Child sex abuse inquiry to study cases related to child migration schemes

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse will hold its first public hearings into the child migration programmes on this morning.

The child migration programmes were large-scale schemes in which thousands of children, many of them in the care of the state, were migrated to parts of the British Empire by various institutions in England and Wales, with the knowledge and approval of the British government.

Most of the children were sent to Canada, Australia, New Zealand and what was then Southern Rhodesia, modern-day Zimbabwe.

The child migration programmes are a case study which is part of the Inquiry’s protection of children outside the United Kingdom investigation.

The Inquiry will hear from a number of former child migrants who have alleged they suffered sexual abuse in relation to their migration.

Evidence will be heard from expert witnesses about the history and context of the child migration programmes and from the Child Migrants Trust, which supports former child migrants.

_{Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd. 2017, All Rights Reserved. Picture – Abuse Inquiry Chair, Alexis Jay.}