A coalition of survivor advocates has warned that children remain at risk from sexual abuse as government inaction on the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) continues, and the specialist support sector faces collapse.
Campaigners have said that three years after the publication of IICSA’s final report, the government has not fully implemented any of the 20 recommendations. The inquiry, which ran for seven years and heard from more than 7,500 survivors, was one of the most comprehensive examinations of child sexual abuse ever undertaken in the UK.
Lucy Duckworth, from the Act on IICSA campaign group, said the ongoing delays were “costing lives”.
“It’s, diplomatically speaking, incredibly disappointing, but I think we’re now at a stage where we can’t mince our words,” she told Premier Christian News. “If there was any other illness or disease impacting half a million children every single year, society would be in outrage and demanding action from government.”
Duckworth also criticised the Church of England, saying it had failed to implement meaningful safeguarding reforms and lacked transparency.
“They’re producing holding statements, but they’re not transparent in their process at all,” she said. “They commissioned Professor Alexis Jay to write a report on what their safeguarding should look like, and to all intents and purposes have completely ignored it.”
In 2023, the Church published its response to IICSA's recommendations. One recommendation stated that the Church should require mandatory reporting for child sexual abuse. The Church responded:
“The Church is committed to the reporting of any concern that could lead to the harm of a child or vulnerable adult; this is enshrined in House of Bishops policy.”
Another recommendation was to create a Redress Scheme for survivors of abuse. This was established in July, but the scheme is not yet receiving applications, as it still has to go through the required Church parliamentary stages.
Duckworth said the Church’s delay in this area had further undermined trust:
“Their trust has been betrayed, not just by abusers, but by the institutions that protected them or failed to adequately respond, and that is true across society, but no more so than in the Church of England.”
The coalition’s event in Westminster on Thursday marked the third anniversary of IICSA’s final report and included MPs, peers, survivors, and leaders from the frontline and specialist sectors. The group warned that short-term funding and contract cuts were pushing specialist voluntary organisations to the brink.
“If the IICSA recommendations had been implemented when promised, we would already have stronger safeguards for children, better support for survivors, and less pressure across every part of the system from health and policing to education,” Duckworth said.
“But without urgent action and investment, there will not be a sector left to deliver that support. Survivors have already done their part. Now government must do theirs.”
A spokesperson for the Church of England told Premier Christian News:
"We acknowledge the concerns raised and share the urgency for action. Safeguarding remains our highest priority, and our commitment to victims and survivors continues to shape every aspect of our work. Over the past five years, the Church has introduced independent audits, compulsory training, professional safeguarding officers in every diocese, and clear national standards to strengthen protection and accountability. We know there is more to do, and we are working to enact further reforms, including governance changes and the implementation of the Redress Scheme, to ensure lasting best practice and support for victims and survivors.”
Premier has contacted the Home Office for a response.
Last week, the Church of England said it accepted the majority of recommendations from the Makin Review, which investigated abuse by John Smyth.
In a statement, the lead safeguarding bishops Joanne Grenfell and Robert Springett acknowledged “again the deep harm caused by the abuse committed by Smyth and the failures in the Church’s response".
