Abuse in care, faith settings and other institutions

Every fact on this page comes from GOV.UK and the helplines’ own websites. We last checked it on 6 October 2026. Each helpline shows the date we last checked it. This is general information, not legal advice.

What institutional abuse means

Institutional abuse is abuse by people in a position of trust within an organisation: a children’s home, foster care, a boarding school, a church or other religious setting, a youth group, a sports club, a hospital or a care home. Sometimes the organisation failed to stop it, or covered it up.

In adult social care in England, official guidance calls this organisational abuse. It includes neglect and poor care in a hospital or care home, or in care given in someone’s own home, from one-off incidents to ill-treatment that goes on over time.

It was not your fault

Abuse by someone in authority can be especially hard to talk about, because it often came with secrecy, threats or the feeling that no one would believe you. None of that was your fault.

Helplines you can call

In Scotland and Northern Ireland

If you are older, or in care now

More specialist support

Our Support Directory lists organisations for people who grew up in care, abuse in faith settings and older people.

Your options

Some survivors of institutional abuse can apply to a redress scheme, depending on where and when the abuse happened. Read about redress schemes, civil claims and reporting to the police.

This page gives information, not legal or medical advice.

Where this information comes from

• GOV.UK: Care and support statutory guidance (England), chapter 14, organisational abuse
• Future Pathways: who can get support
• WAVE Trauma Centre: historical institutional abuse service
• MACSAS
• Each helpline’s own website, linked on its card

Checked on 6 October 2026. Helpline hours can change, so check the organisation’s own website too.