Panel to give child sexual abuse survivors voice in government decision-making

Adult survivors of child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE) will be able to advise government directly through a new panel hosted by the independent Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, with recruitment expected to open shortly.

The Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Victim and Survivor Advisory Panel will bring together adults with lived experience from across England and Wales to share their insights and recommendations, challenge decision-makers and help improve support for others affected by these crimes. It is expected to begin work in spring 2027.

The Home Office will provide up to £1 million in funding over three years, from 2026 to 2029, to support the panel. This will include staffing, training, specialist support and remuneration for members’ time and expertise, with participation designed to be safe, sustainable and trauma-informed.

Victims’ Commissioner Claire Waxman OBE said: “Victims and survivors have been clear that they want to be listened to, not spoken for. This independent panel is an opportunity to do things differently, moving beyond tokenistic engagement to give survivors a meaningful role in shaping the policies, practices and services that affect them.”

The panel has been developed through engagement with survivors, specialist organisations, international partners and experts in trauma-informed practice. Its development was also informed by the NSPCC-facilitated interim Victim and Survivor Committee, whose members shared their experiences and views on how survivor involvement should work in practice.

The panel will cover all forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation and be open to adults from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, including those affected by grooming gangs. It will be separate from the temporary survivor group established to inform the set-up of the Statutory Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs. A wider network of survivor groups and specialist organisations will also contribute to its work.

Waxman said: “I am proud that my office will host this panel. It will be built on independence, trust, transparency, and proper support, so that members can contribute with confidence, knowing their voices will influence change. Real reform means not just listening but acting.”

She encouraged adult survivors who felt able to participate to consider applying, adding: “Your experiences, insights and expertise are vital to helping deliver a better response for victims and survivors.”

The announcement was welcomed by organisations working with survivors. Ciara Bergman, chief executive of Rape Crisis England and Wales, said: “We welcome the formation of this expert panel as an important opportunity for survivors to shape government policy and drive meaningful change. Survivors of child rape, sexual abuse and exploitation – in all their diversity – bring vital and much-needed knowledge and lived expertise, and we’re hopeful that their involvement can help make practical improvements as well as holding government to account. We look forward to seeing how their contributions shape and inform the work of government.”

Gabrielle Shaw, chief executive of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC), said the panel offered an opportunity to ensure national policy was directly shaped by survivors. She added: “Proper integration of lived experience is essential to building systems that work for those affected by childhood sexual abuse – and we hope this panel will lay the foundations for safe, long-term collaboration at a national level.”

The panel forms part of the government’s wider response to child sexual abuse and exploitation. The government says it is providing £100 million in the current year to tackle CSAE, support victims and survivors, strengthen the police response and pursue perpetrators. It has also pledged £550 million for support services over the next three years, including holistic, trauma-informed support for victims of sexual abuse.

The new panel follows longstanding calls from survivors for a more meaningful role in decisions affecting them. Its establishment is intended to create a structured and ongoing route for their experiences and expertise to influence policy and practice, with the Victims’ Commissioner responsible for recruiting members, supporting their participation and enabling them to provide independent advice and challenge.

Further details about eligibility, applications and timings are expected to be published on the Victims’ Commissioner’s website when recruitment opens.