1. The investigation’s first case study concerns Beechwood Children’s Home, which was comprised of four units: The Lindens, Redcot, Enderleigh and a central administration and teaching block. The case study examines institutional responses to child sexual abuse and barriers to disclosure of allegations. It also considers the changing function of the home, the environment for the children resident there, and changing internal management arrangements.
2. A large number of allegations of sexual abuse have been made against members of staff at several children’s homes across the County and City over a number of years.[1] Beechwood was selected as a case study, amongst other reasons, because it had been the subject of an extensive police investigation and was also the subject of the largest number of allegations of sexual abuse by complainant core participants made to the Inquiry.
Beechwood Children’s Home, mid-1980s