A public inquiry is an independent investigation set up by the Government when something has gone seriously wrong and the public needs answers. It is a fact‑finding process, not a criminal trial. Its purpose is to establish what happened, why it happened and what needs to change to prevent it happening again.
A public inquiry cannot impose criminal or civil penalties, but the evidence it gathers may be used by the police, prosecutors or regulators. Its recommendations may also influence future policy or law.
Yes. This is a statutory inquiry established under the Inquiries Act 2005. This means the Inquiry has legal powers to compel witnesses to give evidence and to require organisations to provide documents. Statutory inquiries can only be set up by a minister.
Under the Inquiries Act 2005, the Chair can require individuals and organisations to hand over documents and can compel witnesses to give evidence under oath. The Inquiry can also issue formal written requests for information, known as Rule 9 Requests.
The Chair is responsible for delivering the Inquiry’s Terms of Reference. She sets the procedures for how the Inquiry will carry out its work and has a statutory duty to act fairly and independently.
The Chair is supported by legal counsel, solicitors and the Inquiry Secretariat. She will publish a final report with her findings and recommendations at the end of the Inquiry.
The Inquiry acts independently. The Chair does not report to any organisation being examined. At the end of the Inquiry, she will submit her final report to the Minister of State who established the Inquiry. The Inquiry is funded by its sponsor department.
The Inquiry was established in response to recommendation 2 of Baroness Louise Casey’s National Audit on Group‑based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, published in June 2025.
The final Terms of Reference, agreed with the Home Secretary, set out what the Inquiry will examine. These were published in March 2026 (link to TORs).
The Inquiry formally began on 31 March 2026. The Chair has been asked to complete the Inquiry’s work within three years.
No. The Inquiry covers England and Wales.
Public hearings will be live streamed on the Inquiry’s YouTube channel with a short delay. After each hearing, a recording and transcript will be published on this website unless there are legal or safeguarding restrictions. Hearings are open to the public, and details will be published in advance.
The Inquiry considers it essential that its proceedings are conducted in public, and in as open and transparent a manner as possible.
Where appropriate, the Inquiry will publish hearing transcripts, witness statements and other relevant evidence. Some documents may not be published due to legal restrictions or to protect individuals’ privacy.
Redactions may be made to remove sensitive personal information, to comply with legal duties or to remove information outside the Inquiry’s Terms of Reference. This is explained in the Inquiry’s protocol on redaction and anonymity.
The Inquiry is not covered by the Freedom of Information Act 2000. However, it is committed to being as open and transparent as possible and will publish accessible information about its work on this website. When the Inquiry ends, its records will be moved to the National Archives.
The Inquiry encourages anyone with relevant information to come forward.
Please do not send evidence by email at this stage. From April 2026, we will publish details of how to submit evidence securely and confidentially.
For general enquiries, email: contactus@grooming-gangs.independent-inquiry.uk
A Core Participant is an individual or organisation with a significant interest in the Inquiry’s work. They have specific rights, including receiving relevant disclosure and making opening or closing statements at hearings.
The Chair can designate Core Participants at any stage. Details of how to apply will be published in due course.
Yes. People who are not Core Participants can still take part as witnesses or provide information. Members of the public may also attend hearings.
Witnesses are individuals or organisations with evidence relevant to the Inquiry’s Terms of Reference. They may be asked to provide written evidence, oral evidence, or both.
The Inquiry identifies witnesses through documents it receives, information provided by Core Participants and evidence submitted in response to Rule 9 Requests. Anyone with relevant information may come forward.
Most people take part voluntarily. However, under the Inquiries Act 2005, the Chair can compel a person to give evidence or provide documents if necessary.
The Inquiry will hear from a wide range of individuals and organisations. Witness lists will be published at least one week before each hearing.
Only counsel to the Inquiry, the Panel, and, with the Chair’s permission, the recognised legal representatives of Core Participants and witnesses may ask questions at hearings. This is set out in the Inquiries Act 2005 and the Inquiry Rules 2006.
There is no process for members of the public who are not Core Participants or witnesses to suggest questions, as the Rules are designed to ensure hearings are fair, orderly and focused on the evidence the Inquiry is required to examine.
Public hearings involve witnesses giving evidence under oath and being questioned by Inquiry counsel. The Inquiry may also hold thematic hearings to examine patterns of abuse or institutional failure in more depth. Hearings are live streamed and transcripts are published on this website.
Your safety and wellbeing matter to us. We will respond to any concerns with care, and sensitivity. In rare situations where someone may be at serious risk of harm, we may need to share information with others who can help. Wherever possible, this would be done with your knowledge and agreement, and with your safety in mind.
If you are a victim or survivor, or a concerned family member or friend, please visit our Support Services page for details of specialist organisations that can help you.
The purpose of the Inquiry is not to prosecute individuals or make findings of criminal or civil liability.
The Inquiry is working in parallel to Operation Beaconport, the national police operation reviewing closed grooming gang investigations across England and Wales. The Inquiry and Operation Beaconport are separate, but where the Inquiry receives information that raises safeguarding concerns or may relate to criminal activity, it may pass this information to the police or other relevant authorities.
If you are a victim or survivor, you have the right to ask for a review of how the police or the Crown Prosecution Service handled your case through their Victims’ Right to Review schemes. Further details on eligibility and how to request a review can be found here:
• Victims’ Right to Review (VRR) – Police
• Victims’ Right to Review – Crown Prosecution Service (requests can be submitted through their online form)
If you do not meet the criteria for these schemes, or if they have already been used, you may be able to request a review through the CPS Child Sexual Abuse Review Panel, which provides a route for survivors to seek reconsideration of a CPS or police decision.