CCTV footage captures shocking abuse of autistic children at Walthamstow school
Over the past week, shocking footage has been revealed by the BBC of vulnerable pupils being abused at a school for pupils with special educational needs. This is the result of a longstanding investigation by the BBC into the allegations of abuse at Whitefield School which were captured on CCTV. This was first reported back in 2021 but last week was the first time that parts of the CCTV footage itself were shared, alongside interviews and reactions by the parents of those who had been abused at the school.
Dame Rachel de Souza, the Children’s Commissioner says a formal review of the circumstances has been agreed but has yet to take place. A police investigation into the footage somehow ended without any of the culpable staff members being charged.
In light of the failure to hold the staff members accountable, parents of those who attended Whitefield must surely be feeling exasperated.
Being the parent of a child who has been abused is incredibly difficult. After an initial shock you are likely to feel very strong emotions of anger, anxiety and fear. It can be very hard to trust anyone again, particularly someone who is looking after your child. These anxieties will surely be at their most pronounced if a child was abused in circumstances like those at Whitefield School, where they were isolated, abused and tortured and this was then covered up at an institutional level and there is no prospect of criminal justice.
Given that the police investigation appears to have concluded with no charges and there is no movement on a formal review, parents might be wondering what options are left to them to seek justice and accountability. One option would be to pursue a civil claim for compensation – this can enable survivors to access funding for therapy and losses as a result of abuse they have experienced and help to rebuild their lives. Sadly we also often see that it is only once organisations begin to be held financially accountable for abuse that we start to see effective safeguarding changes.
Anyone embarking on a civil claim should think carefully about choosing the right solicitor – and this is even more crucial for those pursuing litigation relating to trauma on behalf of anyone with a developmental disability. For autistic adults, or the parents of autistic children, it is key that their representative understands the nuances and difficulties that they may face in communicating with and giving instructions to their solicitor and who also has a trauma informed approach to working alongside victims of abuse. This could include use of intermediaries to help the claimant give their best evidence, special measures at any court hearing as well as an open and easy relationship with their solicitor.
In cases where the claimant is still a child or is an autistic adult who doesn’t have capacity to bring the claim themselves, they will need a litigation friend to make decisions in their best interest and liaise with their solicitor on the claimant’s behalf – often this is a parent.
I have experience acting on behalf of both autistic adults and the parents of autistic children: I currently act in an ongoing civil claim on behalf of an autistic adult who was abused at a private. I previously succeeded in a claim in relation to an extremely vulnerable autistic child who was sexually abused at a school, where the school ultimately settled the claim by agreeing to pay my client £85,000.
A civil claim for compensation can enable survivors to access funding for therapy and losses as a result of abuse they have experienced. My team and I are passionate about the support we give to survivors and their families so they can receive the compensation that they deserve. If you or someone you love has been abused and you want to understand more about how civil claims work, please contact me directly.
