Inquiry into historical abuse of children in care begins

A statutory public inquiry into historical abuse of children in care in Scotland has today formally started its work.

The Historical Child Abuse Inquiry, which is being chaired by Susan O’Brien QC, has asked individuals who believe that they may have information to share to get in touch.

Organisations with records that may be of interest to the inquiry are also being asked to take the necessary steps to ensure that they are preserved in order to support the work of the inquiry.

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O’Brien’s remit will include allegations of abuse in institutional residential care such as children’s homes, foster care, long-term hospital care and boarding schools going decades back.

Education Secretary Angela Constance said the formal start to its work is an “important landmark” for those who have campaigned for an independent national inquiry.

Recruitment has begun for panel members and expert assessors to assist O’Brien, who previously chaired a panel that investigated the death of 11-week-old baby Caleb Ness in Edinburgh.

“From the outset, I am keen to ensure that survivors know that we will listen carefully to their experiences, and that we will work hard to understand the lessons of the past in order to ensure that we keep our children safe in the future,” said O’Brien.

“Once the Scottish Government has appointed the inquiry panel members, and I have had a chance to discuss the issues with them, we will set out in detail the ways in which we will run the inquiry and take evidence from witnesses.”

Counsel to the inquiry will be in touch with survivors’ representatives this month to ensure their views are considered in advance of that, she added.

Constance announced the Scottish Government’s intention to launch a historical child abuse inquiry last December with O’Brien later appointed to lead the probe. Today’s inquiry launches comes three months on from a judge dismissing a legal bid by two Catholic charities to overturn her appointment.

Constance added: “I want to reiterate my gratitude to all survivors and their supporters who have helped us reach this point.

“Their willingness to recount such painful experiences was vitally important in helping us set a remit that would deliver the justice they rightly deserve. It is also in response to their guidance that I have said that the Inquiry will report back within four years of this start date.

“Many of those who have championed this Inquiry have been campaigning a long time and I want to reassure them that they will see it conclude within a reasonable timeframe.

“Getting here has been a challenge and there is still a long way to go, but I am confident we have taken the time to allow the chair to lay the foundations of an Inquiry that will allow us as a society to right historic wrongs.”