The Role of the Commissioner in relation to Services

The Commissioner and the Commissioner's Office are not direct service providers. The principal responsibility of the Commissioner is to promote the interests of victims and survivors of non-recent historical institutional childhood abuse. The Office can however give you information on how to access services and support.

The Commissioner has a duty to encourage the provision and coordination of relevant services in Northern Ireland. These are services that:

  • improve physical or mental health
  • help to overcome addiction
  • provide counselling
  • improve literacy or numeracy
  • provide other education and training or enable a person to access opportunities to work.

The Commissioner must also monitor facilities currently available in Northern Ireland that provide victims and survivors with:

Counselling and information about how to access

  • health services
  • housing services
  • education services or employment services

Facilities which provide advice on

  • opportunities for education or work
  • literacy or numeracy training
  • entitlements to housing or social security benefits.