The Truth Project

I recently visited The Truth Project, which has been set up as part of the IICSA (Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse). The goal is “for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse to share their experience in a supportive and confidential setting”.

The Truth Project is working hard to reach out to victims and survivors from all communities and, given the link to deaf people’s mental health, I talked to them about the possibility of SignHealth potentially supporting their work to ensure that Deaf people can be actively included in the Project’s work. However, I think it’s important to ensure that Deaf people are involved from the start and I have therefore agreed with them to ask members of UKCoD if they would be interested in joining a roundtable meeting in the new year with Michael May, Head of the Inquiry Office, to discuss how to ensure excellent access for Deaf people.

If you would like to attend this meeting, please can you let me know so that we can start to liaise with people’s calendars and set a date? I’d encourage attendance from Deaf people and we would of course ensure that there is communication support available for the meeting. The meeting is likely to be in Central London.

I expect that this will be a single meeting and that actions will be agreed to take some work forward with The Truth Project afterwards. There is no promise of funding attached to this work at the present time.

Please let me know by 12 January 2018 if your organisation would like to be involved.
Thanks

James
James Watson-O’Neill,
Chief Executive
SignHealth