Applications for Core Participant Status

Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse
May 27, 2016

https://www.iicsa.org.uk/news/applications-core-participant-status

Individuals and organisations that wish to be designated as a core participant in relation to the investigations listed below are asked to submit their application by 4pm on 24 June 2016:

The Roman Catholic Church

Child Migration Programmes, a case study in the Protection of Children Outside the United Kingdom investigation (applications are not being sought at this stage in relation to the wider aspects of this investigation)

Preliminary hearings in relation to these investigations will be held as follows:

The Roman Catholic Church - 10.30 on Thursday 28 July at the Royal Courts of Justice

Child Migration Programmes, a case study in the Protection of Children Outside the United Kingdom investigation - 14.30 on Thursday 28 July at the Royal Courts of Justice

A core participant has a formal role as defined by legislation. Core participants have special rights in the Inquiry process. These include receiving disclosure of documentation, being represented and making legal submissions, suggesting questions and receiving advance notice of the Inquiry’s report. It is not necessary to be a core participant in order to provide evidence to the Inquiry.

Applicants should read the guidance for potential core participants and the Inquiry’s FAQs. In particular applicants should note that applications should be set out in writing on no more than 4 sides of A4 paper and as a minimum should include the information set out at paragraph 14 of the guidance.

It will not be necessary for victims and survivors who attend a Truth Project session to be designated as core participants, as the Inquiry will not make individual factual finding on the basis of what is said during the private Truth Project Hearings. They will however enable the Inquiry to piece together a broader picture of the scale and nature of institutional child sexual abuse in England and Wales.

The Inquiry is not currently accepting applications for core participant status in relation to the Inquiry’s other investigations at this stage. Further information in relation to those investigations will be provided in due course.

Although the Inquiry is not yet requesting evidence from individuals for its investigations, the Inquiry is encouraging all victims and survivors of child sexual abuse to share their experience.