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IICSA published its final Report in October 2022. This website was last updated in January 2023.

IICSA Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Child Migration Programmes Investigation Report

2. The response of ‘sending’ institutions

1. We turn now to the role of the institutions involved in the sending of children to countries around the world.

2. We begin with an analysis of the evidence in respect of Barnardo’s and the Fairbridge Society, because each had a long history of pre-War migration, and the evidence in relation to each of these institutions was extensive. We turn then to additional sending organisations, before ending with a consideration of the institutions linked with the Catholic Church. As will become apparent it is the latter institutions which appear to have adopted the most minimal, or no, systems for following up on the children they migrated.

3. We acknowledge that some of the sending institutions made greater efforts than others to protect children. Some have also been more proactive than others in providing support and reparation to former child migrants alleging sexual abuse. Each organisation’s particular efforts are described in the relevant section that follows.

2.1   Barnardo’s

2.2   The Fairbridge Society

2.3   The Children’s Society

2.4   The National Children’s Home

2.5   The Royal Overseas League

2.6   Cornwall County Council

2.7   The Salvation Army

2.8   The Church of England Advisory Council for Empire Settlement

2.9   The Sisters of Nazareth

2.10  Father Hudson’s

2.11  The Catholic Church

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