Whistleblowers

Information shared by whistleblowers or those who have reported institutional failure.

The Inquiry wants to hear from whistleblowers and those who have information regarding institutional failings.

Their knowledge and experience could feed into the Inquiry’s work in order to inform any future recommendations it makes to help protect children from sexual abuse.

The Inquiry is keen to hear from individuals who have (in relation to an institutional failure to protect children from sexual abuse):

• been a whistleblower
• witnessed institutional failure while working in or with an institution
• been in a profession or any other role where they have seen failure
• raised concerns in relation to an institution's or colleague's failure

What will happen to your information

If you choose to provide information to the Inquiry, the following will happen:

• it will be stored confidentially
• it may be used in current or future investigations
• it may be used to inform research projects
• it may be used to inform future recommendations to improve child protection responses

If the information that you wish to share is in relation to one of our current investigations, this will be passed to the relevant investigation team, who may then contact you to discuss it.

Reporting current concerns

The Inquiry does not have the power to respond to ongoing concerns. If you wish to share information regarding a current situation then please do this through your local multi-agency safeguarding hub.

Please note that if we are told of a specific incident of child abuse we must make a referral to the police, but will only include your contact details with your consent.

If you tell us that a child is currently at risk we may need to make an urgent safeguarding referral, and will need to include your contact details.

Protection for whistleblowers and those who have reported institutional failures

The Inquiry is not able to advise individuals on their position if they wish to whistleblow. Advice and guidance is, however, available from the whistleblowing charity, Public Concern at Work.

For anyone concerned that they may be in breach of the Official Secrets Act by approaching the Inquiry, we have secured additional legal protection.

The Attorney General gave an undertaking on 15 June 2015 that no document or evidence provided to the Inquiry will result in, or be used in, any prosecution under the Official Secrets Act or any prosecution for unlawful possession of the evidence in question.

How you can share your information

If you have any information you wish to share with the Inquiry regarding concerns about an institution or professional you can get in touch in the following ways:

• by email via contact@iicsa.org.uk
• by telephone to the Inquiry Information Line on 0800 917 1000
• Write to us at Freepost IICSA INDEPENDENT INQUIRY

Please mark all correspondence with ‘Information from a whistleblower or individual who has reported institutional failure’ (or something similar) to assist the Inquiry.

If necessary, we can also arrange for a secure digital upload facility or collect written and audio information by secure tracked courier.