Child abuse victims in Jersey to receive compensation

Fieldview Children's Home now sits on the site of Les Chenes School

More victims who suffered abuse as children in Jersey will be compensated by the island's government.

Children's Minister Senator Sam Mezec said it was wrong previous payouts did not include victims at Les Chenes School and those in foster care.

The Independent Jersey Care Inquiry found the regime at the school to be "harsh and inappropriate".

Due to be set up in 2019, the scheme could cost millions according to the senator.

Lawyer Alan Collins, who represents people who were abused in Jersey's care system, says the "long overdue" scheme would recognise "that what took place at Les Chenes was... wrong".

The facility was a former residential school and remand centre, operating until 2003.

Mr Collins said victims described being "manhandled" and "literally dragged" into solitary confinement.

Alan Collins said he doubted whether there would be a new scheme if not for the "courage" of victims who stepped forward

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Mr Mezec said compensation would be available to those abused up to 2005, when previous measures only covered victims from 9 May 1945 to 31 December 1994.

"I think there is clear evidence that people were failed in that [extended] period and it's not right they [were] excluded from the previous scheme," he said.

"Our island's institutions failed children and their families over many years; for which we are truly sorry."

He added the government wanted to make sure any compensation went directly to victims, while previously "quite a lot" of the payout was "based on lawyers fees".

Mr Collins said many of the victims were "still living with the consequences of being at Les Chenes", with some requiring psychiatric help and others by being "deprived of education opportunities".

He said although it was "impossible" to say what an appropriate an amount of compensation would be, he hoped the scheme would help victims "pick up where they left off before... Les Chenes".