LONDON (UNITED KINGDOM)
Morning Star [London, UK]
October 20, 2023
THE government is failing young victims of sexual abuse through its “piecemeal” and “underwhelming” responses when issues are raised, a major children’s charity said today.
The NSPCC said there was “little sign of meaningful change” 12 months after the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA). The inquiry looked at 15 areas, scrutinising institutional responses to child sexual abuse – including investigations into abuse in Westminster and the Anglican and Catholic churches.
Earlier this year, IICSA chairwoman Professor Alexis Jay and panel members highlighted “deep concern at the government’s inadequate response” to their recommendations and predicted that action may be deferred indefinitely “for the sake of other political priorities.”
They suggested that the government had claimed to accept some of the inquiry’s recommendations “through what is little more than a very weak and, at times, apparently disingenuous official response.”
Responding to the report in May, Home Secretary Suella Braverman said the government had “risen to the inquiry’s challenge” in calling for “fundamental change” in tackling child sexual abuse.
However, the government ruled out calls for there to be a specific minister for children in the Cabinet, saying that the Education Secretary’s role already covers this. It also said the functions of a recommended child protection authority were already performed by other bodies.
The NSPCC is calling for a co-ordinated response to the IICSA across government that includes “fundamental reform of the child protection system and investment in specialist, accredited, therapeutic support services for child victims.”
Chief executive Sir Peter Wanless said: “Piecemeal responses from government to a handful of IICSA’s recommendations are just tinkering at the edges of a struggling system.
“We need a step change in how we prevent and respond to child sexual abuse.”
A Home Office spokesperson said the government would “continue to drive forward commitments made in our response” to the inquiry.