Report exposes scale of Jersey's 'house of horrors' and warns children may still be at risk
Video report by ITV News Reporter Sally Lockwood
A report that exposes the "shameful history" of a Jersey children's care home dubbed a "house of horrors" has found children remain vulnerable on the island.
Hundreds of crimes of abuse and mistreatment were carried out over decades before the Haut de la Garenne children's home was shut in the 1980s.
Generations of disadvantaged children were "effectively abandoned in the care system" and "left powerless for decades", the £23 million investigation into post-war care in the Jersey system found.
But foster carers told the inquiry the island's current state of care still fails children, saying the service "has not learned any lessons whatsoever", while the report concluded children "may still be at risk".
What are the key findings in the inquiry?
The three-year Independent Jersey Care Inquiry, which has called for the Haut de la Garenne site to be demolished, found:
Children suffered physical and sexual abuse, with secure rooms used routinely and excessively against children
Many victims felt unable to speak out through fear of not being believed
Some children were put into care without a lawful basis, including for petty theft and for being rude
Persistent failures existed at all levels in the management, operation and governance for decades
There was a long absence of political and professional to monitor care standards while a culture of fear pervaded to deter whistleblowers
The States of Jersey proved to be an "ineffectual and neglectful substitute parent" for vulnerable children
There was a failure to value, listen to and nurture children
Until the 1990s, there was no system for victims to report abuse
What prompted the £23 million inquiry?
ITV Channel's Jess Dunsdon details the key events that led to the public inquiry, from the start of a police investigation in 2006 exposing the level of historical abuse.
The inquiry eventually went on to hold three phases of public hearings between 2014 and 2016.
More than 200 witnesses gave evidence directly while the evidence of 450 ex-residents and others linked to the care system was also considered.
What failings remain in the Jersey care system?
The report found management failures and outdated methods persist in Jersey's care system with young people still feeling unable to speak up about their concerns.
"In the light of all the evidence that it has heard, the Panel considers that children may still be still at risk in Jersey and that children in the care system are not always receiving the kind or quality of care and support that they need," the report said.
What changes has the report called for?
Investigators said they found "hope" for the future, saying "the current picture is not entirely bleak".
Current staff and volunteers were praised for their "goodwill and generosity" and their willingness to pursue new ways of care.
The report listed eight basic lessons to be learned, including the prioritising of children's interests above all others, the need for independent scrutiny and openness and better leadership.
"The key changes required are not procedural but cultural," the report added.
"The States of Jersey must commit to and invest urgently and vigorously in a new approach to overseeing, supporting, developing, delivering and scrutinising its services for children."
Why has the report called for Haut de la Garenne to be demolished?
The inquiry, chaired by Frances Oldham QC, said: "We believe that the buildings at Haut de la Garenne are a reminder of an unhappy past or shameful history for many people."
It said the home was a "symbol of the turmoil and trauma" of the police inquiry into the abuse.
"We recommend that consideration be given as to how the buildings can be demolished and that any youth or outdoor activity or services for children located on the site should be in modern buildings bearing no resemblance to what went before," it added.