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Goddard Inquiry - Latest News: Requests for Information Sent to Targeted Schools

on Wednesday, 29 June 2016.

In the last few days, a number of schools have received requests for information from the inquiry as part of the investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse in and/or connected with residential schools

Which schools are concerned?

The inquiry is specifically targeting schools where there have been one or more criminal convictions of staff members or students for child sexual abuse, requesting details of how the school handled the allegations of sexual abuse at the time and how they would deal with such allegations now.

What documentation needs to be provided?

The inquiry is requesting that schools provide them with the following information:

  • all documentation (including personnel and pupil files, disciplinary files, referrals to external agencies, correspondence and court papers) relating to the specific incidents giving rise to the convictions
     
  • the policies and procedures in place at the school at the time of the incident
     
  • all materials (including the same categories listed above) relating to alleged or established child sexual abuse in the school, whether committed by staff, students or volunteers
     
  • the school's current child protection and safeguarding policies and practices, including safer recruitment practices

Schools are being given a deadline of mid-September 2016 (i.e. less than three months) to provide the above information, which must be submitted electronically to a secure online inquiry workspace by a nominated representative of the school.

This provides a useful insight into the sort of information the inquiry is looking for and should be noted by schools that have not yet received a disclosure request, but have reason to assume that they are likely to in the future.


For more information, please contact Tabitha Cave in our Independent Schools team on 0117 314 5381.