There have been allegations of abuse at residential institutions in Scotland over the last 40 years and a number of convictions of staff. The former First Minister Jack McConnell made a statement in Parliament on 1 December 2004 giving a sincere and full apology on behalf of the people of Scotland to those who had suffered abuse.
In a report published in November 2007, independent expert Tom Shaw investigated the systemic factors which may have allowed abuse to take place in children's homes and residential schools in Scotland from 1950 to 1995.
In response to Tom Shaw's report, Adam Ingram, Minister for Children and Early Years, announced in February 2008 a package of support for adult survivors of abuse.
As part of this package of support, the Scottish Government has:
- established a support service for adults who suffered childhood abuse in care and their families. The government has committed £750,000 to the In Care Survivors Service Scotland over the next three years (until 2011).
- announced plans for a Scottish acknowledgement and accountability model to give survivors the chance to speak about their experiences.
- asked the Keeper of the Records of Scotland to review the legislation on public records held on children in care in light of the shortcomings exposed in the Shaw report, and are bringing forward proposals for amendments to the law.
- commissioned a review of residential childcare (the National Residential Child Care Initiative) to consider the many challenges facing residential childcare in Scotland, including staff training and development.
The remit of the In Care Survivors Service Scotland is:
- to provide a national confidential telephone support line (0800 121 6027) for in care survivors and their families;
- to provide support, advocacy and confidential counselling to in care survivors and their families;
- to facilitate contact with relevant health, voluntary, community and social care agencies;
- to provide an independent advocacy/signposting service to in care survivors on access to records;
- to provide an independent advocacy/signposting service to in care survivors on accessing the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme, and other relevant legal services; and
- to produce a website ( www.incaresurvivors.org.uk) and series of leaflets on all aspects of in care and institutional abuse for survivors and their families.
- A Scottish Government seminar was held one year after the publication of the Tom Shaw report to detail progress with implementation of the recommendations. The full seminar report can be viewed at www.scotland.gov.uk/tomshawoneyearon. This is only available in electronic format.
Access to records
We made the information we hold on residential children's homes and List D schools public in January 2005 and we have encouraged others to follow our example in opening up their files. A link to the information we hold can be found here.
About SurvivorScotland
In 2005, the Scottish Government launched the National Strategy for Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse. This sets out a strategic way forward to improve services for survivors, to ensure greater priority and joined up working in national and local mainstream services, and improve the lives of all who have suffered childhood trauma. Increasing knowledge and awareness of childhood abuse is central to improving support for survivors, and to creating a climate where abuse is recognised, its consequences tackled, and most important of all, effective steps are taken to prevent it happening in the first place.
Information on Scotland's National Strategy for Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse is at: http://www.survivorscotland.org.uk.