ISHOULD like to take this opportunity to thank everyone from your area who has contributed to the report of the National Commission of Inquiry into the Prevention of Child Abuse.

We have received thousands of letters from members of the public who have taken the time and effort to give us their views about how children can be better protected.

Many of these contributors have drawn upon very painful memories from their own childhood and more than half these people had never shared their experiences with anyone before.

We very much appreciate their courage in sharing this helpful information with us.

The Commission will publish its findings on October 23. This report is the culmination of two years of evidence-gathering from individuals, organisations and professionals. It is probably the biggest exercise of its kind which has ever taken place.

LORD WILLIAMS OF MOSTYN QC, Chairman, National Commission of Inquiry into the Prevention of Child Abuse, 42 Curtain Road, London EC2.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.