Liam Goggin
Director of Public Law Practice Area
English
If you experienced neglect or abuse while in the care of a local authority in England and Wales, you may be able to bring a claim against them. With extensive experience supporting survivors of abuse, our team is here to help where we can.
In certain circumstances, you may also be able to claim for abuse by people not employed by social services, such as a family member or a visitor to your home. If a foster carer abused you, you could claim against the authority that selected and monitored that placement. And if you were abused in a school or children's home, a claim may be brought against the organisation responsible, which is often the same body.
Our Abuse Claims Solicitors specialise in securing compensation for people who were let down while in local authority care. Our dedicated team is here to listen as soon as you are ready to talk, and we will let you know whether we can help you make a claim.
You could qualify for Legal Aid, depending on your financial situation. If not, we may be able to take your case on a No Win, No Fee basis, meaning you will only pay our fees if your case succeeds.
Fill in the form below to get in touch with one of our dedicated team members, or call our team today on: 0800 260 5010
Neglect or abuse may be experienced by a child in the care of a local authority. If this happened to you, you may have a claim against the council responsible for providing your care.
Most people who work in local authority care are dedicated to keeping children safe. However, abuse and neglect can still occur. Local authority abuse may include:
This could include hitting, slapping, shoving, burning, and kicking a child. It can also involve using objects to punish, hurt or injure a child.
Sexual abuse is when a person engages in sexual contact with a child. These cases can be complex and distressing, and our Abuse Solicitors have the experience to manage your claim with sensitivity and compassion.
This includes name-calling, humiliation, harassment, threats, and allowing a child to witness another person being abused. Emotional abuse can leave mental scars as painful and long-lasting as physical ones.
Neglect is when a child's caregiver fails to provide basic needs such as food, housing, clothing, healthcare, education, and safety. According to the NSPCC (the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children), neglect is the most common form of child abuse in the UK.
A local authority could be held responsible for abuse if you were under a care order when the abuse took place.
Claims can also arise from neglect or abuse in foster homes, children's homes, schools, and other institutions. The rules on when a local authority can be held responsible are complex, which is why it helps to speak to a specialist Abuse Claims team who can advise you whether you may have a claim.
Yes, in some circumstances. If you were in the care of a Local Authority when the abuse took place, you may be able to claim compensation against them. The duties local authorities owe to children in their care are set out in the Children Act 1989, and if they failed to take reasonable steps to protect you from abuse or neglect, and that failure caused you harm, you may be able to bring a claim.
The time limit to make a claim depends on the nature of the abuse you experienced.
For child sexual abuse claims, there is no longer a strict limitation period in England and Wales. However, where possible, it is still advisable to issue a claim at court before your 21st birthday. If a claim is not issued until after your 21st birthday, a Defendant may argue that the passage of time has affected the availability of evidence and that there can no longer be a fair trial.
For other types of childhood abuse, including physical or emotional abuse, claims should be brought/issued at court before your 21st birthday. However, the courts recognise that survivors often do not feel able to speak about abuse until much later in life. In some circumstances, the court may allow a claim to proceed outside the usual time limit if there are good reasons for the delay and it is still possible for a fair trial to take place.
Evidence in abuse claims can be difficult to obtain, as it is often the survivor's word against their abuser's, especially where the abuse happened a long time ago. We will obtain social care and medical records, along with any supporting evidence, such as police reports where appropriate, to support your claim.
To bring a claim, it will usually be necessary to show that the local authority had a legal responsibility to protect you, that it failed to meet that responsibility, and that this failure allowed the abuse to happen or continue. Our solicitors are sensitive and compassionate, but also firm and decisive, and we will work hard to get you the compensation you deserve.
Talking to a solicitor about abuse is never easy, and coming forward takes real courage, so we have made the process as clear and supportive as we can:
Your first conversation with us is completely confidential. One of our team will take some initial information surrounding your circumstances.
A member of our team will review your case and advise whether you may be able to make a successful claim. We would never put you through the claims process unless we were confident you had a good chance of success. We will also take time to understand what you want to happen and the type of support you feel you need while the claim is progressing. Whether you decide to proceed with a claim is entirely your choice.
Your legal team will gather evidence, which may include records, witness statements, and police reports.
We will often arrange for you to see an independent psychiatrist or psychologist who will assess the psychological impact the abuse has had on you and prepare an expert report to support your claim.
Most abuse claims settle without a final court hearing, but we will be by your side throughout, even if your claim does go to court.
If your claim is successful, we will explain to you the amount you will receive ensuring you fully understand the outcome of your claim.
Our team can put you in touch with support organisations if you want further help with your recovery.
Our Abuse Solicitors have a national reputation for being compassionate, caring, and driven to get survivors the compensation they need to move forward. Members of our team have worked on national inquiries and act as Trustees of abuse support services.
By choosing us, you can trust that we will:
We're helping people just like you all over the UK! Get in touch with our dedicated team today!
Yes. If you are the parent of a child who has been abused, you can claim on their behalf while they are under 18. You can also claim on behalf of someone who lacks the mental capacity to bring a claim themselves by acting as a Litigation Friend.
Most claims settle without a court hearing. If you do need to attend court, we will be by your side, and the court can make adjustments to help you give evidence, such as allowing you to speak through a video call.
It depends on the complexity of your claim and whether the local authority admits liability early on. Most claims settle within 2 to 3 years, though some take longer.
As your claim is against the local authority rather than the individual who harmed you, compensation can still be awarded if your abuser has died. We will work to trace witnesses and gather all the evidence needed to prove your case.
We understand that speaking about abuse can be incredibly difficult, and we will always treat your personal information with the utmost confidentiality. If court proceedings become necessary, we may be able to apply for an Anonymity Order. Court proceedings are generally held in public, which means journalists and members of the public can attend hearings and report on them. An Anonymity Order can help protect your identity by preventing your name and other identifying details from being published or reported. Whether an order is granted will depend on the circumstances of your case.
There is no right or wrong time to seek legal advice. When you feel ready, contact us on 0800 260 5010 or request a call back at a time that suits you. If we believe you may be able to make a claim, we'll explain your legal options clearly and help you decide on the next steps.
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