Investigation into Historical Clerical Child Abuse
Three separate research projects have been commissioned.
Review of Historical Records
A consortium of Outcome IMPS, Queens University Belfast and University of Birmingham was awarded this contract in June 2024.
The research consisted of gathering high-level information and data to better understand what records are available, where they are located, and how they might be accessed.
A detailed online survey was issued to over 1,200 faith organisations to explore what information relating to allegations of child abuse is held within the organisation. Additionally, the researchers also engaged with the Health and Social Care Trusts, Department of Health, Department of Justice, PSNI and Public Prosecution Service to understand what records they might hold.
It was not possible for researchers to look into and investigate the content of the historical records identified due to data protection concerns and the fact that records held by social services and criminal justice agencies are only marked as child abuse and are not specifically tagged as abuse in a faith setting.
The study also surveyed schools to identify whether schools in Northern Ireland hold records concerning allegations of historical child abuse associated with faith organisations. Of those schools who did respond, a number reported connections to allegations of child abuse involving faith organisations.
Review of Victims and Survivors Experience and Expectations
A contract was awarded in July 2024 to Professor Tim Chapman Consulting. Preparatory work leading to ethical approval lasted until November 2024, and interviews took place between December 2024 and April 2025.
The research project took the form of an Oral History Study of the experience of HCCA victims and survivors in Northern Ireland, exploring how the abuse was able to happen, its impact on victims and survivors, and implications for current policy.
Participants who took part in the study were members of the Reference Group of victims and survivors and others who came forward following some media articles. The report is based on 37 interviews (24 men and 13 women) from a range of denominations.
Review of Safeguarding Policy and Practices
A contract was awarded in September 2024 to Trilateral Research. The research investigated how faith-based organisations implement and enforce safeguarding measures, providing insights into how they have addressed these issues over time.
The study reviewed current safeguarding policies and practices across faith-based organisations, including the support services available to survivors, assessing their alignment with national standards. It sought to determine whether these policies effectively address past failures and identify necessary improvements in safeguarding measures and survivor support services.
A survey was sent to over 1,000 individual places of worship. Of those that responded, a number reported an allegation of abuse within the past 10 years. The researchers followed up with 10 of these, interviewing local staff and, where relevant, the regional and national representation of that organisation, to understand how safeguarding policies had been applied in practice.
The three research reports are available via the link below: