The Charity Commission has recently published an awaited report, following a statutory Inquiry commenced in 2018, into Save the Children UK’s response to sexual misconduct complaints against two former senior executives made in 2012 and 2015.
The latest from the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry
The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI) has added a further ten institutions to the list of establishments under investigation, taking the total number under investigation to 96.
Four young offenders institutions are among the ten now added along with three local authority establishments, a religious school, an independent school and an industrial school, which became an “Approved” and then a “List D” school.
Scottish judicial awards for childhood abuse
Very few cases of awards of personal injuries damages for abuse have been reported in recent years in Scotland. It is clear this is now changing with the effects of the retrospective abolition of limitation now being seen. What is noteworthy too are substantial damage awards now being made and the significant impact on such awards from judicial interest being added for many years.
Aston Villa and Leicester City abuse claim settlements
It has been reported that Aston Villa and Leicester City have settled sexual abuse claims concerning five victims of a football scout, Ted Langford, who worked as a part-time football scout in the Midlands in the 1970s and 1980s.
It is understood that the settlements were reached just a matter of weeks before the matters were due to be heard by the High Court.
Universities, sexual misconduct and confidentiality
Sexual abuse on campus – an update on the UK perspective
We previously mentioned a rise in reported incidents of sexual assaults and misconducts made by students in the UK, here.
The BBC reports that universities are using non-disclosure agreements (‘NDA’) – commonly known as ‘gagging clauses’ – to prevent students from publicising complaints about sexual assault on campus. BBC News asked UK universities how many students had signed NDAs since 2016 and how much, if any, money had been paid out to them. Almost all the UK universities replied. 45 universities said they had used NDAs and 300 students had signed NDAs. However these figures are thought to underestimate the true picture, as some universities provided limited information in answer to the BBC’s queries. In the article two students say they reported sexual assault by fellow students to their university. They criticise their respective universities for offering insufficient support and using NDAs. Another student is critical of her college for offering financial settlement and a NDA after she reported safeguarding concerns.
Cost of caring for children creates significant pressure for local authorities
The cost of providing safe and secure care for children over the last 5 years has far exceeded the budget available. As Westminster Grants are cut back the costs continue to rise.
It is estimated that there has been an over spend of around £3bn in the budgets of local authorities for children’s safety. The Local Government Association (LGA) called on the Government to make use of the coming review of children’s social care as an opportunity to look at why the needs for care have increased and take the chance of addressing this problem.
Boy Scouts of America files for bankruptcy due to sexual abuse claims
On Tuesday this week the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) was forced to file for bankruptcy as it faces legal challenges over thousands of allegations of sexual abuse. It lodged papers in Delaware Court as it attempts to negotiate a compensation plan for abuse victims.
The BSA which has been in existence for 110 years was founded in 1910 and it has kept confidential files since the 1920s listing staff and volunteers accused of sexual abuse, for the purposes of keeping predators away from children.
