Scotland's Redress Scheme: combined annual report 2025

4.11 East Park School

East Park shares the Scottish Government’s ambition for children and young people, that they grow up loved, safe and respected so that they can realise their full potential. Sadly, however, we are also aware that, for many of Scotland’s most vulnerable children who experienced the care system in the past, the reality was quite different. Many of these children and young people were not treated with love or with respect and, rather than being kept safe, they were exposed to danger and abused by those responsible for their care, often leaving them with lifelong consequences.

While nothing can compensate for the hurt and suffering which survivors of abuse have endured, East Park acknowledged its collective and individual responsibility to ensure that care experienced individuals who have been abused whilst in care in Scotland have access to fair and appropriate redress and support.

During the reporting period up until 06 December 2024, East Park was not made aware of any claims specifically naming East Park. (Although we have had enquiries, I am not aware of any official claims via the Redress Scheme to date).

Despite this, in acknowledgement of the likelihood that there may have been times, during the period covered by the Redress Scheme, when practice at East Park fell short of the high standards and lacked the scrutiny we would expect today, we addressed this by implementing a variety of redress activities.

Access to historical records

In accordance with Data Protection legislation, GDPR procedures and our own internal Data Protection Policy, we respond swiftly and appropriately to all Subject Access Requests.

Although some of our more historical records can be inconsistent and/or unavailable, we do whatever we can to provide at least some concrete acknowledgement to enquirers that some part of their life has been spent living at East Park, where there is evidence of this.

To facilitate this, we invested in specialist services in 2019 to ensure fuller knowledge of what documents we did indeed hold and also ensured a more streamlined access point to this information.

Further actions

East Park continues to encourage, through its social media formats, participation and interest in events held regularly on the main site.

East Park launched its historical book celebrating the 150th Anniversary of its founding in 1874, on the 21 March 2024. The book is titled ‘East Park, 150 years of Compassion’. It shines a light on every aspect of its history, highlighting both great moments and moments that perhaps were not as good.

A few years ago, we were made aware of a gravestone at the Glasgow City Necropolis, which commemorates children who died in East Park Home (as it was known then) between 1875 and 1885. Twenty-nine children and one nurse were named on the stone. We were made aware that some children were buried there, subsequent to the stone being erected, and that their names were not added. While these dates significantly pre-date the period covered by the Redress Scheme, we have repaired the stone and added these names to the current headstone.

Our participation in Doors Open Day on 21 September presented a further opportunity for members of the public to visit East Park, ask questions and learn about the services we provide, through tours and a series of talks about our approach.

On 22 October 2024, East Park held a celebratory memorial service to commemorate our children and young people, past and present, at Maryhill Ruchill Church, to conclude our year of reflection and celebration. One of our current pupils sang a song, ‘East Park Matters’, written collaboratively with our Music Specialist, and family members made moving tributes about their experiences of East Park.

Throughout the year, Maryhill Burgh Halls has held an exhibition of photographs of East Park through the decades, further raising the profile of the organisation in the local community and prompting discussion about the changing roles of health and social care in Scotland.

Information about any support which, the relevant organisation has provided for individuals who were abused as children during the reporting period.

We have no individuals who were abused to report for the period 07 December 2023 to 06 December 2024.

In event of a redress claim

As previously stated, East Park was not made aware of any specific redress claims.

In the event of this occurring, we would ensure that we communicate our sincere regret and apologies to the individual concerned. We would request a meeting with them and would offer any additional support we could.

This may include:

• Access to records.
• Signposting to emotional support services e.g. Redress Emotional Support Helpline: 0800 2118403; Breathing Space: 0800 83 85 87; Samaritans:116123; Wellbeing Scotland (www.wellbeingscotland.org).
• Financial support to access counselling/emotional support services.
• Support to trace family members via organisations such as Birthlink Scotland (https://birthlink.org.uk/services).

Promoting visits from former residents

East Park occasionally receives enquiries from individuals who have previously been resident in East Park and or families trying to ascertain whether their family member was indeed a resident at East Park. When we receive such enquiries, we offer opportunities to visit East Park, to meet with senior staff and to have a tour of the premises. Although our premises have been largely demolished and rebuilt in recent years, it has been helpful and for some, even cathartic, for former residents to witness for themselves the degree to which accommodation and practice has changed in residential care for children with complex additional support needs.

During these visits we will also sensitively acknowledge that for many children and young people their experiences of residential childcare were not as we would have hoped, and, where the individual is not already aware, we will provide information about the Scottish Government apology in October 2018, the Historical Abuse Enquiry, and the Redress Scheme.

Below is an extract from an email sent following a recent historical enquiry from a former resident who was accommodated in East Park from birth until 13 months in the 1960s.

“It is so good to read a little more about the great contribution East Park have made to the care and rehabilitation of children and young people and it is very warming to know that you and your dedicated colleagues are continuing that work to this day”.

Catriona Campbell

Head of Education