BBC seeks link-up with children's charities in wake of Savile scandal - The Guardian

The BBC is seeking to regain control of the Jimmy Savile scandal with the announcement of an initiative on supporting victims of child abuse in partnership with charities, after weeks of revelations that have devastated its reputation.

The broadcaster has held discussions with the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) and the National Association of People Abused in Childhood (Napac) about a scheme that it hopes will "put it on the front foot" and demonstrate it is taking serious action over the mounting allegations of child abuse carried out on BBC premises.

Sources say that "what is needed, for whom and what is the best way of doing it" has yet to be determined, but it is believed that an agreement with a charity partner will be announced in coming days.

It is not clear if the BBC will contribute any funds towards an initiative, although the corporation is mindful of the sensitivities of committing licence fee payers' money to non-broadcasting activity. But the BBC may well be able to donate airtime or employee time, or commit other non-cash resources.

Pete Saunders, chief executive of Napac, said he met George Entwistle, the BBC's director general, on Tuesday. "He was very supportive: they really want to help survivors. What I got was a very positive meeting – I told him we need to expand, we need resources."

Saunders added that the charity was "fighting a tidal wave" of almost 6,000 calls and emails from abuse victims since the scandal broke. Napac has only been able to deal with 700, Saunders said.

The emergence of the initiative comes days after Scotland Yard and the NSPCC, which are working together on the Operation Yewtree investigation into Savile's alleged abuse, revealed they are now dealing with 300 people whose cases stretch back over 40 years and involve not just the BBC, but Stoke Mandeville hospital, Leeds General Infirmary and the Duncroft Approved school for girls.

The claims against Savile have plunged the BBC into what veteran world affairs correspondent John Simpson has described as its worst crisis in 50 years, with the chairman of the BBC Trust admitting it could lead to resignations.

The BBC has battled to get the upper hand in the crisis but criticism continues to rain down from every direction. David Cameron has said the nation is "appalled" with the revelations that Savile appears to have lured vulnerable children into dressing rooms at the BBC and abused them, and said serious questions need to be asked after the corporation changed its story on why an investigation by Newsnight in November last year was shelved while tribute programmes went ahead.

The BBC is also facing lawsuits, with lawyers preparing at least 18 claims for damages.

Entwistle was accused of displaying an "extraordinary lack of curiosity" by a parliamentary committee last week for not inquiring about the Newsnight investigation about Savile when he was told about it, while the deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman told parliament the scandal was "a stain" on the BBC's reputation.

The head of the BBC Trust, Lord Patten, tried to regain the initiative last week by going on a tour of TV studios saying it was difficult to swim against the "tsunami of filth" that was threatening to smother the corporation.