What is the Schema Expert Council?
10. Sep. 2025
The Schema Expert Council is the independent governance body responsible for reviewing, maintaining, and updating the Universal Classification Schema. It ensures that the Schema remains accurate, relevant, and aligned with the realities faced by those working to prevent and respond to online child sexual abuse.
The Expert Council brings together a diverse group of stakeholders, including hotline analysts, law enforcement officials, researchers, legal experts, civil society organisations, and industry representatives. Members contribute their expertise to evaluate proposed changes, review new evidence, and ensure that updates reflect both legal developments and lived experience.
The Council meets at least once per year and follows a formal voting process for proposed updates to the Schema and its training materials. Decisions on content revisions require a supermajority of Council members to approve, ensuring that changes are broadly supported and carefully considered.
Membership in the Expert Council is open to qualified organisations with a demonstrable commitment to child protection. Applications are reviewed by the Schema Custodian, and terms are set for four years. All members are expected to uphold the highest ethical standards, declare any potential conflicts of interest, and contribute actively to the Council's mission.
The Expert Council serves as a platform for cross-sector collaboration, helping to harmonise terminology, reduce ambiguity, and promote shared understanding in a fast-changing digital landscape. Through its work, the Council helps ensure that the Schema remains a trusted global resource for classification, training, and system alignment.
Membership is open to qualified organisations with a demonstrable commitment to child protection.