Material connected with the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry.

Material connected with the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry.

2017

Update from the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry: Clarification on "Leave To Appear", 17/08/17. It has come to our attention that there may be some misunderstanding about when an application for "leave to appear" is required. What's involved in having "leave to appear" is also explained here on the Inquiry's website. Individuals do not need "leave to appear" to come forward as a witness to the Inquiry. Anyone with relevant information about their experiences of abuse or witnessing abuse should get in touch with the Inquiry's witness support team. There are three ways to contact the Inquiry. By telephone at 0800 0929 300, by email to talktous@childabuseinquiry.scot and by post to PO BOX 24085, Edinburgh, EH7 9EA (PDF format).

Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, day 20, 11/07/17. Initial closing statement and observations by Mr Stuart Gale QC, representing FBGA and David Whelan, pages 30 to 43 (PDF format).

Testimony of David Whelan, spokesperson of the FBGA, to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, day 18, 05/07/17 (PDF format).

Second day of Quarriers evidence to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, day 14, 28/06/2017 (PDF format).

Quarriers evidence to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, day 13, 27/06/2017 (PDF format).

Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry Update Spring - Summer 2017. Double page spread format here (PDF format).

Transcript of the first day of phase 1 of the public hearings of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry with some names redacted. 31/05/17. Including submissions from FBGA's QC Mr Stuart Gale, INCAS QC Mr John Scott and others including Quarriers (PDF format). You can also visit the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry website for daily updates.

The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry website has been updated to include some additional information about their hearings, 15/05/17.

The hearings calendar now includes details of the organisations invited to make oral submissions on the first day of hearings.

The Inquiry has also added a new page to the website with information about the hearing venue.

The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry redaction protocol, 09/05/2017 (PDF format). Online link here. All documents published by the Inquiry will be redacted on the basis set out in this protocol.

Updated version of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry Chair's General Restriction Order N^o 1. It corrects one misprint in Paragraph 7 which refers to "paragraphs 1 and 3". General Restriction Order N^o 3, is also available to download from 18/04/17.

Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry timetable for the first phase of the Inquiry.

Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry: Notice - first phase hearings starting on 31 May 2017. This notice provides information about the scope and purpose of the Inquiry's first phase hearings. There is also information about how to apply for what is called "leave to appear" (PDF format).

Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, General Restriction Order N^o 1, 29/03/17 (PDF format). Online version here.

Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry FACTSHEET - DISCLOSING ALLEGATIONS 28/02/17. This factsheet explains when the Inquiry may share an applicant's name with the organisation or person named as an abuser or their legal representatives. The Inquiry must be fair to everyone involved in the process. This is a legal requirement. Sometimes the need for fairness will mean that the Inquiry must share the applicant's name with the organisation or person named as an abuser. Not every organisation or person named as an abuser will be told the name of the applicant. This will only happen when the Inquiry must do so to be fair (PDF format).

Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry preliminary hearing, 31/01/17. The Chair, Lady Smith, and the other panel member Mr Glen Houston delivered an opening statement (PDF format). FBGA have been nominated as core participants represented by David Whelan. The legal representative for FBGA at the Inquiry is Mr Stuart Gale, Queen's Counsel. A video of the full preliminary hearing can be found by following the links on the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry website.

The Inquiry team would like to hear from former residents who can call on Freephone 0800 092 9300, email to talktous@childabuseinquiry.scot or write to SCAI, PO Box 24085, in confidence. You can also visit the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry website here for updates and further information.

2016

The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry announced on 14 December 2016 that its preliminary hearing will take place on 31 January 2017 at Parliament House in Edinburgh.

At the preliminary hearing, Inquiry Chair Lady Smith will explain the Inquiry's approach to its work and will provide an update on the Inquiry's current investigations. She will set out the Inquiry's key procedures including how people and interested parties may participate in the Inquiry and the different ways in which the Inquiry is gathering evidence. Information will also be shared about the proactive communications campaign to drive public awareness of and engagement with the Inquiry.

As this hearing will deal with procedural matters only, no witnesses will appear and no evidence will be heard.

Members of the public are welcome to attend the preliminary hearing. However, seating capacity is limited for health and safety reasons and as a result access will be granted on a first come, first served, basis.

Anyone wishing to attend the preliminary hearing should come to the main reception at Parliament House where they will be directed to the hearing room. The preliminary hearing will begin at 11am and is expected to run for approximately one and a half hours.

Please note that while Parliament House is accessible, the courtroom where the preliminary hearing will take place has an inner door that will not accommodate all wheelchair models. Anyone with mobility issues should contact the Inquiry in advance. This will not be the Inquiry's permanent hearings venue.

For those not able to attend the preliminary hearing, a recording of the full event will be available on the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry website.

Scottish child abuse inquiry announces preliminary hearing, 14/12/2016 (PDF format). Html version here.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney MSP's statement to the Scottish Parliament, 17/11/2016, in which he says: "It has always been the Government's intention that the abuse of children and young people in care is to be taken into account, wherever it occurred, and I want to put that matter beyond any doubt. As the Inquiries Act requires of me, I have consulted Lady Smith and I have amended the Terms of Reference to clarify this point" (PDF format).

Deputy First Minister John Swinney rejects calls to expand child abuse inquiry by Andrew Learmonth, the National, 18/11/2016. Former Boys and Girls Abused in Quarriers Homes said: "The change to the inquiry remit is a positive change and will bring clarity to this now. We were not supportive of widening the remit to such a degree whereby it had a major impact on the timescale. We were mindful of the issues that have occurred regarding the English child abuse inquiry. The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry terms of reference and remit are focused, targeted and achievable in a reasonable timescale including with this additional change."

Terms of Reference ("remit"). Clarification in the light of recent media reporting about the Inquiry's remit. The Inquiry wishes to clarify a matter in the light of recent media reporting about its remit. In accordance with the Inquiries legislation, the remit of the Inquiry was set out by the Scottish Government when it announced the Inquiry's Terms of Reference. Any decision on changes to this remit is entirely a matter for the Scottish Government. The Chair of the Inquiry does not have any power to alter the Terms of Reference under which the Inquiry operates. 19/10/2016.

An update from Lady Smith the Chair of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, 17/10/2016. Those who wish to provide information please contact the Inquiry directly (PDF format).

Lady Smith appointed chair of crisis-hit Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry by Victoria Weldon, the Glasgow Herald, 27/07/16 (PDF format). David Whelan, spokesman for the Former Boys and Girls Abused by Quarriers group, welcomed her appointment to the inquiry. He said: "She is clearly a senior judge with vast amounts of experience and we believe she will uphold the impartiality and independence of the inquiry. It is our position that we want to ensure that everybody's rights are upheld throughout the inquiry - and that includes those who are accused - and we believe Lady Smith can ensure these conditions are met."

Guidance on the General Procedures of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, March 2016 (PDF format). (Html version here)

The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry would like to hear from you if you are elderly or seriously ill as, unfortunately, not everyone can wait even a few weeks to give evidence. If you know of any former residents of Quarriers Homes can you please let them know and help them contact the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry. If you want to you can speak to the Inquiry about your experiences as a child in care. After speaking to you the Inquiry will prepare a written record of your evidence. This is called a witness statement and records what you remember about what happened to you or what you saw. The Inqiry's guidance called "Interim Interview Arrangements" gives more information about how giving a statement works (Html version here). See also "A Brief Guide to the Inquiry". Both documents are from the Chair of the Historical Child Abuse Inquiry to the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning (PDF format).

The Child Abuse Inquiry contact details: Their website www.childabuseinquiry.scot has a lot of information about what the Inquiry is doing and how it works. You can email them at information@childabuseinquiry.scot or if you don't have access to a computer they can post you any information you need. You can write to them at PO Box 24085, Edinburgh, EH7 9EA, or call them on Freephone 0800 0929 300.

2015

Catholic Charities lose challenge regarding Susan O'Brien appointment as Chair of the Historical Child Abuse Inquiry. Legal findings and judgement by Lord Woolman, 01/07/2015 (PDF format).

The National Child Abuse Inquiry Scotland is now up and running and is currently in the investigation stage. If anyone believes they can assist with their inquiries please email them at information@childabuseinquiry.scot. The National Child Abuse Inquiry Scotland website has all the information on the inquiry to date.

Inquiry into Historical Abuse of Children in Care. Chair and remit unveiled alongside new support and steps on civil action barriers. Susan O’Brien QC will chair the statutory national public Inquiry into historical abuse of children in care, Angela Constance announced today. In a statement to the Scottish Parliament, the Education Secretary confirmed that in addition to children formally placed 'in care' in institutions, the Inquiry will have an extended remit. Its scope will also include allegations of abuse in foster care, in long-term hospital care and in boarding schools. The Cabinet Secretary also announced that the Scottish Government intends to lift the three-year time bar on civil actions, including compensation claims for damages in cases of historical abuse that took place after 1964 – the cut-off under the Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1984. A consultation will be launched in the summer to examine how this can best be done. And, in a move designed to ensure survivors have access to the services they need now, new funding of £14.5 million for support services was announced to Parliament. The Scottish Government website, 28/05/2015.

2014

Child abuse victims hail major step forward in fight for justice. Glasgow Herald article by Robbie Dinwoodie and Daniel Sanders, Tuesday 28 October 2014.

Child sex abuse inquiry planned for Scotland. A plan to hold public inquiry into historical child abuse in Scotland is being prepared by the Scottish Government. By Tom Peterkin, Scotland on Sunday, 09/11/2014.

The Education Secretary's statement on historical child abuse, Scottish Parliament, 17/12/2014. Angela Constance, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, has announced that there will be a National Public Inquiry into historical institutional abuse regarding Scotland. Here are some extracts from her statement:
"I am grateful to the survivors of institutional child abuse who have taken the time to meet me and other ministers and who have spoken bravely and eloquently about why they consider a public inquiry is needed and why it is necessary."
"...as a society we have an opportunity to confront the mistakes of our past and to learn from them. It will not be easy but only by shining a light on the darkest recesses of our recent history will we fully understand the failures of the past, enabling us to prevent them happening again and ensure a brighter future for every child and young person in Scotland, today and for tomorrow."
"For that reason, the inquiry will be a statutory inquiry under the Inquiries (Scotland) Act 2005. It will have the power to compel witnesses to attend and give evidence, if required."
"As intimated earlier, we will consult with survivors and relevant organisations on the exact terms of reference and I propose that this process be complete by the end of April."
"Those terms of reference need to capture the principles of the inquiry, and how we can create the right environment to support victims to confide, and the right timescales over which it should be held."
"That process must also find the right people to oversee the inquiry, not least any chair or panel."
See also here for further reference to the announcement.