Frequently Asked Questions

1. When was the report published?.

Lord Laming's report was published on 28 January 2003.

2. Where can I get a copy of the summary and the full report?

Please click here for more information.

3. Why wasn't it the Anna Climbié Inquiry instead of the Victoria Climbié Inquiry?

The eight-year-old girl, whose tragic death led to the Inquiry being set up, was named by her parents as Victoria. It was only her great-aunt Marie Therese Kouao, convicted of Victoria's murder, along with Carl Manning, who called her Anna. Thus, even though the little girl has often referred to, in the media, as Anna, Lord Laming, the Chairman of the Inquiry, believes she should be referred to by her real name. At the Inquiry's preliminary meeting on Thursday 31 May 2001 he said: “It is my view, and I am sure you will agree, that we should at least accord to this little girl the name she was given by her parents, rather than that used by those who murdered her. Accordingly she will be known in this inquiry as ‘Victoria Climbié’.”

4. Why was the Inquiry held in public?

On his appointment, as Chairman of the Inquiry, Lord Laming had two options. The first was to hold the Inquiry in private, with the subsequent report being made public. The alternative was for the whole process to be held in public. Faced with these two choices, Lord Laming decided to pursue the latter option. It was his belief, and that of ministers, that when an event as terrible as the Victoria Climbié tragedy occurs it is vital that any subsequent inquiry reviews the performance of the state agencies in a manner that is transparent. That way if the Inquiry recommends ways to strengthen the safeguards for children, the public can have full confidence that the process has been thorough, robust and fair.

5. Can I read what was said during the public sessions of the Inquiry?

All the transcripts from the public sessions are in the Evidence area of the website?

6. Why isn’t every submission to Phase Two on the Inquiry website?

During Phase One, on Tuesday 15 January, Lord Laming said: “I will invite any person or organisation who has views on the subjects raised (in the Phase Two topics paper) to write to me setting out their response to those matters. Careful consideration will be given to all the responses received. I will then identify all of the responses which seem to me to be both relevant and of value to the Inquiry. These responses will be treated as evidence to the Inquiry. They will be collected together and copies will be made available to anyone wishing to see them. I also hope to be able to publish that evidence on the Inquiry’s website.”

As a result of this invitation, the Inquiry has received more than two hundred and fifty submissions and Lord Laming is grateful to all those who have taken the trouble to outline their ideas for enhancing the protection of children.

All the submissions are being carefully considered. Those that are relevant to the Inquiry’s Terms of Reference and would add something of value to its deliberations will be treated as evidence to the Inquiry. As a general rule, when the substance of a submission repeats observations already received, the later submission will not be admitted in evidence.

Many submissions have already been accepted and are now on the website. Others will be added if the Inquiry decides they meet the outlined criteria.