THE first public hearings into allegations of child sexual abuse of children in custodial institutions including a North-East children’s home will begin next week.

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) is holding public hearings into allegations about the sexual abuse and exploitation of children held in secure units from Monday until Friday, July 20.

The public hearings will analyse a selection of allegations of recent sexual abuse of a child in custody, including allegations in relation to children detained at Aycliffe Secure Unit, in Newton Aycliffe. Other allegations will be in relation to those detained at Her Majesty’s Young Offender Institutions at Feltham and Werrington; Medway and Rainsbrook Secure Training Centres and Vinney Green Secure Unit.

The investigation will examine the prevalence and culture of child sexual abuse in custody as well as the institutional responses to those allegations.

It will also ask what the current safeguarding and child protection policies in institutions responsible for detaining children are, as well as any inspection and regulatory regimes.

Hearings will take place at IICSA hearing centre, at 18 Pocock Street, London.