Dorset councillor who is a survivor of abuse calls for better support services

A Dorset councillor who describes herself as a “victim and survivor” of child abuse has called on the authority to become a national leader for support services.

She told stunned councillors at a Cabinet meeting that she had been failed by a range of agencies when she was younger – and welcomed a proposal to make the reporting of child abuse mandatory.

Ferndown South independent councillor Hannah Hobbs-Chell, who became a councillor last May, told the Cabinet meeting that while good work was already underway in the county, she wanted Dorset Council to become one of the leading authorities for child abuse protection and prevention.

“I would like to ensure that Dorset Council is doing everything in its power to ensure that we, as corporate parents, are protecting and safeguarding all children and young people in Dorset. I would like to see Dorset become one of the leading authorities in child sexual abuse and child abuse protection and prevention… there is always more we can do.

“I am a victim and survivor, and gave evidence in the IICSA enquiry. I have been following the politics and news for many years, but this most recent highlight has again brought my experience, and that of thousands and thousands of others into the fore. I am also so very relieved that there is finally an announcement that the recommendation of mandatory reporting will become law. This, had it been in place when I was a child and teenager, would most probably have saved me from deeper harm at the hands of my abusers, and from myself. Instead however, multiple agencies that should have protected and then supported me to heal, failed me also over many years, and into adulthood, and have left me with lifelong consequences. They saved my life, but left me with the deepest scars. I would however like to pay credit to individuals within this who clearly cared, and did better, and it is thanks to them and those family and friends who loved and believed me, that I stand here today.”

She told the meeting that initiatives in Telford could be adopted in Dorset, including the setting up of a victims and survivors panel, who liaise with, help to educate, and make recommendations to local authorities, the police, and NHS.

“I am sure that as a Council, we will ensure that we fully fulfil and go above and beyond in terms of implementing national guidance and law, but I would like to ask whether Dorset Council would work to establish a victims and survivors panel that also integrates with healthcare and police agencies, as a first step to ensuring we are one of the leading local authorities for protection and prevention of child abuse. Further, I’d like to ask that following the establishment of a victims and survivors panel, we look at other innovative solutions both as a result of listening to the panel, and to learning from innovation and research across the world, to ensuring that we support victims and survivors, as well as provide robust prevention work, above and beyond the national recommendations wherever possible.”

Porfolio holder for children’s services, education and skills Cllr Clare Sutton praised the Ferndown councillor for her courage in raising the issue.

She said that the council would continue to strive to go ‘above and beyond’ to protect all Dorset children with strategies already in place at different levels.

She said she would welcome further discussions with Cllr Hobbs-Chell to develop the ideas raised.

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