IICSA Report – Our Response
On 31st July, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) published its Report into Children in the Care of Nottinghamshire Councils.
We have supported survivors to give evidence to the IICSA Truth Project and welcome the chance this has given to people, let down as children, to talk about their experiences and to help prevent something like this happening again in the future.
The report and its recommendations can be read in full and downloaded from the IICSA website
We are aware that the publication of this report and the media interest around it could be triggering or upsetting for survivors of child sexual abuse and have been given funding to provide extra helpline support over the next two weeks. Details of extra support available can be found here or at the bottom of this page.
Longer-term support for survivors of child sexual abuse let down by institutions is available through our Survivors Support Service
Below you can find our press-release response to this publication.
Our response to the IICSA Report regarding Children in the Care of Nottinghamshire Councils
For IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: admin@nottssvss.org.uk
Telephone: Nottinghamshire Sexual Violence Support Services 0115 947 0064
- Notts SVSS welcomes the publication of the IICSA Report regarding Children in the Care of Nottinghamshire Councils.
- We supported the IICSA Inquiry which listened to people who had spoken out about abuse but were not listened to or believed. We acknowledge how difficult and challenging this has been for survivors and recognise the courage and bravery it has taken to come forward.
- For many years we have listened to, believed and supported people with a range of issues including historical institutional abuse. We provide many services, such as Telephone Helpline, Counselling, Survivors’ Support Service, Independent Sexual Violence Advisors etc. tailored to meet the needs of survivors of institutional child abuse. Visit our website: nottssvss.org.uk for information on all our services
- We have been funded by the Nottinghamshire Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire County Council to provide extra telephone support to those affected in the two weeks following the publication of the IICSA report. Details at end of press release.
- We know that the effects of trauma from sexual abuse can carry on for long periods and can also reoccur years later in a survivor’s life. We hope that the statutory services will continue to work with and learn from organisations such as ours, to help survivors cope and recover from their experiences.
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) has now published the long awaited Report and recommendations following its investigation into how children who experienced child sexual abuse in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire were let down by institutions. This Report follows months of listening to survivors, by the Inquiry, which is something that we have been doing for nearly 40 years as a third-sector organisation. We acknowledge how difficult and challenging this has been for survivors and recognise the courage and bravery it has taken to come forward.
There has been a long history of survivors of child sexual abuse trying to report or talk about the abuse who were not listened to or believed by institutions. The Inquiry has given a voice to survivors and helped institutions acknowledge that more should have been done. The Inquiry has also encouraged adult survivors of child sexual abuse to come forward for the first time and speak about their experiences, which has resulted in an increase in demand on our service as people rightly request support.
During the period of the Inquiry, we have provided support workers to attend the IICSA Truth Project evidence sessions and IICSA Hearings. We have also received extra funding from the Nottinghamshire Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire County Council to provide the Survivors’ Support Service and Counselling specifically to adult survivors of institutional child sexual abuse. This has enabled us to meet the additional needs of survivors including access to health services, developing coping strategies to manage mental health and emotional wellbeing and supporting those who wish to report to the Police. Our Independent Sexual Violence Advisor Service has also received extra funding enabling us to support those accessing the Criminal Justice System.
The Nottinghamshire Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Nottingham City & Nottinghamshire County Councils have demonstrated a keen commitment and desire to help to support those affected by the past by providing extra funding support to provide extra telephone support in the two weeks following the Report publication.
We believe that one survivor is one survivor too many and it is important that statutory services take on the recommendations given in the IICSA Report. The recommendations make reference to issues regarding risk assessment of current and former foster carers and residential care staff, and the approach to harmful sexual behaviour. As stated in the Report, “the provision and consistency of support and counselling for those who have suffered sexual abuse in care remains an issue”. We hope that statutory services recognise their responsibility for ensuring that longer term specialist support and counselling is adequately funded, which is required to help survivors cope and recover from their experiences.
We have nearly 40 years’ experience of providing support to survivors of sexual abuse. We know that the effects of trauma from sexual abuse can carry on for long periods and can also reoccur years later in a survivor’s life. Survivors trust third-sector services, where they can talk freely in a person-centred and non-judgemental environment.
Whilst we appreciate the funding we receive, it does not enable us to respond rapidly to meet sudden increases in demand, leading to long waiting lists for some services. It is vital that, in taking on the recommendations of the Report, local commissioners and the wider government also commit to providing sufficient long-term funding for specialist third-sector organisations. We hope that the statutory services will continue to work with and learn from organisations such as ours, who have supported thousands of survivors with the immediate and longer-term support that is required to help survivors cope and recover from their experiences.
Extra telephone support to those affected in the two weeks following the publication of the IICSA report
We have been funded by the Nottinghamshire Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire County Council to provide extra telephone support to those affected in the two weeks following the publication of the IICSA report Support Telephone Helpline 0115 9410440, additional opening hours: 8pm to midnight every evening from 31 July to 13 August 2019
A female support worker will answer calls and provide immediate support. A male worker is available if preferred.
Usual Telephone Helpline opening hours:
- Mon & Tues 4pm-7.30pm, Thursday, Friday & Saturday 10am –
(ENC: Poster detailing extra support available to survivors around the publication of the IICSA report).
