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Independent Inquiry Publishes Internal Review into Its Work

Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse
December 16, 2016

https://www.iicsa.org.uk/news/independent-inquiry-publishes-internal-review-its-work

The Review refocuses the Inquiry and lays out a detailed schedule of work for 2017. It recognises that the Inquiry has two equally important tasks: unravelling institutional failures of the past and making meaningful recommendations to keep children safe today and in the future. It concludes that the Inquiry’s work needed rebalancing to make sure sufficient attention was paid to making recommendations for the future.

The Truth Project, research and analysis and public hearings remain central to the Inquiry’s work and its terms of reference also remain the same. All 13 of the existing investigations will continue.

The Inquiry is also proposing changes to the scope and timing of the public hearing for the investigation into the institutional responses to allegations of sexual abuse involving the late Lord Janner of Braunstone.

The nature and breadth of the Inquiry’s terms of reference require it to make recommendations across an unprecedented range of institutions. The Inquiry’s research and analysis programme is essential to help it understand today’s child protection challenges. The review therefore announces an expanded programme of research and analysis for 2017/18.

To support this, a series of seminars will be held in 2017/18 to gather information and views about significant issues relevant to child sexual abuse. This will help the Inquiry identify areas for further investigation and scrutiny. They will hear from victims and survivors of child sexual abuse, institutions, practitioners in the field of child protection and leading researchers. In 2018, the Inquiry will publish a preliminary report containing recommendations.

Next year, the Inquiry will hold public hearings in three of its investigations: Children Outside of the UK, Rochdale Council establishments and the Roman Catholic Church. The Inquiry has now secured permanent premises for the public hearings from May in Southwark, south London.

No institution will be beyond the reach of the Inquiry. The Inquiry will be calling upon the Football Association to provide us with all the findings of its review into non recent child sexual abuse in football. The Inquiry will be monitoring developments and keeping an open mind about any further action which may be required.

Inquiry Chair Professor Alexis Jay OBE said:

“On becoming Chair, I said that this Inquiry needed a clear direction of travel, that it must overcome the difficulties of the past and that it must deliver in a timely and transparent way.

“Every day children face the horrors of sexual abuse and its consequences. I will do everything in my power to understand how this happened in order to help prevent it happening again.

“It is essential that we move the Inquiry forward with renewed vigour. This Review will provide a firm foundation in our work to protect children from abuse. We want to listen to and learn from all those with an interest in protecting children and we are keen to provide as many opportunities as possible for people to comment on the shape and direction of the Inquiry.“

The Truth Project, which gives victims and survivors the opportunity to share their experiences privately with trained facilitators, will continue. To date, over 170 people have met with the the Truth Project in offices all over England and Wales.

 

 

 

 

 




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