Liam Goggin
Director of Public Law Practice Area
English
If you have experienced neglect or abuse (physical or sexual) whilst in the care of a local authority, you may have a claim against the local authority. With over 30 years of experience supporting survivors of child abuse in local authority settings, we are here to help you.
In certain circumstances, you may be able to claim against the local authority for abuse by individuals not employed by social services, such as a parent, family member, or visitor to your home.
If you experienced neglect or abuse by a foster carer, you could also pursue a claim against the local authority that selected, placed, and monitored that foster placement. Additionally, if you were neglected or abused in a school or children’s home, a claim may be brought against the organisation responsible for that institution, which is often the local authority.
Our Abuse Claims Solicitors are specialists in securing compensation for people who were let down whilst in the care of their local authority. Our friendly and dedicated team are here to listen as soon as you're ready to talk, and we'll tell you if you can make a claim for compensation.
You could qualify for Legal Aid, depending on your financial situation. If not, we may be able to take your case on a No Win No Fee basis, meaning you'll only pay our fees if your case is successful.
If you suffered neglect or abuse (physical or sexual) due to negligence whilst in a local authority setting, you may have a compensation claim against the council responsible for the providing the service or care. Abuse can take the form of:
This includes the hitting, slapping, shoving, burning, and kicking of a child. Physical abuse can also occur through the use of objects such as canes, lighters, or other items used to punish or deliberately wound.
Sexual abuse is where a person engages in sexual contact with a person without their consent. These cases can be complex and distressing. Our Abuse Solicitors have the expertise and experience to manage your claim with sensitivity and compassion.
This can involve name-calling, humiliation, and allowing a child to witness the abuse of another person. Emotional abuse can be just as damaging as physical abuse.
Child neglect is when a child's caregiver fails to provide basic needs such as food, housing, clothing, healthcare, education, and safety. According to the NSPCC, neglect is the most common form of child abuse.
We're rated‘Excellent’If you were under the care of the local authority and suffered neglect or abuse, you could make a claim against them if they were legally responsible to protect you from harm.
Circumstances in which the local authority could be held responsible for the neglect or abuse are:
Other circumstances where claims could be made against the local authority including neglect or abuse that took place in foster homes, children’s homes, schools, and other institutions.
The rules around whether the local authority can be held responsible can be quite complex. That’s why it’s important to speak to a specialist Abuse Solicitor who can advise you whether you have a claim.
Yes, if you were under the care of social services when the abuse took place, you may be able to make a compensation claim.
If the abuse occurred in childhood, you have until your 21st birthday to issue court proceedings in order to bring a compensation claim for the abuse you suffered within time. As the Courts are aware that it often takes survivors of abuse a long time to talk about what happened to them. In some circumstances, the Court can make an exception to the limitation period and allow your claim to proceed out of time even if it happened many years ago, provided there can still be a fair trial and there were good reasons for the delay.
We're rated‘Excellent’Talking to a stranger about the abuse you suffered is never easy. It is a courageous move to come forward. We recognise this and have made the compensation process clear and straightforward. In most cases, a claim for abuse whilst in the care of a local authority proceeds as follows:
Yes. This means you won’t pay any money upfront for your legal fees but you will have to pay for additional costs, known as Disbursements, like Court fees or expert reports fees. This can be covered by an insurance product called After the Event Insurance which would cover these costs for you. Your case handler will provide more detail about this.
You’ll sign a Conditional Fee Agreement or a Damages Based Agreement that says if you lose your case, you won’t pay our legal costs. If you win your case, the other side will pay for a proportion of our legal costs, but we will also deduct a success from your damages which will be capped at a percentage agreed in advance.
Domestic violence is often perceived only as physical acts of violence – But it’s much more complicated than that. A lot of the time, people witnessing or experiencing this kind of behaviour don’t know that it is domestic violence.
Institutional abuse, also known as organisational abuse, is when an individual or group of individuals are neglected or suffer because of poor care practices within an organisation or care setting.
If you have experienced physical or sexual abuse and wish to make a claim under the Criminal Injuries Compensation (CIC) Scheme, contact our Abuse Claims Solicitors for free legal advice and a no-obligation discussion.
There are several support organisations dedicated to helping child abuse survivors, including:
We have recommended the above services before and know they can provide compassionate and expert support.
Evidence in child abuse claims is sometimes difficult to obtain as it is often the child's word against their abusers, especially when it happened many years ago. We will need to obtain social care and medical records including police reports if there are any to help with the claim
To successfully bring a negligence claim against a local authority in order to get compensation, you must prove:
Our Child Abuse Solicitors are sensitive and compassionate, but we are also firm and decisive. We’re experts in abuse law and will fight tenaciously to get you the compensation you deserve.
Our Child Abuse Solicitors have a national reputation for being compassionate, caring, and driven to get survivors the compensation they need to move forward with their lives. Members of our child abuse team have worked on national inquiries and act as Trustees of abuse support services.
By choosing us, you can trust that we'll:
Yes, and we'll do everything we can to make the process easy for you by organising video conference calls and ensuring you are kept informed about how your compensation claim is progressing.
If you are the parent of a child who has been abused, you can claim on their behalf if they are under 18 years. You can also claim on behalf of someone who lacks the mental capacity to bring a claim themselves. This is known as acting as a Litigation Friend. You can be confident that we'll provide you with all the help and advice you need if you choose to bring a claim on behalf of a loved one.
We know how stressful appearing in court can be, especially after everything you've been through. But if you do have to attend court, we'll be by your side, providing all the support you need. The Court can also make changes to help you give evidence such as organising for you to speak via video call.
It depends on the complexity of your claim and whether the local authority admits liability for the abuse you suffered early on in the process. Most claims are settled within 24-24 months, but some can take up to three years to complete.
People often use compensation to pay for therapy to help them recover from the trauma of child abuse. Compensation can also pay your living expenses if you are not able to work for a time or simply want to take a break from your employment to concentrate on your recovery.
Fear of being publicly named stops many survivors from coming forward to claim compensation. We'll do everything we can to protect your privacy, including, if possible, applying for an Anonymity Order so your name and personal details won't be mentioned in court proceedings or media coverage of the case (if applicable).
Because you are claiming against the local authority, compensation can still be awarded if your abuser has died however this can make it more difficult. We'll work tirelessly to get the evidence required to prove your claim. This may involve tracing people who witnessed the abuse to provide witness statements and analysing any medical or police reports made at the time the abuse happened.
Yes, if you're not happy with your current Child Sexual Abuse Solicitor, you can contact us to see if we can help. You may need to pay a portion of your former solicitor's legal costs if you choose to change legal advisors part-way through your claim.
Fill in the form below to get in touch with one of our dedicated team members, or call our team today on: 0808 239 0244
