CICA specialist caseworker training

20. CICA, an Executive Agency of the MoJ, is responsible for operating the CICS and applying the rules to individual applications independently from ministers and Parliament.

21. All CICA operational staff are given training on sexual abuse cases, including child sexual abuse. CICA provides a dedicated caseworker to applicants in particularly complex and difficult cases and is considering options to extend this to other cases. In 2017, CICA worked with external stakeholders and victims’ groups to introduce more robust guidance and targeted training about grooming and exploitation for all staff dealing with applications from child victims of sexual abuse. In addition, CICA has already enhanced its guidance on exceptional circumstances, where applications about non-recent sexual abuse are submitted outside of the time limits, so that staff take full account of reasons why claims may not be made promptly. Internal training is complemented by that provided by expert external stakeholders. Recently, the Samaritans delivered bespoke training to CICA’s customer service staff. This focused on understanding how victims cope with the aftermath of their experience and providing specialist call handling skills to ensure CICA staff are equipped to help the most vulnerable of applicants. The training also offered strategies to help build and maintain their personal resilience, safeguarding their ability to provide a consistent level of service. In addition, Police Scotland’s specialist National Child Abuse Investigation Unit attended CICA’s offices to explain their role to staff, the nature of child sexual exploitation and how they investigate allegations of child sexual abuse and treat victims of such abuse. In October 2018, Rape Crisis Scotland’s Director of Operations delivered additional awareness sessions to staff on sexual assault and violence. The aims of these sessions included increasing understanding of the nature and impact of sexual violence and how this might impact an applicant during the process of claiming compensation.

CICA continues to look for opportunities to work with stakeholders to improve its understanding of victims’ experiences. It has also adapted operational practices to better suit victims’ needs. Since the abolition of the pre-1979 “same roof rule” (see update to recommendation 7 below), which has prevented victims, many of whom were child victims of sexual and physical abuse, from receiving compensation in the past, CICA is providing specialist application support and named caseworkers for those affected by this rule who wish to apply or reapply for compensation.

On 19 December 2018, UK Government stated that all CICA operational staff are given training on handling sexual abuse cases, including child sexual abuse. CICA provides a dedicated caseworker to applicants in particularly complex and difficult cases and is considering options to extend this to other cases.