IICSA: Engagement with children and young people

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) has released a new report based on consultations with 56 victims and survivors of child sexual abuse between the ages of 11 and 21, and 77 specialist child sexual abuse support workers.

The core messages the children & young people wanted everyone to hear were simple:

• believe us
• give us choices
• listen to us
• respect us
• support us

At Survivors’ Network our work is rooted in believing survivors and providing spaces and services for survivors to be listened to, respected and given autonomy over their survivor journey.

We have a specialist Children’s & Young People’s Service who offer counselling, advocacy & support to students & their families/friends/schools.

We are glad to see the voices of young people being centred by the IICSA, and to know that the government is being presented with concrete feedback including calling for funding to specialist services, challenging mandatory reporting, improving RSE & requiring more responsibility from owners of social media platforms.