Independent Jersey Care Inquiry to hold Public Preview Afternoon
Members of the
public will have a chance to look around the offices where the Independent
Jersey Care Inquiry will begin hearings this Summer.
The public areas
of the Seaton Place offices in St Helier, including the hearing room, will be
open for anyone who would like to visit on Monday 9 June, between 13.30 and
15.30.
Members of the
Legal Team will be on hand to answer any questions and to explain exactly how
the proceedings will run.
Anyone wishing
to take photographs on the Preview Day may do so only during the final 15
minutes of the session.
Building work at
11 – 15 Seaton Place is now complete and the facilities are designed to ensure
the comfort of witnesses who will be giving evidence. Particular care has been
taken to allow those who wish to give evidence anonymously to do so without
risk of being identified.
When the
hearings get underway, the first expert witness will be Professor Roger Bullock
of Bristol University who will provide evidence about Jersey’s care system. The
Legal Team are still gathering witness statements and documents and it’s not
too late for anyone who wants to give evidence to get in touch.
The latest
technology is being used to handle the tens of thousands of documents used
during the Inquiry. These will be shown on large screens throughout the hearing
centre and then uploaded onto the website.
The Inquiry
Chair, Frances Oldham QC, says: "The Panel are looking forward to
beginning the public part of the Inquiry and would like to assure everyone that
we will work as openly and transparently as possible. We urge anyone who thinks
they can contribute to our work to contact us in what is a very safe
environment. We will be robust and independent in our approach to uncover the
truth about what went wrong in Jersey's child care system over many
years."