This short paper addresses the main arguments for and against creating a legal duty to report child abuse. It looks at existing obligations under domestic and international safeguarding law, as well as empirical research on mandatory reporting systems in other countries. It can be seen as a brief version of Siobhan’s dissertation on the government’s consultation on reporting and acting on child abuse and neglect, which concluded in early 2018. You can find the full dissertation, and other campaigning resources related to this ongoing issue on the #MandateNow section of this website.