Child Abuse Compensation Claims
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If you have experienced abuse you may be able to claim compensation to help you move forward with your life.
Our specialist teams are dedicated to helping survivors of abuse, whether they were harmed at school, church, home, foster care or another setting. We can help with historic abuse claims as well as in cases where the abuse has occurred more recently.
We understand how difficult it can be to consider making a claim and we’re here to support you in your decision and throughout the process. We treat child abuse compensation claims with all the sensitivity and confidentiality we know you need.
We understand that no amount of money can undo the harm done, but it and can offer some degree of acceptance of responsibility or restorative justice and will help offset the financial impacts that can result from abuse. This may include the impact the abuse has had on an individual’s capacity for work due to the effect the abuse had on their education and the long-term psychological impact of the abuse and the costs of counselling and other necessary support.
We’ll listen, hear what you’ve been through and help you decide whether making a claim is right for you. If it is, we’ll explain everything and ensure you’re confident with each step we take.
How do you make a child abuse compensation claim?
Securing a compensation payment is a complex process. Your best first step is to identify a specialist solicitor who can work through your claim with you and explain everything in detail. All cases are different and you will be treated as an individual. We will listen to you to achieve the best possible outcome.
You don’t necessarily need to have pursued a criminal case to be successful in claiming compensation, but it can make the process of claiming damages quicker and more straightforward. This is true both of recent abuse cases and historic abuse claims.
If you have reported to the police then you may be able to claim compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme – a government-funded scheme to compensate victims of violent crime.
As part of our investigations we will gather evidence about the abuse and investigate how it has affected you.
This may involve examining a large number of documents, such as police files, social services files, your education records and health records as well as interviewing witnesses and obtaining reports from experts.
If a successful claim looks possible, one of the first steps is for us to then enter into early discussions with the proposed defendant before court proceedings are issued, by way of sending a letter of claim and awaiting a letter of response. We will ensure you’re consulted, and keep you informed through every step of the claim.
Can you stay anonymous in a child abuse claim?
We keep your details and the details of your claim confidential and treat all documents in connection with your case as such. We will always ask your permission to contact others about your case, including social services and the police.
If you wish, we can apply to the court to make your details confidential on court documents, in connection with your claim. However, the facts that form the basis of your claim will need to be disclosed at some point to the defendant, their insurers, solicitors, court, medical experts and organisations funding your case (such as the Legal Aid Agency).
We are happy to discuss any concerns you may have about confidentiality at any point during the case.
Will my child abuse compensation claim be reported in the media?
It is unlikely but possible that the media will report on your case but there are steps we can take to make sure your identity is not revealed.
If you were the victim of sexual assault, your details can never lawfully be revealed in the media without your explicit consent.
How do you make a historic abuse claim?
Making an historic claim is a similar process to pursuing a claim for more recent abuse.
If a conviction has been secured the process is likely to be quicker and easier. It may be more difficult and take longer to gather the necessary evidence to bring a successful claim if there has not been a recent official or criminal investigation into your case. However, it may still be possible to pursue compensation.
Contact us for a confidential, no obligation discussion about your case and further guidance.
How much compensation is awarded for child abuse?
Compensation for child abuse could extend to hundreds of thousands of pounds in some cases but the specific amount payable is unique to each to each individual.
No amount of money will ever compensate you for experiencing abuse. However, it can help to give you a more secure and stable future, as well as a sense of justice.
You will be entitled to an award of general damages, which will aim to recognise the abuse you experienced and the impact this has had on your life. To help us in assessing the amount of compensation you should receive, we will discuss with you the nature of the abuse suffered, as well as the impact of the abuse on your mental health and well-being. This will include looking at any impact on your education and the effect it has had onyour relationships and family life. We will listen carefully to your experiences and make sure we address all of the ways in which you have been impacted by the abuse.
In addition, you may be entitled to damages for any financial effect that the abuse has or will have on you.. This is likely to include the cost of counselling or therapy. We will talk to you about whether the abuse has impacted your employment and earning prospects. This could be because your education was disrupted, or you have struggled to work because of mental health difficulties. We will advise you on whether you may have a claim for lost earnings and other losses associated with being unable to work.
Ultimately, we want to help and support you to have a more stable and positive future. We will investigate whether you may benefit from treatment for any ongoing mental illness and we will seek to secure funding for you to have this treatment on a private basis if treatment is recommended.
We supported two brothers* who had been sexually abused as children to secure more than £100,000 each in historical abuse compensation.
The money enabled the brothers to attend college and secure careers to support their families.
More than £200,000 compensation for brothers who were sexually abused
We supported two brothers* who had been sexually abused as children to secure more than £100,000 each in historical abuse compensation.
The money enabled the brothers to attend college and secure careers to support their families.
We were able to demonstrate that the abuse took place at an important time in their schooling and meant they significantly underachieved academically. This led to them struggling to find and hold down work.
*Names withheld to protect the identity of those involved.
Child abuse in sports clubs
Sports clubs have a responsibility to keep children safe and to make sure that those working with children pose no danger. Unfortunately, sometimes they fail.
This has been seen in high profile cases involving historic abuse claims against the FA and in gymnastics.
There have been cases of abuse in swimming, tennis and others. If you have suffered, we can help.
Church and clergy abuse claims
If you or your child has been abused by someone working for the church, then we could help you claim compensation from those responsible.
We have a dedicated team of child abuse lawyers with experience of claims involving sexual and physical abuse by priests, vicars, curates, ministers and volunteers and others in positions of authority within various religious orders. For example, we have successfully pursued claims against the Catholic Church, the Church of England, the New Apostolic Church, New Life Church and the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Abuse in a children’s home or residential setting
Children can be placed in a children’s home or other residential institution (e.g. a clinical treatment centre or specialist residential school) by Social Services for a variety of reasons. Vulnerable adults can also be placed in residential settings, including care homes or specialist centres. Unfortunately, sometimes a child or vulnerable adult may suffer abuse and neglect by staff, volunteers or other residents.
In such circumstances, it may be possible to claim compensation for the damage caused by the abuse and neglect.
Abuse in foster care
Many children may find themselves in Local Authority care and may spend time in foster care. Unfortunately, abuse or neglect in foster care does happen. A Local Authority may be responsible for any abuse or neglect by a foster carer and if you or someone you know has experienced abuse or neglect in foster care we may be able to help.
Criminal Injuries Compensation (CICA) Claims
In some cases, it is not possible to pursue a civil claim of the type we have described above. This may be because it has not been possible to identify a suitable defendant, or the defendant may not have the means to pay you any compensation.
In such cases, we will discuss with you the possibility of pursuing a CICA claim and what this would involve. The maximum award you can obtain from the CICA is £500,000 and the Scheme has strict eligibility criteria that must be met for you to qualify for an award. Often, the amount of compensation you receive from the CICA is less than you would receive through a civil claim, so we will always look at whether this is an option for you to ensure you receive the best possible outcome in your circumstances.
Find out more about CICA claims.
Will I have to talk about what happened to me?
We understand and appreciate that you are probably not going to want to repeat what happened to you to a series of professionals. Whilst we do not need you to tell us in detail what happened to you initially, of course, we need to have some information as to what happened so that we can advise you as to whether you are likely to have a claim or not.
As investigations continue, we are likely to have to prepare a witness statement for you and so we will need you to be as open as you feel you can be about what happened so that the court understands what happened. You will also probably need to meet with a medical expert, perhaps a psychiatrist or a psychologist, and you will need to be open with them about what happened so that they can properly assess how you have been affected, although they are likely to have a copy of your statement if already prepared so this will help limit the number of times you need to repeat yourself. On some occasions, the defendant might also instruct its own medical expert to assess how you have been affected.
Social services failures leading to child abuse claims
Social services have a duty to protect children who are at risk of abuse and neglect.
Unfortunately, sometimes a child may experience abuse and neglect when social services could have taken steps to protect them. Children may even be placed in a foster setting which becomes abusive. In cases such as this, you may be able to bring a claim for damages.
If social services have failed to manage you and your family appropriately and left you in a situation where you have experienced abuse or neglect that could have been avoided, we may be able to help.
Claims against social services can be very complex and require a great deal of expertise. Our dedicated team of specialist child abuse lawyers includes members of the Association of Child Abuse Lawyers (ACAL) and has considerable experience in this complex area of law.