to a person who is currently a child (i.e., person who is under the age of 18 at the time of the disclosure) has not been identified or is not suspected.

As an alternative to the Tusla web portal, the DLP or Mandated Persons can complete the Child Protection and Welfare Report Form or use the Retrospective Abuse Report Form and forward it to the Tusla Duty Social Worker through the relevant dedicated contact point.

Reports to Tusla should be made without delay.

Assessing current risk 

How do we determine if a child is currently at risk within such disclosures? 

The Mandated Person must make a professional judgement as to whether any person who is currently a child (identifiable or not) is at risk of harm from the person who is the subject of the abuse allegations. 

They must consider whether the person who is the subject of the allegations may have access to or contact with children. If the Mandated Person suspects on reasonable grounds that a child is at risk, then a mandated report must be made to Tusla. 

Some questions to consider are, but are not limited to:

• Firstly, is the alleged perpetrator still alive? If not, there is no current risk.
• Ask the adult clearly whether, to their knowledge, this person still has any role, relationship or contact with children.
• At any point in your interactions with the adult have children been mentioned? Have any roles or relationships been mentioned that may suggest contact with children?
• What do you know? Was this a family once known to your church or community?

Be cautious about this being your final assessment, however – the adult may simply not know, or may be too overwhelmed to consider this possibility.

Advice should always be sought from Tusla where there is any doubt.

CHAPTER END