A local firm of solicitors engaged my services to conduct initial interviews with potential clients who were victims of child sexual abuse and exploitation.
The brief was to meet each potential client; reassure them and explain the role of legal services in seeking redress for their abuse; and take initial instructions from them in a sensitive way which did not leave the client in a distressed state of mind. The brief was also to explain next steps, complete some of the paperwork required, and explain to the client potential funding streams.
A number of individuals were visited, and decided to instruct the firm to handle their case. One individual described how the meeting set her on a different path, where she felt able to make an official complaint to the police and undertake several video interviews.
In addition I assisted the team in developing their knowledge of child sexual exploitation, identifying potential referral mechanisms, identifying potential sources of information, taking witness statements, and identifying relevant documentation from case files.