Goddard to set out guiding principles as child abuse inquiry launches

The troubled inquiry into historical child abuse will finally be officially opened today.

Its head, Judge Lowell Goddard, will give an opening statement to set out the “guiding principles”.

The independent inquiry was set up last year amid claims of an establishment cover-up following allegations that a paedophile ring operated in Westminster in the 1980s.

However, it has been beset by delays and controversies since it was first announced by Home Secretary Theresa May last July.

Justice Goddard, a New Zealand high court judge, was appointed to lead the inquiry following the resignation of two previous chairwomen.

Baroness Butler-Sloss, stood down in July last year amid questions over the role played by her late brother, Lord Havers, who was attorney general in the 1980s.

Her replacement Dame Fiona Woolf resigned following a barrage of criticism over her “establishment links”, most notably in relation to former home secretary Leon Brittan, who died earlier this year.

Mrs May officially reconstituted the probe under Justice Goddard in March and placed it on a statutory footing, meaning it has the power to compel witnesses to give evidence.

The inquiry’s terms of reference state that its purpose will include considering “the extent to which State and non-State institutions have failed in their duty of care to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation”. It will cover England and Wales.

Today Justice Goddard will outline how the inquiry will run, how evidence will be taken, timescales and areas of public life that will be examined.

Also on the panel are Professor Malcolm Evans, of Bristol University, child protection barrister Ivor Frank, Professor Alexis Jay, who led the inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham, and Drusilla Sharpling, of the police inspectorate.

The inquiry will be opened at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre Centre in Westminster.

Labour MP Tom Watson said: “It is a year since the Home Secretary announced there would be an independent inquiry into child sexual abuse.

“This inquiry must meticulously track down and analyse the evidence of failures not just within public services and the ‘child protection system’, but across all institutions whose failings contributed directly to what we can now see is an epidemic of abuse.”

Phil Shiner, of Public Interest Lawyers, which is acting for a number of survivors of historic abuse, said the importance of the inquiry “cannot be underestimated”.

A team of trained counsellors will operate a free dedicated helpline on behalf of the NSPCC to support those wishing to give evidence to the inquiry.

The charity’s chief executive, Peter Wanless, said: “Many victims of abuse have been waiting too long for an opportunity to speak out and get justice.

“Many of them will have harrowing stories to tell so we want to make what could be a tortuous journey as easy as possible. Our counsellors have vast experience of dealing with sensitive issues so the dedicated helpline will be a vital part of the inquiry’s work.

“As long as survivors of abuse want to come forward we will be here to listen to them and provide support.”

The helpline number is 08000 121 700.

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