Commissioner for Survivors of Institutional Childhood Abuse (COSICA)
We therefore recommend that a designated person should act as an advocate for such children, and should be responsible for ensuring the co-ordination and availability of services, and identifying suitable means whereby such services can be made available to those who need them. This person should be called the Commissioner for Survivors of Institutional Childhood Abuse (COSICA).
- COSICA acts as an advocate for survivors and is responsible for ensuring the coordination and availability of services, as recommended by the Inquiry (COSICA, October 2020).
How was this evidence gathered?
Response
Accepted
Response
AcceptedNo formal government response published.
Progress Timeline
Fiona Ryan was appointed as Commissioner for Survivors of Institutional Childhood Abuse (COSICA) on 6 October 2020 for a five-year term. COSICA acts as an advocate for survivors and is responsible for ensuring the co-ordination and availability of services, including counselling, welfare support and practical assistance.
Published Evidence
Published assessments of progress from inspectorates, select committees, official progress reports, and other sources. Source type badge indicates whether each assessment is independent or government self-reported.
Fiona Ryan appointed as Commissioner for Survivors of Institutional Childhood Abuse (COSICA) on 14 December 2020 for a five-year term, as required by the Historical Institutional Abuse (Northern Ireland) Act 2019.
View detailed findings
COSICA is established under the HIA (NI) Act 2019. The Commissioner's principal aim is to promote the interests of any person who suffered abuse while a child and while resident in an institution at some time between 1922 and 1995. Fiona Ryan was previously Chief Executive of Sonas Domestic Violence Charity in Ireland.