The public hearing hearings in relation to the Child Migration Programme case study, part of the Children Outside the UK investigation. The hearings relate to sexual abuse in the British child migration programmes and the institutional failings of organisations based in England and Wales. These Child Migration schemes were operated by a number of charities and religious organisations and sent several thousand British children to Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the former Southern Rhodesia.
We will be hearing from two expert witnesses; Prof. Stephen Constantine and Prof. Gordon Lynch.
Professor Lynch, is from Kent University’s School of European Culture and Languages.
Professor Stephen Constantine is from the University of Lancaster
Evidence will be as follows:
Former child migrants giving evidence: 20
Giving witness in person: 10
Read witness statements: 10
In addition to this we will have 4 witnesses give evidence via videolink (3 from Australia and 1 from Canada)
9 witnesses have waived their right to anonymity whilst the others wished to remain anonymous and were given ciphers. The hearing room will be cleared of press and public when they appearin person in order to protect their identity and only their voices were heard.
This evidence is intended to give the Inquiry a sense of the experiences of former child migrants and of the nature of the allegations of sexual abuse that have been made, albeit that the Inquiry will not be making findings in respect of alleged abuse in any individual cases.
In selecting the former child migrants to give evidence, the Inquiry has sought to ensure, insofar as possible, that it hears testimony from witnesses from a diversity of sending and receiving institutions and who make a range of allegations. It has not been possible to ensure equal numbers of male and female witnesses because more statements alleging sexual abuse have been received by this case study from men than women.
In addition to former child migrants, the Inquiry will hear from Dr Margaret Humphreys, chair of the Child Migrants Trust who will give evidence in person.