The Office of the Commissioner for Survivors of Institutional Childhood Abuse (COSICA) works to promote and protect the interests of victims and survivors who were abused as children in residential institutions in Northern Ireland between 1922 and 1995, as set out in the Historical Institutional Abuse (Northern Ireland) Act 2019.
The Office provides information and support to victims and survivors, raises awareness of their rights and entitlements, and advocates for lifelong access to appropriate supports and services.
Since opening in 2020, the Office has engaged with approximately 1,300 individuals and responded to more than 1,700 enquiries. The Office works closely with victims and survivors, service providers, government departments and other stakeholders to improve access to support and ensure that survivors' voices are amplified.
One in five people contacting the Office are survivors of child abuse outside its current remit.