If you or your child has experienced abuse while living in a children's home, it can often be difficult to know how to begin making a claim for compensation, or even if you're eligible. Our lawyers can help you through what can be a difficult time, providing both advice and help to make sure you get the support you need.

We have a proven track record in dealing with claims of abuse in children's homes, working with both large groups who have made a legal claim against one children's home in particular, as well as individuals seeking action against institutions or social services.

Our team of specialist abuse solicitors are well-equipped to make sure your claim is handled appropriately, with the care and compassion these complex cases require.

You may find the prospect of making a claim for abuse to be daunting, with the idea of facing an abuser in court being a common concern among our clients, but from our experience these cases rarely end in a court case, with most settled outside of court.

We also have experience in handling non-recent children's home abuse claims from many years ago, and our lawyers will offer support and guidance throughout the entire process. For an initial consultation, get in touch with us on 0800 022 3503 or contact us online for a free consultation.

Legal aid available in some cases

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Children's Home Claims - More Information

- How Long Do I Have To Make A Claim
- You generally have to make a compensation claim within three years of the date of abuse taking place.
  
  If you were a child at the time, then you have until the date of your 21st birthday to make a claim.
  
  However, there's often a case for making a claim after these dates – we have helped clients to claim for abuse that happened decades ago. Whether or not you'll be able to make a non-recent abuse claim is judged on a case-by-case basis by the courts, so it's best to get in touch with us for some advice. Call today on 0800 022 3503 for a free consultation on your case, and we'll be happy to help.
- 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.
  
  At the start of your case, we'll discuss funding options with you, advising you which we think is most suitable. You may be eligible for legal aid, or be covered by legal expenses insurance (LEI) or a trade union policy. Legal expenses insurance is included in many household or car insurance policies, so it’s always worth checking whether you’re already covered.
  
  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 – your opponent will pay most of our fees, with the remaining costs coming out of your compensation settlement.
  
  Please visit our No Win No Fee page for more information on how it works.
- 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:
  - 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.
  - 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.
  - 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.
  - 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.
- Will I Have To Go To Court?
- It's possible that you might have to appear in court as part of your claim. But in our experience, the vast majority of claims are settled out of court, following a negotiation between us and your opponent.
  
  If you do have to appear in court, we'll be there to represent and support you at every step of the way.
- 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, client

Frequently Asked Questions

Who Would You Claim Against Following Abuse In A Children's Home?

Children's homes were meant to be safe places for vulnerable children to live, but it's a tragic fact that abusers and paedophiles in positions of trust and responsibility took advantage of this.

Abuse can be physical, sexual or emotional in nature, and can be committed by anyone working for or involved with a children's home – including other children. We have helped clients to claim after abuse carried out by a range of children’s home staff, including:

Carers
Members of the home's staff
Volunteers
Cleaners

Abuse is generally defined as deliberately causing harm, but it's also possible to make a claim for neglect, in which a home's staff fails to provide basic care.

Understanding who takes final responsibility for child abuse in children's homes is a complex issue, and this is where our experienced lawyers can help. We'll determine whether a claim needs to be made against the individual who committed the abuse, or against a wider organisation who failed to protect you.

If you'd like to find out more, or have any other questions about the process, please don't hesitate to call us on 0800 022 3503 for a free consultation.

Why Does Child Abuse In Children's Homes Happen?

Unfortunately, there are a number of reasons why abuse may occur in a children's home – but the blame never rests with the person who has been abused. For survivors of abuse, it's important to remember that you're not alone, and that we're here to help you.

Investigating how and why abuse has been able to occur is often a key part of our claims process, as it will help us to determine who a claim is made against.

It may not be possible to make a claim against the individual who was personally responsible for abusive behaviour (they may now be dead for instance), so we would look at failings on the part of the home or social services that have allowed the abuse to happen. For example, you might be able to claim against the home if understaffing or a lack of responsible adults allowed the abuse to occur; or against social services if they ignored reports of abuse. You might also have a direct claim against social services for employing an abuser.

If you or your child has experienced abuse in a children's home and you'd like to find out about making a claim, contact us on 0800 022 3503 for a free consultation. One of our solicitors will discuss your circumstances with you, and offer their expert advice on your options.

Why Choose Irwin Mitchell For A Children's Home Abuse Claim?

We have a great deal of experience in making compensation claims for abuse in children's homes. Our experienced lawyers will handle every aspect of your claim for you, offering their advice in plain English at every step of the way.

Our dedicated team of child abuse solicitors is led by Tracey Storey, who coordinates the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers' Special Interest Group on Child Abuse, as well as being on the Association of Child Abuse Lawyers' Executive Committee, so you can be sure of industry-leading representation and support.

Many of our clients in this area can't be named for confidentiality reasons, but in one example of a past claim, our client, Geoffrey, suffered repeated sexual abuse from an employee of the children's home he was staying at throughout the 1970s.

We were able to help Geoffrey make a claim to the council responsible for the running of the home, alleging that it was legally responsible for the actions of its employees. The local authority accepted the claim, and paid a settlement to help Geoffrey access treatment and build a new life for himself - find out more about his case.

Helping our clients get the rehabilitation they need, as Geoffrey did, is a key part of our service, and we'll work with you from the beginning of your claim to understand exactly what support you need both now and in the future.

If you'd like the support of our leading child abuse lawyers, with a great deal of experience in handling children's home abuse claims with sensitivity and care, don't hesitate to get in touch. Please contact us on 0800 022 3503, or contact us online to arrange a free initial consultation about your case.