Child abuse: what next for IICSA?

• The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse has carried out 15 forensic investigations of the institutional responses to allegations of abuse within bodies including churches, care homes and local authorities.
• Its final report will need to cover a vast scope of issues, including the inadequacies of current regulation in identifying safeguarding failures, and the debate surrounding mandatory reporting.

In December 2020, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) held its final substantive hearing, examining effective leadership of child protection. This hearing was the culmination of a work programme which first started in 2015. So what now for IICSA, and how will it be judged?

What is IICSA?

IICSA is a statutory inquiry established pursuant to the Inquiries Act 2005, with legal powers to compel witnesses and require disclosure of documents. However, although it is investigating serious crime—child sexual abuse—IICSA is not a substitute criminal court.