Abuse in the Scouts and other Youth Clubs Claims Solicitors

The law says that technically, claims should be made within 3 years of the date of the abuse taking place, or before the child affected reaches their 21st birthday. However, this deadline is not always strictly enforced, and the courts sometimes make decisions on it on a case-by-case basis. This is largely because the UK legal system recognises that it’s often incredibly difficult for survivors to talk about the abuse they’ve been subjected to, and that it can take a long time before they’re ready to do so.

Survivors may have to deal with one or more of the following:

• Fear of not being believed
• Feelings of shame or guilt
• Fear of the abuser, especially after intimidation or explicit threats of violence
• Difficulty in articulating the nature or scale of the abuse
• Trying to protect family or loved ones (or even the abuser themselves)
• Feelings of powerlessness
• Suppression of the memories of the abuse
• Struggles with the psychological impact of the abuse

If any of this sounds like something that you or a loved one has experienced – or you’re currently experiencing – then we’re here to help at Farleys.

While it’s not unusual for cases to be won years or even decades after the abuse took place, it’s still best to contact us as soon as you’re ready. The sooner we can get started on your case, the easier it might be for investigators to gather key evidence that might be in danger of being relocated, lost or destroyed over time.

Yes. We recognise that the initial conversation about the abuse you’ve been subjected to can be a very painful one, and we’re determined to make you feel as comfortable and secure as we can. We treat everything you tell us in the strictest confidence until you tell us that you’re ready to proceed, and equally we’ll make sure that all documents in connection with your case are treated as classified.

If we think it would be beneficial to your case for us to enlist the help of any outside experts, such as psychologists, psychiatrists, or representative from any hospitals, the police or social services, we’ll always ask your permission in writing first.

Our process for abuse in the Scouts follows the same general template as the ones we use for other types of child abuse cases that we deal with here at Farleys. (Obviously though, some of the specifics can vary depending on the nature and background of your individual case.)

The key stages for this process are as follows:

A free case assessment with one of our expert child abuse solicitors is the starting point for any claim. Here, we’ll sit down with you to assess your claim’s chances of success. We know that this can be the hardest part of the process for many of our clients, so your comfort and safety are our top priorities throughout.

Allocation to a specialist who will handle your case. Your personal solicitor will then act as your main point of contact for the duration of the process, keeping the details of your case confidential and ensuring that you retain control over who they’re shared with.

Collection of evidence. As you might expect, this is the most critical phase of the entire process, and as such it can also be the most complex and time consuming. If we need to talk to any outside experts or organisations, we’ll take care to seek your permission in writing first.

Tally of compensation amount. Many of our clients tell us that the details of the financial settlement aren’t the most important aspect of the case for them – instead, they’re generally focused on getting a sense of closure and justice. While we appreciate that here at Farleys, when you enlist us to help with your child abuse case, for us a large part of that justice involves making sure that you receive all the support you need, and are entitled to. For that reason alone, we focus on getting you an appropriate amount of compensation that may end up being vital to helping you get access to the support you need (with your mental health, job prospects, housing security etc), so that you can properly move on with your life.

Settling your claim. Once we have all the relevant evidence to hand, we’ll then be ready to bring your case against the person or party responsible. You’ll never be asked to interact with your abuser directly – in fact, most cases are resolved long before they go to court. If yours is one of the very few exceptions, we’ll be here to help you ever step of the way.

We will advise you on funding for your claim. We are often able to bring such cases on a ‘No Win, No Fee’ basis.

Some abuse survivors will qualify for public funding. Farleys Solicitors holds a Legal Aid franchise in five of our offices and we can advise you as to whether you will qualify.

Our abuse claim solicitors will be able to help you claim compensation for all forms of physical and sexual abuse, including:

• Child abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Physical abuse
• Neglect

Farleys’ abuse claim solicitors can help you claim for:

• Care requirements, present and future
• Loss of earnings, present and future
• Medication
• Physical injury
• Psychological trauma
• Other treatment costs