An Invitation to Lobby
Every day someone's family life and career is ruined by false allegations of child abuse. These allegations may have been made by children in their own right, adults claiming to have been abused as children, or by adults (often professionals) using children as proxy accusers.
If you are a carer or a teacher, have been falsely accused of child abuse, or know someone who has, you might be wondering what you can do to end this injustice. You could join F.AC.T., send a donation or you could support us by joining in our lobbying campaign
Lobbying is essential if we are to increase awareness of the problem of false allegations and the risk carers and teachers face every working day (and beyond) of being falsely accused of child abuse.
F.A.C.T. needs as many of its supporters as possible to participate in this action. This is your chance to be part of a collective drive to make a real difference.
You can help us by writing to as many individuals and organisations as possible. Write to your:-
- Ministers responsible for Education, Social Services, Home Office, the Judiciary, and Children's Ministers, MPs on the All Party Group on Abuse Investigations,
- Member of Parliament, your Member of the Scottish Pariliament or Welsh Assembly Member, and Children's Ombudsmen,
- the head of you local Education Authority or Social Services Department, (You can find details of where you can contact your local Councillors, MP, MEPs, MSPs, or members of the Welsh and London Assembly Members on this web site. )
- the NSPCC, and the main children's charities such as Barnado's and the National Children Homes,
- Chief Constable of your police area, your local Crown Prosecution Service,
- justice groups, trades unions, religious organisations, and opinion formers including local and national press.
You can find some useful tips about camapaigning here. Your letter should include a brief explanation of your reason for writing, mentioning how the problems have affected you or a family member, or a friend or a work colleague.
You can add that through F.A.C.T. you have become aware of many similar cases and some of the injustices that occur. Keep in mind that our main focus is to highlight the flawed assumptions, procedures and methods of the child protection, and weaknesses in criminal justice systems which make it impossible to obtain a fair trial.
You could draw attention to the the difficulty in being able to defend oneself against historical allegations, the need for anonymity, the lack of accountability for investigative errors, and the lack of research into false allegations.
You could also draw attention to the need to replace the present model of investigation into alleged child abuse which is based on suspicion and a presumption of guilt for a better, more ethical, evidence based, model where the need to search for the truth is of paramount importance.
Make sure you call for an Early Day Motion and a Royal Commission to investigate the effectiveness of the child protection and criminal justice systems in sifting true from false allegations, under the terms proposed.
You should also impress upon the addressee your own, and F.A.C.T's concern for child protection as a whole, and that recognition of the problems caused by false allegations is part of this.
You might find it helpful to include supporting information in our briefing papers. The purpose of these papers is to promote awareness and a response from those you lobby, bearing in mind their responsibility for, or interest in, child protection and justice - which includes the prevention of injustice caused by the sanctioning and encouragement of false allegations. The addressee should be made to feel they have a moral or public duty to respond to the letter and briefing document.
If you receive a worthwhile reply keeps us informed. If necessary follow up your letter with a further response.
Please do not send copies of our strategy.
If you would like further information about how you can support our lobby campaign please email out lobbying co-ordinator