Synopsis
Recognise female genital mutilation and forced-marriage risk, treat acute and long-term health consequences, speak privately and safely, apply the mandatory FGM reporting duty correctly, avoid family mediation and coordinate specialist protection including protective orders.
- Speak with the child alone, using an independent interpreter who is not a relative or community member, and establish safe contact details.
- Treat genital bleeding, sepsis, urinary retention, pain, violence and self-harm urgently while protection is coordinated.
- Do not mediate with relatives, contact community leaders or alert a potential perpetrator in forced-marriage or honour-based abuse concerns.
- FGM includes any non-medical partial or total removal of external female genitalia or other deliberate injury; all types are illegal in the UK.
- In England and Wales, a regulated healthcare professional must personally report known FGM in an under-18 to police under the statutory duty.
- In England and Wales, the minimum legal marriage age is 18 and conduct intended to cause a child to marry is an offence even when no coercion can be shown.
- Suspected or future FGM risk and information reported by someone else still require ordinary safeguarding action even when the mandatory reporting trigger is not met.
- Contact children's social care and police urgently for imminent risk; consider FGM or forced-marriage protection orders with specialist legal support.
- Offer specialist paediatric, gynaecological, sexual-health, mental-health and maternity follow-up without performing an examination solely to search for FGM.
Key red flags
A child mentions a special procedure, celebration, becoming clean, a female relative visiting, prolonged travel or being taken somewhere against their wishes.
Family plans a marriage, engagement or overseas trip, controls documents or communication, monitors consultations or threatens shame, violence or abandonment.
Genital pain, bleeding, infection, dysuria, urinary retention, altered stream, menstrual difficulty or childbirth complications may follow FGM.
A girl has a sibling, mother or community context affected by FGM; this informs risk assessment but never justifies stereotyping or examination without indication.
Learning disability, dependence, immigration insecurity, sexuality or pregnancy may increase vulnerability to forced marriage and reduce safe access to help.
Self-harm, depression, school withdrawal, running away or sudden loss of autonomy may be responses to honour-based abuse and coercion.
Investigation priorities
Establish procedure, marriage, travel, coercion, documents and immediate access risk.
Management branches
Recent cutting causes bleeding, infection, retention or severe pain.
- Stabilise haemorrhage, circulation, pain and urinary or septic complications.
- Call experienced paediatric and gynaecological or surgical support.
- Secure evidence only when it does not delay necessary treatment.
- Refer immediately to social care and police safeguarding pathways.