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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

Children in the care of Lambeth Council investigation report

Contents

Annex 2: Glossary

Achieving Best Evidence interview
Recorded interviews conducted with vulnerable or intimidated witnesses (including children) planned and carried out in accordance with the Achieving Best Evidence guidance.
Achieving Best Evidence in Criminal Proceedings (2011)
The 2011 version of the guidance on interviewing victims and witnesses, including guidance on obtaining consent from and conducting interviews with children.
Administration of Children’s Homes Regulations 1951
Regulations which governed the administration of children’s homes from 1 September 1951.
Barratt final report
Report written in 2000 by John Barratt, who had been appointed by Lambeth Council to examine the institutional response to allegations of abuse made by a child against Steven Forrest. The interim and part 1 reports published in 1999 focussed on the child who made the allegations. The final report concerned a more general evaluation of Lambeth Council’s child protection practices.
Care plans
Detailed and live documents written for each child in care explaining why a child is living where they are, eg in a children’s home, and setting out what should happen while they remain there.
Care Standards Act 2000
Legislation governing the administration of a variety of care institutions, including children’s homes. It came into force in April 2002 and superseded the Children’s Homes Regulations 1991.
Chief executive
Head of Council’s paid services who operates as the main link in the governance structure between council members and officers.
Child Protection Register
Confidential list of all children in the local area who have been identified as being at risk of significant harm.
Child Sexual Abuse: Guidelines on Prosecuting Cases of Child Sexual Abuse
Crown Prosecution Service guidelines that set out the approach that prosecutors should take when dealing with child sexual abuse cases.
Children Act 1989
An Act reforming the law relating to children which allocates duties to local authorities, courts, parents and other agencies in the UK to ensure children are safeguarded and their welfare is promoted.
Children’s Homes Regulations 1991
Regulations made under the Children Act 1989 applicable to the conduct and administration of children’s homes from 14 October 1991. They were replaced by the Care Standards Act 2000 in April 2002.
Clough report
Independent report written by Richard Clough. It was commissioned by Lambeth Council in February 1993 into the circumstances in which John Carroll was retained as the head of Angell Road children’s home after his Schedule 1 conviction was disclosed (in 1986).
Code of Practice for Victims of Crime
Also referred to as the Victims’ Code. Issued by the Secretary of State for Justice, it sets out the services that organisations in England and Wales must provide to victims of crime.
Community Homes Regulations 1972
Regulations governing the housing of children in community homes which came into force on 1 April 1972. Superseded by the Children’s Homes Regulations of 14 October 1991.
Complainant
A person who has made an allegation of child sexual abuse.
Complex needs
Two or more needs affecting a person’s physical, mental or social well-being.
Director of social services
Head of the social services department of Lambeth Council.
Evans report
Report by Richard Evans and Elisabeth Ford published in September 2000, titled Events and Circumstances Associated with Changes to Services at a Home Providing Residential Respite Care for Children with Disabilities. It focussed on events in Chestnut Road, a specialist home for children with disabilities.
First Morton report
Report by Robert Morton written in 1988 for the Children’s Homes Sub-Committee.
Foster Placement (Children) Regulations 1991
Legislation governing the placement of a child in foster care by a local authority or voluntary organisation.
Ground rules hearing
Court hearing to plan and discuss adaptations to questioning and/or the conduct of the hearing that may be necessary to facilitate the evidence of a vulnerable person. It should take place in the presence of the trial judge, advocates and any intermediary who has been appointed.
Harris report
Report into allegations of the sharing of pornographic material within the housing department at Lambeth Council.
London Safeguarding Children Board Child Protection Procedures
Procedures that are regularly updated by the London Safeguarding Board. They set out the requirements of how agencies and individuals should work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.
National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990
Legislation imposing a duty on local authorities to carry out assessments of people who appear to be in need of community care services and to arrange packages of care.
Operation Bell
Metropolitan Police Service investigation running from 1992 to 1994. Investigated allegations of child sexual abuse arising from South Vale Assessment Centre. It focussed on Leslie Paul but also investigated allegations against LA-F4, LA-F5 and LA-F8.
Operation Care
Investigation by Merseyside Police into allegations of child sexual abuse in Merseyside children’s homes. It ran from July 1996 to September 2003. It was as a result of Operation Care that John Carroll was convicted in relation to sexual abuse against children in Lambeth Council’s care.
Operation Middleton
Metropolitan Police Service investigation running from 1998 to 2003. Investigation into alleged offences of abuse committed against children in the care of Lambeth Council between 1974 and 1994. Charges were brought against Leslie Paul, LA-F14, WIlliam Hook, Geoffrey Clarke and LA-F38.
Operation Pragada
Metropolitan Police Service investigation running from 1993 to 1994. Investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse and creation of indecent images of children made by LA-G1 which came to light as a result of Lambeth Council’s Harris report into the housing directorate.
Operation Trawler
Metropolitan Police Service investigation set up in 1998 to support Merseyside’s Operation Care investigation into John Carroll. Changed into Operation Middleton.
Operation Trinity
Metropolitan Police Service investigation running from 2012 to 2015. Investigation set up as a result of further allegations of child sexual abuse against children in Lambeth Council’s care. Investigated Leslie Paul, LA-F8, John Hudson and LA-F41, and expanded in scope as investigations progressed. Resulted in the charging of Leslie Paul, Patrick Grant, LA-F8, June Entecott and Brenda Ball.
Operation Winter Key
The current and ongoing Metropolitan Police Service investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse.
Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
Legislation aimed at rehabilitating offenders when they have not been reconvicted of any serious offence for periods of years. It allows individuals the right not to disclose spent convictions and cautions when applying for most jobs. When read with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 there are particular jobs, including working for a local authority and being exposed to children, where these exemptions do not apply.
Schedule One offender
Term previously used to describe someone who had been convicted of an offence of a violent or sexual nature. Now this term has generally been replaced with ‘a person posing a risk to children’.
Sexual Offences Act 1956
Legislation setting out offences relating to sexual abuse (until May 2004). Set out the offences of indecent assault and buggery.
Social Services Committee
Committee set up by Lambeth in 1971 as required by the Social Services Act 1970. It had the objective to provide social support as necessary to sections of the community in need, such as children’s services and services for older people.
Tyra Henry public inquiry report
Report published in 1987 of the public inquiry that investigated the death of Tyra Henry, a child in Lambeth Council’s care. The inquiry was chaired by Sir Stephen Sedley QC.
Victims’ Code
Short title for the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime, described above.
Vulnerable Witnesses: A Police Service Guide
Guidance designed to assist police in supporting vulnerable or intimidated witnesses to give them equal access to the criminal justice system and provide them with an opportunity to give their best evidence at any trial.
Working Together Under the Children Act 1989 (1991)
Statutory guidance published on inter-agency working under the Children Act to promote the welfare of children.
Zephyrine report
The report of the Enquiry into South Vale Assessment Centre, commissioned by Lambeth Council and published in January 1990. It investigated allegations of racism, sexism and poor management in South Vale. The panel was chaired by Edgar Zephyrine.
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