SexViolHist Bib: Cases: Real Cases: Cleveland Child Abuse Allegations Scandal

»The Cleveland child abuse allegations scandal is a wave of suspected child sexual abuse cases in 1987 in Cleveland, England, many of which were later discredited. In that year, a large number of child sexual abuse allegations followed the use of a new and controversial diagnostic test by paediatricians at Middlesbrough General Hospital. A total of 121 children were removed from their parents as a result. In 1988, the Butler-Sloss Inquiry into the cases concluded that most of the diagnoses were incorrect; 94 of the children were subsequently returned and the two paediatricians involved were criticized. In 1991, the Children Act was implemented, in part as a result of the scandal and the ensuing report. In 1997, a controversial TV documentary suggested that the majority of the diagnoses were in fact correct, and that a number of the children had again been determined to be at risk of abuse.« (Extract from: Wikipedia)

K e y w o r d s

I. Chronological Index: Modern History: 20^th Century

II. Geographical Index: European History: English History

III. Topical Index: Types: Victims: Child Sexual Abuse

B i b l i o g r a p h y

I. Author Index

[Info] Beecher, Ruth, et al. »‘Acting on Behalf of the Children’ in the Cleveland Inquiry: Ethical Methodologies for Researching and Writing Histories of Sexual Violence.« History Workshop Journal (September 19, 2026).

II. Speaker Index