If you were abused as a child, or are the parent or carer of a child that has been abused, it may not feel like there's anyone to turn to. But there are procedures and support systems in place to help, and our child abuse lawyers could help you claim compensation from those responsible.

We understand that the unique nature of claims for child abuse needs specialist knowledge, experience and, above all, sensitivity. That's why we have a specialist team of solicitors who have been handling child abuse claims for nearly two decades.

We'll work closely with you, in total confidentiality, throughout your case. Our solicitors have dedicated their careers to helping survivors of physical and sexual abuse, and we can help you too.

It's perfectly normal to have doubts about making a child abuse compensation claim, with worries about facing an abuser in court chief among them. In our experience, the vast majority of claims are settled out of court and we will work hard to achieve an out-of-court settlement in your case. If you do have to appear in court, we'll be there to represent and support you at every step of the way.

Even if the abuse happened years ago, you may still be able to claim. We've successfully helped people to claim non-recent sexual abuse compensation for abuse that happened decades ago. Whatever the circumstances may be, you're not alone – we're here to help. Contact us online or call on 0800 022 3503 today for a free initial consultation with one of our solicitors.

Legal aid available in some cases

Offices across the UK

Members of the Association of Child Abuse Lawyers

Experienced child abuse lawyers

Call our experts FREE on:

0800 022 3503

Or we can call you back at a time of your choice

Request a call back

Phone lines open 24/7, 365 days a year

For a free initial consultation

Freephone

0800 022 3503

Prefer not to call?

Use our form

Your name*

Your email*

Your phone number*

How can we help?*

This data will only be used by Irwin Mitchell for processing your query and for no other purpose.

Tracey Storey

Partner

Meet The Team

Child Abuse Claims - More Information

- Can I Make A No Win No Fee* Claim?
- Many of our cases are funded with a No Win No Fee agreement. This means that there’s no financial risk to you when making a compensation claim.
  
  If we think you're best supported by a No Win No Fee agreement, we'll explain the process clearly. You'll only have to pay anything if your claim is successful – with our legal costs coming out of your compensation settlement.
- Do You Handle Legal Aid Cases?
- Yes, legal aid may be available for some types of abuse cases.
  
  Legal aid is means-tested. We can help you with the application process for this and, if you do not qualify, we will explore other types of funding such as No Win No Fee* agreements.
  
  If you’d like to discuss whether you can make an abuse claim using legal aid, then please call one of our specialist team on 0800 022 3503.
- What's The Claims Process?
- To make a compensation claim, the first thing you need to do is get in touch with us for a free consultation. We'll discuss the circumstances of your abuse, advise you on whether or not we think you can claim, and work out whether you could benefit from legal aid or a No Win No Fee* arrangement.
  
  If you decide to make a claim with us, we'll usually follow the same four stages:
  1. Investigation. We'll take a full history from you, taking time to understand what happened and when. We’ll note any injuries or psychological trauma you've experienced as a result and we may refer you for a medical or psychological examination to investigate the full impact of your abuser's actions. We may also look into records kept by the police, courts, schools, Local Authorities, or medical institutions. We'll also need to work out who the claim will be made against. It could be an individual, or an organisation either responsible for that person's actions, or for your safety. If it's an individual, our investigators will have to look into their financial assets to find out if they'll be able to pay any settlement we agree.
  2. Rehabilitation. Abuse, whether physical, sexual or emotional, can have long-lasting impacts on both physical and mental health, and we'll help you to access any medical or psychological care and support you need, both now and in the future.
  3. Compensation. We'll work out how much compensation you should get based on the severity of your injuries or trauma, your pain and suffering, any medical expenses you've had to pay, and whether your abuser has impacted your ability to find work.
  4. Conclusion. If your opponent accepted blame, you'll be awarded compensation. If not, the case will be settled in court – although this is rare. If you do have to go to court, we'll be there support you every step of the way. If we agreed to handle your claim under a No Win No Fee* arrangement, then you won't have to pay anything if you were unsuccessful.
  If you have any questions about the claims process, please contact us today on 0800 022 3503 for your free initial consultation.
- How Much Compensation Can I Expect?
- How much compensation you receive for an abuse claim depends on a number of factors that vary from case to case. When calculating your compensation, we take a number of things into account, including:
  - The type of abuse experienced
  - The extent of the abuse, and how long it's gone on for
  - Physical injuries experienced as a result, and any treatment needed both now and in the future
  - Psychological trauma, and any therapy or counselling needed both now and in the future
  - Impacts on your ability to find work as a result of abuse
  The compensation you receive may also depend on who the claim is being made against. We'll investigate and advise on whether it's possible to make a claim against an abuser, an organisation they worked with, or an organisation that should have done more to protect you from abuse, and this may affect your settlement.
  
  If you have any questions about how much you can claim, contact us today on 0800 022 3503 for a free consultation.
- Meet The Experts
- Our personal injury team deals with thousands of successful claims each year, and our award-winning lawyers are recognised as leaders in their fields.
  
  Meet our team of abuse solicitors.

I just felt that they were very competent and that I could trust them, which is very important in a case like this. It’s hard to explain – I have nothing but praise about how we were treated.”

Peter, London