The panel is now inviting Islanders, including those currently working with children, those receiving services and members of the general public, to get in touch with them to share their opinions and feedback.
The IJCI, which is due to visit the Island between 13 and 24 May to carry out interviews, meetings and public discussions, identified a catalogue of failings over decades, which had put children under the care of the States at risk.
The panel plans to publish a report this summer following its review.
In a statement, the panel, which comprises Frances Oldham, Sandy Cameron and Alyson Leslie, said: ‘In our report we made eight areas of recommendation which the States of Jersey accepted and committed resources to improve the safety, quality and effectiveness of the care of children in Jersey.
‘Since then, Jersey has embarked on a major programme of improvement in its public sector structures, processes and practice and has made significant investment in services for families, children and young people. We have been invited to review the Island’s progress in implementing our 2017 recommendations.
‘We will provide a report in the summer of 2019 giving our view on whether services for children in Jersey are safer now than two years ago and what needs to be done in future to keep the Island’s children safe.’
The statement adds: ‘We want to hear from people working with children, people receiving services and members of the public in Jersey. People can ask to meet privately with us, can take part (anonymously) in a survey or sit in on our public discussions with professionals, politicians and voluntary organisations.
‘We look forward to engaging again with people in Jersey and finding out what has changed and is changing to keep children in the Island safe and support those for whom the state is or has been their “corporate parent”.’
To find out more visit ijcipanel.org, or contact the panel by emailing info@ijcipanel.org or by writing to IJCI Panel, MB 013, Suite 1 Castlecroft Business Centre, Tom Johnston Road, Dundee, DD4 8XD.
The panel’s recommendations included that the Island should appoint a Children’s Commissioner – which happened when Deborah McMillan took on the role in January last year. Other recommendations focused on giving children and young people a voice, better inspection of services, building a sustainable workforce and set out that the States needed to work with the ‘whole community’ to address the bad reputation of the ‘Jersey Way’.
