The Independent Jersey Care Inquiry is asking members of the public, particularly those working with young people,how child care provision in Jersey can be improved.
The inquiry has previously announced that a public consultation would form part of its investigation.
Alongside the public hearings, the panel has been visiting child care services and meeting people involved in looking after young people.
The inquiry is now asking interested parties to give their views via its website.
- Read the latest from the abuse inquiry here
- Read about the earlier phases of the abuse inquiry here
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Public hearings resumed last week following a month-long break, during which the inquiry heard evidence relating to the police response to child abuse allegations.
To date, the inquiry has heard from witnesses who were young residents, people working in the Jersey care system, including some accused of carrying out abuse, and members of political bodies overseeing the running of the Island’s care homes.
No sittings are scheduled for this week, but former Home Affairs Minister Ian Le Marquand and ex-chief of police Graham Power are among the witnesses expected to give evidence to the inquiry next week.
The public consultation is running concurrently with the public hearings and is expected to mark the final stage of the panel’s investigation.
As part of the inquiry’s terms of reference, the panel are expected to investigate ‘what lessons can be learned for the current system of residential and foster care services in Jersey’.
The inquiry is also expected to hold public sessions where invited individuals and organisations discuss their submissions with members of the panel.
Frances Oldham, inquiry chairwoman, previously said: ‘We want Islanders to let us have their views on what needs to change.
‘What are the barriers to change in Jersey?
‘What could you or your agency contribute to that process?
‘We want to ensure that Jersey has a high-quality and cohesive care system for its children, and your contribution will assist us.’
Public hearings are due to conclude early next year with the panel expected to submit a report of the its findings by the end of 2016.
They can make recommendations for the future.
Anyone wishing to take part in the public consultation can do so by clicking here.
The closing date for submissions is Thursday 31 December.
2007
TOWARDS the end of the year the then deputy police chief, Lenny Harper, announced that the States police were investigating alleged historical child abuse at former States children’s homes.
An appeal for information was also launched and the investigation was overseen by police chief Graham Power.
2008
ARRESTS relating to the abuse investigation began to be made at the end of January.
A few months later Mr Harper, the senior investigating officer, revealed that his team was excavating the former children’s home at Haut de la Garenne and that they had found what appeared to be a fragment of bone.
The announcement led to a swathe of lurid headlines in national newspapers, which carried stories of child torture and possible murder. In August Mr Harper retired and was replaced by David Warcup, a former deputy chief constable of Northumbria police.
Towards the end of the year Mr Warcup and the investigation’s new senior officer, Detective Superintendent Mick Gradwell, said that after a review of the evidence gathered, no child murders took place at Haut de la Garenne.
They also concluded that no bodies had been hidden or burned.
At the same time police chief Graham Power was suspended for his alleged poor handling of the abuse inquiry, but a report later found that he had been removed without proper evidence of incompetence.
2009
IN May the fragment of material said to potentially have been part of a child’s skull was sent to botanists at Kew Gardens at the request of Det Supt Gradwell.
The report that followed confirmed that it was, in fact, a piece of coconut.
Also, Islanders arrested and convicted of abuse offences as part of the investigation began to be sentenced in 2009 as well.
2010
THE Wiltshire Constabulary’s report – an independent review of the handling of the Haut de la Garenne investigation into child abuse – was published in 2010.
It levelled strong criticism at former police chief Graham Power and his deputy, Lenny Harper, for their handling of the investigation.
The Royal Court secured convictions against the last people involved in the abuse investigation.
Following this, the victims of child abuse received a formal apology from the then Chief Minister, Terry Le Sueur, who said that they had been let down by the system.
In June, 40 people who claimed they had suffered abuse while in States care made compensation claims.
The year 2010 also saw a report into the financial management of the abuse investigation published in July.
It found that public funds had been misspent on expensive meals, accommodation and first-class travel.
It also emerged that the total police costs for the three-year investigation had reached £7.5 million.
2011
FOLLOWING a proposition brought by Senator Francis Le Gresley, the States agreed to hold an inquiry into allegations of historical child abuse after the Haut de la Garenne investigation.
2012
AFTER a former Islander’s book was published, making claims of abuse at the former Grouville Girls’ Home, the police confirmed that six women had made complaints about the home to the force during the course of the historical child abuse investigation.
However, the police said that there was too little evidence in relation to the claims to mount a prosecution.
The author of the book, Jean Neil, included details of alleged abuse she suffered at the home between 1941 and 1951 in ‘Chairbound to Heavenbound’.
And 2012 also saw Jimmy Savile linked to Haut de la Garenne after pictures of the disgraced BBC star surfaced and were published in newspapers and online.
One online Daily Mail headline read: ‘Savile pictured at the Jersey House of Horrors: Paedophile DJ is surrounded by children at care home where 192 suffered abuse’.
2013
IT was hoped that the public inquiry into historical child abuse would get going in 2013, but half-way through the year Sally Bradley QC, the States-appointed chairman of the Committee of Inquiry, suffered a stroke.
The inquiry was delayed while a new chairman was found.
A few months later Frances Oldham QC, a senior lawyer with extensive experience in dealing with cases involving sexual abuse, was appointed to lead the inquiry.
She was joined by abuse inquiry panel members Alyson Leslie, who has led serious case reviews into child abuse, and Sandy Cameron CBE, a former director of social work in Scotland.
In one of the last States sittings of the year, it was revealed that 64 per cent of claims for compensation for historical abuse had been settled.
Chief Minister Ian Gorst said that 131 claims had been received, 84 offers of compensation had been accepted, with 47 cases still under consideration.
2014
