Press Release: Sam Stein’s Role in Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

"Today the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse [IICSA] has announced that Forde Park Approved School and Nottingham Care Homes will form modules for the Public Inquiry. This a hugely welcome first step in identifying what happened at those institutions and in preventing such abuse happening to children in the future.

Forde Park was a hell-hole of an institution where sexual and physical violence was the common currency. This left many Survivors of that nightmare regime traumatised and uneducated. The Survivors of Forde Park then spent years seeking redress through the civil and criminal justice system. That system then took its turn in further failing the Forde Park Survivors.

Nottingham Care Homes were meant to look after the children in their care and instead became a place where sexual abuse and degradation was rife. The East Midland Survivors Group has spent decades trying to achieve a public recognition of the horrific abuse their members suffered.

I have been working with Maya Lal of Public Interest Lawyers to support the Whiteflowers Campaign and am delighted that the Forde Park and Nottingham Survivors groups have achieved recognition by the IICSA through inclusion of their abusive institutions in the Public Hearings phase of the Inquiry.

Sam Stein QC
Chambers of Michael Mansfield QC
27th November 2015"