Independent inquiry into child sexual abuse: criteria for chair
Published 4 February 2015
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The chair must have the appropriate skills and expertise, and must pass set due diligence checks.
1. Skills
- Leadership: experience of leading large, important and sensitive areas of work
- Respect: can command the respect, confidence and trust of survivors and Panel members
- Authority: someone who can command the respect of those in organisations and institutions
- Objectivity: someone who can consider complex information and give an impartial view
- Professionalism: someone who will work collectively as part of a team and acts with integrity at all times
- Resilience: someone who has the capacity to manage stressful situations and is able to operate in challenging circumstances
2. Expertise
- Knowledge: understands child sexual abuse and safeguarding and/or the institutions and organisations involved. Also appreciates the long-term impacts on adults who have experienced sexual abuse in childhood
- Experience: has worked with vulnerable people, on sensitive issues, and/or on investigations and complex lines of enquiry that involve the collection of evidence
3. Due diligence
- No personal links to those who have been convicted, or are subject to police investigation, of child sexual abuse
- No direct links to key institutions or individuals reasonably likely to be covered by the Inquiry
- DBS enhanced check