New website giving survivors of child sexual abuse a way forward launched
A new website dedicated to helping survivors of non-recent child sexual abuse achieve justice has been launched.
IAmReady has been developed to support survivors of non-recent child sexual abuse and exploitation. It recognises that people may be left with unanswered questions long after abuse has occurred, particularly when a previous investigation did not lead to prosecution.
For survivors of child sexual abuse, finding the right support and understanding what options are available can be difficult, especially when the abuse happened many years ago and it has taken considerable courage to come forward.
This is something we see regularly in our Abuse team. The problem was also recognised by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, which recommended several measures to make it easier for the survivors to seek justice.
Helping survivors understand their options
Launched on 8 October 2026, the website offers a starting point for survivors who want to understand what they can do next. By answering questions about their circumstances, users can be guided towards relevant information, specialist support and possible review processes.
These options include the Victims’ Right to Review scheme, the Child Sexual Abuse Review Panel (CSARP) and Operation Beaconport, a national policing initiative reviewing eligible previously closed investigations involving group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation.
Operation Beaconport covers eligible cases in which a decision to take no further action was made between 1 January 2010 and 31 March 2025. IAmReady helps survivors explore whether their circumstances may fall within the scope of the initiative and understand the information they may wish to provide.
The website does not promise that a case will be reopened or that a particular outcome will follow. However, it helps survivors understand the routes potentially available to them so they can make informed decisions about their next steps.
Exploring civil compensation
For some survivors, seeking justice may also mean exploring the possibility of civil compensation. Separate from the criminal justice process, a civil claim can provide a route to seek financial compensation for the harm and lasting impact of childhood sexual abuse.
Depending on the circumstances, a claim may be brought against an individual responsible for the abuse or an organisation that may bear legal responsibility, for example, because of failures in its duty of care or safeguarding responsibilities.
A criminal conviction is not required to bring a civil compensation claim. However, proving what happened can be challenging, particularly when the abuse took place many years ago.
Survivors may still have legal options even where a police investigation has ended without prosecution. An experienced solicitor can assess the available evidence and advise whether a civil claim may be possible.
For survivors who wish to explore this route, civil compensation may offer an additional opportunity to seek accountability and recognition of the harm they have suffered. It is a personal decision, and no survivor should feel pressured to pursue legal action. Seeking advice from a solicitor experienced in child sexual abuse claims early on can be really helpful in this context.
A step towards greater understanding and support
There is no single path to recovery, and justice means different things to different people. For some survivors, finding answers may be important. Others may want to access specialist support, explore a police review, consider civil compensation or simply understand what options are available.
IAmReady provides a central place to begin exploring those choices, helping survivors navigate processes that can otherwise feel complicated and difficult to understand.
Survivors deserve to be treated with dignity, compassion and respect, and to have clear information available when they need it. They should be able to make decisions in their own time, with access to the support and advice that best meets their needs.
If you are a survivor of non-recent child sexual abuse or exploitation and want to understand your options, visit iamready.org.uk.
You may also wish to speak to one of our experienced solicitors in our specialist child sexual abuse claims team.
