Angela Constance: Now Let's Get Results for Survivors

By Angela Constance
The National
October 1, 2015

http://www.thenational.scot/news/angela-constance-now-lets-get-results-for-survivors.8227

TODAY sees the launch of Scotland’s independent National Inquiry into the Historical Abuse of Children in Care.

It is a significant landmark coming less than four months after the appointment of the chair, Susan O’Brien QC and marks the start of the Inquiry’s official business.

When I addressed the Scottish Parliament in May I said that I expected the inquiry to report within four years of its start date. While the remit of the inquiry now extends beyond that originally envisioned and is ambitious in its scope, it is vitally important that the survivors who have campaigned for justice for so long know that they will receive answers within a reasonable timescale

The inquiry will examine instances of abuse of children in care, including residential care; children’s homes; secure care; borstals and young offenders institutions and those placed in foster care. It will also take in allegations from survivors who were boarded out, part of child migrant schemes; those in school hostels and health care units providing long term care; as well as independent boarding schools.

In reaching the decision to commission a national Inquiry I met with survivors and their advocates. They bravely shared their experiences of abuse, but also the effect of fighting to make their voice heard, be believed and answer questions about what happened to them.

I understand that many have become frustrated at the wait this summer to see everything in place to fully examine the failures that allowed these horrific abuses and betrayals of vulnerable young people to take place. My aim throughout this has always been to get the terms and arrangements of this inquiry right to ensure we do not raise the hopes and expectations of all those who have worked with us only to come up short by rushing into decisions that will not deliver for them.

The survivors I have spoken with have campaigned their entire adult lives. They want their experiences recognised but they are also very clear that they need this inquiry to deliver its findings in a timely fashion.

We have established this inquiry with their interests at the heart of the process, so that it might meet their demands to shine a light on these injustices and make sure that we remain forever vigilant in protecting our care services and all young people who rely on them.

Now that the inquiry is going live it will be for the chair and her panel to make arrangements for future evidence sessions and engagement with survivors and others.

There is still work for the Scottish Government to do, but it would not be right to pass this milestone without reflecting on how far we have come.

While Ms O’Brien and her team continue to push forward with this work the Scottish Government will also continue to implement the enhanced support for survivors of abuse in care with an additional ?13.5 million invested over five years.

We have also been consulting on the removal of the three-year time bar preventing survivors of childhood abuse seeking to raise a civil action and will continue with this work.

I want to reiterate my thanks for all of the dedication that survivors and their supporters have shown throughout this process and pledge that the government will continue to be on their side.

This inquiry will be the most far-reaching to be held in Scotland. It is the result of work by many people who were badly failed as children and I am confident that with their continued support it will deliver the results they need.

The people of Scotland would expect no less and it is what survivors deserve after all this time.