Memorial apology and minute's silence to remember childcare failures

Thursday 05 July 2018

A Children's Day including a minute's silence, a memorial in the Royal Square offering an apology for what happened - both incorporating a butterfly symbol - are two recommendations on how the island should remember historic failings in its care system.

The Citizens' Panel, which includes islanders who went through the island's heavily-criticised care system, was tasked with considering how the island should make sure what happened is not forgotten.

Peter Bryant, lead facilitator for the Citizens' Panel, explained that all 14 members agreed that a memorial should be erected in "a visible and accessible place so that there could constantly be a reminder of what victims went through in Jersey’s care system." The Royal Square was deemed to be the best place to achieve this. 

Mr Bryant said that the group discussed a lot of different opinions on memorials and looked to the example of other places to see if they had been successful, or not. They also met Australian academics who researched memorials and their use. “All of this helped them form the opinion that there needs to be a memorial as a recognition of the need to look back,” Mr Bryant said. “To be able to move forward, they felt it was important to acknowledge what happened.” 

While the group didn’t discuss the shape they want the memorial to take, they are adamant that it should include an apology in honour of “victims and survivors, those lives lost, lives ruined and those who are still suffering.” Mr Bryant said: “The memorial should make it very easy for people to understand what happened, so it is never allowed to happen again.”  

Pictured: The Citizens' Panel wants the Royal Square memorial to feature an apology in honour of “victims and survivors, those lives lost, lives ruined and those who are still suffering.”

The Panel have also called for a Children’s Day on 3 July, including a minute's silence: “The Panel wants an annual time to be set aside to remember the victims and for a minute of silence to be observed. The failings of the care system should also become part of what is taught in schools.”

“They made it very clear this should not retraumatise people,” he explained, “but they want a way of reminding people of what happened, something very positive so that some good can come out of something bad. They are very open to continue meeting as a group because they think it is absolutely essential for the conversation to continue.”

The 14 members also agreed unanimously that Haut de La Garenne should not be demolished. “They kept saying it wasn’t the building that harmed children,” Mr Bryant explained, adding that the Panel wants it to be made into something positive in the future.

Pictured: "It wasn’t the building that harmed children,” members of the Panel said.

The Panel also wants to see more help and support for survivors and their families. The members noted that there is currently no opportunity for survivors and families to support each other. They also asked for better mental health provision for those still affected by the trauma.

Mr Bryant explained that this enhanced support should also include an agency that would act as a link between survivors and the States: “Some survivors find it difficult to work with any kind of government services because of what happened," he said "Setting up an independent support agency would help them in any dealings they might have with the States.” 

All those elements would be brought under the emblem of a butterfly which was picked as “a great articulation of how something ugly and horrible can lead to something beautiful.”

Mr Bryant explained that for all the members of the Panel it was essential that all their recommendations are implemented. “They are not to be cherry-picked,” he said. “The Panel has a desire to make these recommendations a reality. All members placed a huge emphasis on long-term work with the States to make them a reality."

Pictured: Members of the Panel have picked a butterfly as an emblem for all the legacy elements.

The Panel’s wishes were answered in part by the Council of Ministers who unanimously agreed in principle with their four recommendations. Detailed proposals will be discussed after the summer, allowing Ministers to engage with the Panel on how to implement them in the meantime.

Ministers also decided that the former children’s home should not be demolished and agreed to further work to decided what the site's long-term use should be. 

Senator Sam Mézec, the new Minister for Children said: “Ministers unanimously agreed today with the consultation findings not to demolish the Haut de la Garenne site, but instead to ensure that it is redeemed through a positive use over the long-term. We also unanimously agreed that Jersey must remember and recognise the children who we failed in the past and that we should celebrate our island’s children.”