Gabrielle Shaw, Chief Executive of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC), said:

“Today marks an important moment in the long journey toward justice and healing for survivors of child sexual abuse. The publication of the Government’s update on IICSA is its formal response to a powerful and often painful process that laid bare the scale and impact of abuse across institutions and decades.

We welcome the Government’s intention to increase investment in specialist therapeutic support, including for adult survivors. This is a recognition of what we at NAPAC have always known: that recovery is possible, and that the right support can change lives. The commitment to doubling funding for national services for adult survivors, and to mapping provision across the country, are positive steps toward building a more joined-up and accessible system of care.

We also note the plans to introduce a new Child Protection Authority and a joint thematic review into abuse within family settings, where we know the vast majority of abuse takes place. These are significant developments which we will follow closely.

The proposed changes to the Crime and Policing Bill, including a new criminal offence for obstructing mandatory reporting, and the removal of the three-year time limit for personal injury claims with a shift in the burden of proof away from victims, reflect progress in embedding accountability. However, much will depend on how these reforms are implemented in practice.

For many survivors, the lack of a firm commitment to a national redress scheme will remain deeply disappointing. Redress is not just about compensation; it is about acknowledgement and accountability for the past. We recognise the scale of what’s proposed, but it is crucial that survivors are not left feeling overlooked once again.

We note the Government’s emphasis on survivor engagement, and we welcome any move that places lived experience at the heart of policy design. But survivor voice is not limited to those who speak out. Many people live with the lifelong impacts of abuse without ever disclosing it, and their experiences matter just as much. Ethical, trauma-informed ways of listening to those voices must be central to any future strategy.

At NAPAC, we will continue to work constructively with Government and partners to ensure survivors’ needs are not just heard but acted on. Survivors want to see change they can trust — not just promises, but progress that makes a real difference in their lives.”