Letter re ToR
Letter re ToR
Formal submission from The Maggie Oliver Foundation and the TMOF Survivor Panel on the National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs: demanding a broad Terms of Reference, formal survivor participation, timely implementation of findings, and consideration of restorative justice
Key Points
Note: The provided text is not sufficient to produce a full 3,000-word abstract. The three points below distill the central concerns and proposals from the submission to the inquiry.
- The submission urges the draft Terms of Reference for the National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs to be expansive and inclusive, ensuring it covers the survivors’ lived experiences and systemic failures by agencies. It also calls for formal survivor input on the settled final ToR, not just a response via a form, to guarantee critical matters are addressed comprehensively.
- It highlights a pronounced trust deficit stemming from past failures to implement Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) recommendations and Baroness Casey’s National Audit, demanding that the Government commit to implementing any inquiry recommendations within one year of their being laid before Parliament. The writers warn that without timely implementation, the inquiry risks further litigation and continued public harm.
- Proposals include exploring the establishment of a national restorative justice program as part of the inquiry’s remit, reconsidering the descriptor “Grooming/Gangs” to reflect the violence involved, and ensuring accountability beyond administrative actions. The submission notes a High Court judgement recognizing the foundation’s public-interest litigation and underscores the need for a clear, enforceable timetable for change to restore public confidence.
