Lived experience consultants to a child sexual abuse inquiry: Survivor epistemology as a counterweight to legal and administrative proceduralism
Abstract:
Background:
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) in England and Wales was the first major child abuse inquiry internationally to appoint survivors to a formal role. The appointment of the Victims and Survivors Consultative Panel (VSCP) reflects growing recognition of the value of lived experience expertise and a broader shift in the policy domain towards public involvement and co-design.
Objective: This article draws on research that sought to understand both the experiences of a group of victims and survivors with related professional expertise consulting to a public inquiry, and the impact they had on the operation of the inquiry. Participants and setting: Seven members of the VSCP joined the study as co-researchers, alongside academic researchers. Six IICSA staff also participated in the project.
Methods: A participatory research methodology was developed. First, a two-day workshop comprising four focus group sessions was held with VSCP members and researchers. Individual interviews were then conducted with the VSCP members and IICSA employees. Finally, there were two participatory data analysis workshops, which included both VSCP members and researchers, and where the themes were refined and consensus reached.
Results: The study found striking epistemological differences between survivor approaches, and the dominant civil services and legal paradigms that characterize public inquiries. This clash negatively impacted the VSCP, with each member reporting adverse effects on their work and personal lives. When a survivor epistemology was integrated into inquiry processes, there were clear benefits for external survivors, inquiry staff and the VSCP.
Conclusions: Engaging victims and survivors as consultants to non-recent child abuse inquiries has the potential to transform and improve inquiry processes and outcomes. However, consultation and co-design alone are not sufficient to guarantee success. Careful consideration is required in relation to how lived experience expertise can be meaningfully integrated into an inquiry's culture to safeguard survivors and enhance inquiry outcomes.
