Recommendation 95: CICA specialist caseworker training
From Interim Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, published 25 April 2018.
Recommendation
The Chair and Panel recommend that CICA ensures that claims relating to child sexual abuse are only considered by caseworkers who have specific and detailed training in the nature and impact of child sexual abuse.
In brief (written by this site)
The recommendation asked that caseworkers handling child sexual abuse claims have specific training. In July 2019, HM Government stated that the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority had adapted operational practices and was providing named caseworkers for applicants affected by the pre-1979 same roof rule, but it did not mention specialist caseworker training (HM Government, Jul 2019). The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, on its website archived in October 2022, recorded the government's December 2018 response that all operational staff receive training on sexual abuse cases and that the authority was considering options to extend dedicated caseworkers beyond complex cases (HM Government response, Dec 2018; The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, Oct 2022).
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 19 Oct 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
Government response
20. CICA, an Executive Agency of the MoJ, is responsible for operating the CICS and applying the rules to individual applications independently from ministers and Parliament.
21. All CICA operational staff are given training on sexual abuse cases, including child sexual abuse. CICA provides a dedicated caseworker to applicants in particularly complex and difficult cases and is considering options to extend this to other cases. In 2017, CICA worked with external stakeholders and victims’ groups to introduce more robust guidance and targeted training about grooming and exploitation for all staff dealing with applications from child victims of sexual abuse. In addition, CICA has already enhanced its guidance on exceptional circumstances, where applications about non-recent sexual abuse are submitted outside of the time limits, so that staff take full account of reasons why claims may not be made promptly. Internal training is complemented by that provided by expert external stakeholders. Recently, the Samaritans delivered bespoke training to CICA’s customer service staff. This focused on understanding how victims cope with the aftermath of their experience and providing specialist call handling skills to ensure CICA staff are equipped to help the most vulnerable of applicants. The training also offered strategies to help build and maintain their personal resilience, safeguarding their ability to provide a consistent level of service. In addition, Police Scotland’s specialist National Child Abuse Investigation Unit attended CICA’s offices to explain their role to staff, the nature of child sexual exploitation and how they investigate allegations of child sexual abuse and treat victims of such abuse. In October 2018, Rape Crisis Scotland’s Director of Operations delivered additional awareness sessions to staff on sexual assault and violence. The aims of these sessions included increasing understanding of the nature and impact of sexual violence and how this might impact an applicant during the process of claiming compensation.
Delivery
UK Government says in progress (22 July 2019)
CICA continues to look for opportunities to work with stakeholders to improve its understanding of victims’ experiences. It has also adapted operational practices to better suit victims’ needs. Since the abolition of the pre-1979 “same roof rule” (see update to recommendation 7 below), which has prevented victims, many of whom were child victims of sexual and physical abuse, from receiving compensation in the past, CICA is providing specialist application support and named caseworkers for those affected by this rule who wish to apply or reapply for compensation.
Site note: The UK Government's progress update on the Interim Report, 22 July 2019. For each recommendation it restates the "Government commitment - December 2018" and gives an "Update"; it states no new position on the recommendation. The position is in the response of 20 December 2018.
What other bodies have found
In their own words. These do not change the delivery statement above.
Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (6 October 2022)
On 19 December 2018, UK Government stated that all CICA operational staff are given training on handling sexual abuse cases, including child sexual abuse. CICA provides a dedicated caseworker to applicants in particularly complex and difficult cases and is considering options to extend this to other cases.
From: Recommendations - Interim Report
Site note: These are the Inquiry's own words, from its recommendations page for the Interim Report, captured by the Internet Archive on 6 October 2022. They are the Inquiry's account of what the body told it, not the body's own words.
Site note: The government's own words are recorded on this recommendation: its response of 20 December 2018 and its progress update of 22 July 2019.
Source
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- UK Government
Response, delivery statement - Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse
Finding