WELCOME
A warm welcome to the Jersey Careleavers' Association's website. Throughout the site, we will endeavour to keep you updated and informed of association news and events. If you are a care leaver, relative or supporter of our aims and goals and would like further information, please feel free to contact us - we are normally staffed Monday to Friday between the hours of 10am to 1.30pm.
A warm welcome to the Jersey Careleavers' Association's website. Throughout the site, we will endeavour to keep you updated and informed of association news and events. If you are a care leaver, relative or supporter of our aims and goals and would like further information, please feel free to contact us - we are normally staffed Monday to Friday between the hours of 10am to 1.30pm.
JCLA Self Help Pack
The JCLA self care pack is now available:
Self Help PackUpdated 7th December 2009
The Jersey Self Help Guide
The JCLA are proud to announce our Self Help Pack Guide went live in the USA
http://womenspeakout.wordpress.com/2010/01/06/the-day-i-became-an-advocate/
Updated 12th January 2010
Jersey Care Leavers Want An Apology
Jersey Care Leavers want an apology - just like Australia, Ireland and Scotland
Today (16th November 2009) the Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, is apologising to adult care leavers in Australia for past abuse that they experienced in care as children.
These governments have given a lead. Jersey needs to follow their example and begin to restore its reputation by showing that it cares about the past victims of abuse and wants to make amends for past wrongs. The Jersey Care Leavers' Association acknowledge that discussions are ongoing between their legal representatives and those of the state. These discussions need to be advanced in a meaningful way as a matter of urgency. The Jersey Care Leavers' Association calls on the Jersey government to begin the process of healing by working with Jersey Care Leavers to provide a proper apology, begin the long-promised independent inquiry, address the need to compensate victims and begin to provide long-overdue and urgently needed support services for the victims of past abuse on Jersey and their families, many of whom have carried the burden of this abuse, along with the victims, for decades.
Jersey Care Leavers' Association are demanding that the Jersey government take their lead from Australia, and from other countries around the world, who have been honest enough to make such apologies.
The Care Leavers of Australia Network, like the Jersey Care Leavers' Association, represents adults who were in care as children. It has been campaigning for an apology for many years. Leonie Sheedy, President of CLAN, has said: "Care Leavers are overjoyed with the announcement of the date of the apology and Care Leavers have been waiting a lifetime for this apology. It will truly help in healing our people."
The Jersey Care Leavers' Association share this view. An apology is important in telling Care Leavers that their experience has finally been recognised.
Apologies have been made for similar abuse scandals in other countries. In Ireland in 1999, the First Minister, An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, apologised even before an official inquiry had taken place. He said that the Irish government wished to make "a sincere and long overdue apology to the victims of childhood abuse for our collective failure to intervene, to detect their pain, to come to their rescue". The Irish President, Mary McAleese, has followed that up with a further apology this year.
In Scotland, the First Minister, Jack McConnell, made a similar apology in 2004 after revelations of major abuse in Scottish childrenŐs homes in past decades. He spoke of Scotland's "national shame". Scotland, following Ireland's lead, is currently providing support services to past victims and setting up an 'Acknowledgement and Accountability Forum' to fully address what happened.
CLA member Elizabeth Kirby, who was in care in the UK but now lives in Australia, has sent us a link to a podcast of a radio programme on the subject of the Australian abuse survivors from the care system. You can access it here:
http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/rn/podcast/2009/03/lrt_20090310_0830.mp3
Do give it a listen, The programme is fascinating. It looks at the role of the various Australian states in responding to the abuse over there. I'm sure many abuse survivors in Jersey will find it interesting and relevant to what has gone on in Jersey and what, hopefully, might be done in the next year or two to help make things a bit better. There are various interviews with care leavers and their supporters.
JCLA
Secretary
Peter Le Masurier
Updated 16th November 2009
JEP Article
This article below was published in the Jersey Evening Post on 9th January, 2010
PAEDOPHILES' sentences should be reviewed now that there is a greater awareness of the extent of victims' suffering, according to the Home Affairs Minister.
Senator Ian Le Marquand said that the historical abuse inquiry had made people more appreciative of how victims of sexual abuse can be affected. He will be discussing sentencing parameters with the Bailiff, Michael Birt, later this year. 'There may be a case for reconsideration for paedophile offences and I will be looking into it,' he said. 'But these matters are up to the courts and all I can do is act as a catalyst. 'What has changed is that there's far greater realisation of the serious psychological damage suffered by victims. I don't think it is a matter that was really appreciated until the last five years.'
Updated 12th January 2010
Hope And Recovery
The new initiative
Click HERE to view PDF Updated 22nd October 2009
Register of Sex Offenders
A meeting at St Paul’s Centre took place on Tuesday 29th September by Ian le Maquard, about a draft proposal of a sex offenders register in Jersey. The meeting was very positive and we will let you know any developments as they happen. Below is a link to the BBC news website reported on Monday 5th October 2009.
Review supports sex offender law
It is vital that a sex offenders register is introduced as soon as possible in
the island, a scrutiny report says.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/1/hi/world/europe/jersey/8290215.stm
Updated 6th October 2009
Jim Goddard and Lewis Cooper ran the Jersey Marathon to raise money for the JCLA
This year Lewis Cooper ran The Standard Chartered Jersey Marathon. On Sunday 27th September 2009, Lewis is the son of one of the survivors and former resident during the 1970’s of the Jersey Children’s home Haut de la Garenne. Lewis ran in 4 hours 25 minutes and 50 seconds! Alongside Lewis ran Jim Goddard in 4 hours 25 minutes and 51 seconds! Jim is the secretary of the CLA in the UK.
They raised a amazing amount of just over £900. Every penny raised will go to Jersey Care Leavers' Association. This money will be used for a specific project voted on by the membership so if you have any suggestions or ideas how you think we should use this gift please e-mail us!
Updated 23rd September 2009
Service Level Agreement
The executive Committee of the Jersey Care Leavers are pleased to confirm a Housing Level Agreement was signed on Friday 4th September 2009.
If you are a Care Leaver and require any further information regarding this matter please do not hesitate to contact us...
You can view the agreement HERE or
Download as a PDF HERE Updated 10th September 2009