Scotland's Redress Scheme – 2026 Combined Annual Report

4. Annual reports on wider redress action

4.1 Aberdeen Association of Social Service operating as VSA

Introduction

This report is provided in response to the Scottish Ministers’ request for Aberdeen Association of Social Service (t/a VSA) to prepare and send an annual redress report for the period 7^th December 2024 to 6 December 2025.

This fulfils VSA’s requirement to produce a ‘redress report’ under the Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Act 2021 (section 99). This report covers the following areas:

• funding for emotional, psychological, or practical support
• advice and assistance on accessing historical records
• advice and assistance on tracing and reuniting families
• activities relating to providing a meaningful apology to survivors
• other relevant examples of support provided to survivors

Funding for emotional, psychological, or practical support

VSA has not provided direct funding for support for individuals abused as children during the period covered by the scheme. However, as and when survivors contact us either directly or through their representatives, we will offer a trauma sensitive, open and compassionate response.

Advice and assistance on accessing historical records

VSA has aligned our historical records request and subject access request processes with our current trauma informed approach to the care, safeguarding and protection of those in our care.

This means we are open, sensitive, and compassionate in all dealings with people who seek to access information. We provide clear and transparent information to requesters about what information we might hold about their life and why we hold that information. We are honest with requesters that although we have extensive historical records, they are incomplete, and we may not always be able to provide evidence of time in-care for requesters.

All responses to record requests from individuals or their next of kin who were resident within the qualifying time frame contain information about the Redress Scheme. In all our responses to record requests we acknowledge that historical casefiles are typically brief and usually focus on the practicalities of admission and discharge rather than the experience of any individual whilst resident.

We extend an offer to individuals to meet with either a member of Data Compliance team, our CEO or Operational Director to discuss their experience in person. We ensure that a trauma-trained Operations Director is involved in the process. Where appropriate we offer in person or virtual professional and specialist support to requesters to review their records, to help provide some answers and most importantly because some of the content could be re-traumatising for requesters. Requesters may not wish to access the support initially, and we ensure that this offer remains open should the requester wish to come back later.

Advice and assistance on tracing and reuniting families

Where a requester is seeking to trace or reunite with their family, we will sign post them to appropriate organisations who may be able to assist them with their search for information.

We also have an open dialogue with organisations that are providing direct support to requesters either during a redress application or during their search for information about their past.

Activities relating to the provision of a meaningful apology to survivors

VSA has not been made aware of redress payments made to past residents of our establishments. We have not had any contact from any individual seeking an apology.

Other relevant examples of support provided to survivors

VSA is fully committed to developing best practice so we can continue to provide a trauma- informed response to support and meet the needs of those who make requests, as well as safeguard the children that we currently care for.

4.2 Aberlour Child Care Trust

Introduction

This report provides information about the activities Aberlour has carried out to support survivors of abuse and highlights additional measures we have put in place to safeguard children who live with us currently.

This fulfils Aberlour’s requirement to produce a ‘Redress Report’ under the Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Act 2021 (section 99). It includes information about any support which Aberlour has provided for individuals who were abused as children, including;

• activities relating to the acknowledgement of abuse and providing a meaningful apology.
• advice and assistance on accessing historical records.
• support for individuals who were abused as children.
• funding for emotional, psychological, or practical support.
• advice and assistance on tracing and reuniting families.
• other relevant examples of support provided to survivors.

Activities relating to the acknowledgement of abuse and providing a meaningful apology to survivors

We have issued one formal written apology to a person who experienced care during the period covered by the Inquiry. The request was received through the Survivor Relations Scheme. Aberlour also invited the requester to meet in person with the Chief Officer, Children and Families, but this was not taken up.

This year we have celebrated our 150^th anniversary with events in services as well as a reunion event in Aberlour village. In September 2025 we hosted an event at the National Museum of Scotland where we met supporters, politicians, current supported families, and stakeholders as well as former orphanage residents who have maintained contact.

In a media release in January 2025, We are family: Children’s charity leader on the changing face of care, our outgoing Chief Executive, SallyAnn Kelly, reflected on the changes Aberlour has witnessed. She said “Offering care, support and love to children in need was our mission in 1875 and that remains entirely unchanged. How we do that, however, has been transformed… Aberlour is one of Scotland’s most enduring and significant organisations and has improved the lives and life chances of generations of children… This anniversary is a chance to celebrate that but also to commemorate our past and learn from it.”

Last year we provided access to researchers gathering evidence from our archives, on behalf of the Scottish Government’s investigation (Directorate for Equality, Inclusion & Human Rights) into historical policies affecting Gypsy/Traveller communities in Scotland, colloquially known as the “Tinker Experiment(s)”. The Government’s response (Recognising the Legacy of the Tinker Experiments) was published on 25 June 2025.

Our unconditional apology about past abuse, issued in 2018, still stands. We have reissued it on occasion subsequently, as it remains relevant for anyone who has suffered whilst in our care, whatever their background. We do not feel there is current evidence of a need for an additional apology to traveller children at this stage, as detailed research into the Aberlour archive is outstanding in relation to this area. As we have outlined previously, we would welcome an opportunity to contribute to any further research or discussion about this policy initiative and its historical application, and this would include an invitation to have a deeper review of the Aberlour archive.

Advice and assistance on accessing historical records

Aberlour ensures a thorough and sensitive approach to responding to requests for access to historical records. In all our responses for orphanage and early group home records, we acknowledge that typically historical casefiles are brief and usually focus on the practicalities of admission and discharge, rather than progression or experience whilst the child is resident. When we can supplement the casefile with copies of the orphanage magazine or other records we will do so. The scarcity of identifiable photographs is a particular regret.

We have provided guidance for requesters on making Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs) to other bodies and responded to a request to verify an individual to a local authority. Details of activity relating to providing access to records is outlined below.

Types of requests	Total	Description
DSAR from data subject or parent	23	Subject access request
DSAR via agency	11	For example, Birthlink/Wellbeing Scotland/solicitor
Family member requests	47	This covers historic requests for deceased family members.
Redress Scotland requests	9	Verification of prior payments and confirmation of requester identity
Police Scotland requests	3	All investigations into both historic abuse and current incidents
Void requests	1	These are not valid requests because either no service was provided to the data subject or the verification of identity requirements was not completed. Source may be either the data subject themselves or from an agency (for example, Birthlink/Wellbeing Scotland/solicitor)
Total requests received	94	Total requests received

Support for individuals who were abused as children

Our approach to DSARs and historical records request processes is trauma informed. This means we are open, sensitive, and compassionate in all dealings with people who seek to access information. We provide clear and transparent information to requesters about what information we might hold about their life and why we hold that information. We are honest with requesters that although we have extensive historical records, they are incomplete, and we may not always be able to provide evidence of time in care for requesters.

We ensure that a trauma-trained senior manager or Quality Improvement Partner is available in the process. We make the offer of providing in-person or virtual professional support to requesters to review their records, to help provide some answers and most importantly because some of the content could be re-traumatising for requesters. Requesters may not wish to access the support initially, and we ensure that this offer remains open should the requester wish to come back at a later date. We have provided a written apology to a former resident who contacted us after receiving his records.

Funding for emotional, psychological, or practical support

None

Advice and assistance on tracing and reuniting families

Contact information for Birthlink and In Care Survivors Scotland is routinely included in our responses. Furthermore, where a requester is seeking to trace or reunite with their family, we will sign post them to appropriate organisations who may be able to assist them with their search for information.

We also have an open dialogue with organisations that are providing direct support to requesters either during a redress application or during their search for information about their past.

Additional activities

• In July 2025, we contributed to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) Focus Group on guidance for Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs) responses from social care professionals who are data controllers. This is part of an ongoing project exploring the experience of those individuals with care experience and accessing their care records (ICO calls for people to share experiences accessing care records as it vows to improve support). This drew together controllers to share experiences about their DSAR handling and the processes/procedures that support responding to requests.
• The Data Protection and Information Governance Manager continues her involvement with the Social Work Scotland Historic Abuse Subgroup (SWS HAS). The Group is developing the Gold Standard of recording from the ‘Accessing Records in Scotland: What people with care experience tell us about the Right of Access’ engagement (Publications - Social Work Scotland).
• We contributed to the Redress Scotland – RRP pilot, simplifying the process for fixed sum claims, which is now fully operational.

Improving record request processes

Aberlour recognises the importance of improving the experience of people receiving their records and we want to continually improve our approach. To achieve this, we are attentive to sector good practice standards, as well as conducting critical reviews of internal processes to work effectively and efficiently. We have recently streamlined our process for managing requests through our webform, so it is easier to track the workflow associated with responding to requests and ensure our process is resilient.

Claire Johnson

Data Protection and Information Governance Manager

Highlights of 150th anniversary year news

Aberlour | Teens walk a mile for every year to celebrate charity’s 150th anniversary

Aberlour | Aberlour 150th Afternoon Tea Party

Aberlour | Professor hails happy childhood in orphanage: ‘I had nothing and no one. Suddenly, I did’

4.3 Action for Children

Introduction

Action for Children’s support for children began in 1869, when Reverend Dr Thomas Bowman Stephenson took action to help children living on the streets and we opened our first service in Scotland in 1955. This reporting period marks the 75th anniversary of Action for Children running services in Scotland.

Action for Children’s absolute priority is to keep children and young people safe, and we have robust safeguarding policies and procedures in place to ensure the lessons of the past have been learnt.

Action for Children have been a contributor to Scotland Redress Scheme since 7 November 2023.

As well as providing a fair and meaningful financial contribution to the scheme, the Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Act 2021 requires contributors to the Redress Scheme to report annually on their wider (i.e., non-financial) redress activities, such as providing emotional, psychological, or practical support for people who were abused as children; providing assistance to survivors to access historical records; providing assistance in tracing and reuniting families; or providing apologies to survivors.

This report covers our non-financial redress activities from 7 December 2024 to 6 December 2025.

Non-Financial Redress activities

Provision of apology to survivors

In our public statement published 7 November 2023 we stated, whilst we have always striven to provide care and support of a high quality for children and young people that places children at the centre of what we do, we acknowledge and deeply apologise for the harm caused in our care settings to victims of historic abuse and recognise the damaging impact that child abuse has on victims.

During the period covered by this report, Action for Children has not had the opportunity to provide a direct apology to any individual survivors in Scotland. We remain committed to doing so.

Advice and assistance on tracing and reuniting families

During the reporting period, Action for Children has not received any requests made from survivors of abuse in Scotland regarding advice and assistance on tracing and reuniting families. However, we remain committed to doing so should an individual contact us for support. We would initially offer one to one support to discuss with the survivor the most appropriate way to meet their needs, and this may include signposting to specialist organisations.

Providing assistance to survivors to access historical records

Action for Children undertake a compassionate, sensitive and trauma informed approach when supporting survivors who are seeking to access their records. The team supporting survivors appreciate that accessing records can be re-traumatising and offer support to individuals answering questions and queries that they may have. We also recognise that it is important for the offer of support to remain open where survivors accessing their records do not wish support in the first instance.

Funding for emotional, psychological, or practical support to survivors.

Action for Children wholeheartedly recognises the importance of providing emotional, psychological or practical support to survivors of abuse at a time that is right for them. During the reporting period, Action for Children has not had such requests made from survivors of abuse in Scotland and therefore has not provided funding for support for individuals. However, should an individual contact us for such support we will initially offer one to one support to discuss with the survivor the most appropriate way to meet their needs. This may include signposting to specialist organisations who may be able to offer ongoing support as well as, where appropriate, counselling support.

Information about how safeguarding policy and procedures are implemented by the organisation, including any further developments of activities in place to improve care and protection.

During the reporting period Action for Children have continued providing monthly Q and A sessions available to all staff across the organisation, facilitated by the safeguarding service. The safeguarding service also provides a duty consultancy service to managers and staff to discuss matters arising in their service. The safeguarding service and health and safety colleagues also continue to undertake regular unannounced visits to children’s homes to check policies are being adhered to and children are being cared for appropriately and safely. This alongside a robust training offer and clear safeguarding policy and procedures ensure that staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities and organisational expectations. This is further enhanced by regular management supervision, team meetings and internal and external safeguarding audits.

During the reporting period we have revised our behaviour support policy and procedures including making positive behaviour support training mandatory for all staff working with children and young people, alongside additional training already in place. Our staff has continued to be involved in the Scottish Physical Restraint Action Group sharing our practice externally and leading on positive behavior support across our care settings.

Action for Children remains committed to fulfilling The Promise, ensuring that not only are past harms are acknowledged but that they shape a happier and safer future for all children. Ensuring as the Promise states that Scotland becomes the best place in the world for children and young people to grow up in, where they feel loved, safe and respected and realise their potential.

The Promise calls us to listen to the voices of children, young people, and those impacted by care. The Redress Scheme honors that commitment by not only providing financial redress but also recognising the harm caused, ensuring lessons from the past shape future systems of care. At Action for Children, we are committed to listening, empowering, valuing, and involving young people in decision making throughout the organisation. For us to keep the Promise we know that ‘voice’ is that key pillar we must build and strengthen.

We have developed and are embedding a network of Staff Promise Champions. This network aims to support all colleagues to develop and oversee the systems, processes, culture, and practices are in place to ensure we keep the promise and improve the outcomes for children and young people who we support, care for and love.

Conclusion

Action for Children remains committed to its responsibilities both to the overall Redress Scheme as well as individuals who seek support. We are committed to provide a trauma informed and sensitive approach when supporting survivors of abuse and to do so at a time that is right for the individual.

Fiona Steel

National Director Scotland

Action for Children

4.4 Barnardo’s

Background

Barnardo’s engaged with the Scottish Government and the Scottish Redress Scheme at the earliest opportunity and agreed to make a contribution to the Scheme. This contribution was to be an initial £1 million, rising to a potential cap of £1.25 million if determinations from the Redress Board indicated it was required. In addition, we agreed to provide an annual statement of our wider Redress Activity hence this report.

Scheme Participation

In 2023, there was an increase in the number of determinations in respect of Financial Redress and we engaged with the Redress, Relations and Response Division about how to respond. We agreed from April 2024 to increase our annual contributions to ensure our contribution rose to the level of the £1.25 million cap. The first increased payment was in April 2024 and future payments will bring it in line with the increased contribution.

In the past year, we have had one request for a face to face meeting with a recipient of financial redress. The meeting took place and was, we believe, a positive and constructive meeting which included a verbal apology from ourselves.

Access to Records

Barnardo’s was at the forefront of ensuring access to records for the children-now-adults that were in our care, providing such a service in advance of the legal obligation. The Organisation has, from the outset, retained records on all our former children in care, including an extensive collection of photographs. These were and continue to be digitised for ease of storage and retrieval and are also backed up to avoid them being lost.

We continue to provide a dedicated Access to Records Service for those children-now-adults who were in our Residential Homes and Foster Placements. In addition to supporting the Redress Scheme by confirming applicants were in our care and timescales, we stand ready to provide any applicant or former resident details and records of their time in our care. This sharing is undertaken in a trauma informed way, with those receiving their records being prepared as much as possible for what they may find, and indeed in some instances may not find, in their care records.

We have in recent years through our hosting and membership of the Post Care Forum (a support network for Data Protection Practitioners, Lawyers, Social Workers and other professionals working with care experienced people and other data subjects around access to records) offered some input into the recent Information Commissioner’s Office review which led to the production of the Better Records Together guide. This guide contains many of the good practice elements around trauma informed and person-centred that we have espoused for many years. We are also members of a Scottish-based group who meet regularly to discuss the sharing of records specifically in Scotland and again we have been offering our input around trauma informed and person-centred record sharing. We have also undertaken some focused work with our past and existing Barnardo’s Services in Scotland around both ensuring the digitation of paper records for long term storage but also in terms of implementing best practice in terms of records management more widely.

After Care

In addition to providing records, we offer any former residents of our Children’s Homes and other interested parties the opportunity of receiving a newsletter of stories, features, articles about aspects of our history and archive and so on called The Guild Messenger. We also have contact each year with a number of our “Old Boys” and “Old Girls” (as they like to be known) and offer such support and information as we can, including attending reunions and helping some who have decided to write books and articles about their time in our care. We are very conscious that these children-now-adults were told they were joining the “World’s Biggest Family” and therefore it is perfectly understandable that some of them will come back to us from time to time for a variety of reasons.

A small number of individuals who have requested their records, seek our assistance in tracing “lost” relatives and we have had a couple of examples in the past year where we have been able to introduce people who have lost contact. This is always done with a great deal of care and ensuring informed consent on both sides.

The Making Connections Service was able to access some training over a year ago from a renowned genealogist around the technology and potential implications of DNA tracing. There are now a number of services offering a service whereby people can upload and potentially trace relatives through DNA and we have worked with the genealogist to develop a guide around this fast-developing technology to advise and assist people who ask about it.

We continue to maintain a Family History Service which allows the direct descendants of our deceased former residents to also receive information from their records, photographs, etc of their parents, grandparents and so on who were in our care. We receive a number of such requests from family members based here in the UK, but also from Australia and particularly Canada due to our historical involvement in Child Migration.

Grave Work

In recent years we have worked with one of our “Old Girls” in England who has worked tirelessly to raise money to ensure some old unmarked graves of children in our care were given an appropriate headstone. This is a historical situation from Thomas Barnardo’s time that such graves (one of which includes his own birth children) would not be marked. This woman who featured on an edition of the “Repair Shop” on television, has raised £30,000 to ensure appropriate marking of the graves at Goldings, Barkingside and Tower Hamlets. We have worked with her on this Project by providing information, support and encouragement of her efforts, including research for the TV programme. Further, we are currently working with a group who have discovered a grave near Bradford of 15 children dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries and are looking to an appropriate marking of the grave. While these graves are in England, it is entirely possible that some of the children interred in these graves may have links to Scotland.

Funding for emotional, psychological or practical support

We do hold a small fund that we are able to use to offer practical and other support to our “Old Boys” and “Old Girls”. We try to be as flexible as possible if we receive requests or are made aware of such needs.

Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry

While we have had no requests for evidence for the Inquiry in the past year, we stand ready to contribute to any future case study.

Richard Simpson

Head of Safeguarding and Quality

February 2026

4.5 Capability Scotland

Introduction

Capability Scotland is a national charity providing education, care and support services to disabled adults and children. The charity, and its predecessor organisations, has been in existence since 1946.

Capability Scotland has been a contributor to Scotland’s Redress Scheme since 11 February 2025. As well as providing a fair and meaningful financial contribution to the scheme, the Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Act 2021 requires contributors to the Redress Scheme to report annually on their wider non-financial redress activities such as advice and assistance accessing historical records, advice and assistance on tracing and reuniting families, funding for emotional, psychological or practical support and the provision of an apology to anyone experiencing abuse whilst in our care.

This report fulfils our requirement to produce an Annual Report, this being our first since joining the scheme. The Report covers the period 11 February 2025 to 6 December 2025.

To our knowledge, there have been no financial claims relating to historic child abuse in the reporting period relating to Capability Scotland or its predecessor organisations.

Activities relating to the acknowledgement of abuse and providing a meaningful apology to survivors

We have received no requests for an apology in the reporting period and we have had no direct contact with survivors of abuse. Were an apology to be sought from an individual or family member of an individual relating to historic abuse experienced whilst in our care, then we would issue an unreserved apology without hesitation.

As we noted in our public statement issued in February 2025, we acknowledge that we have a part to play in recognising the damage caused by historic abuse and, as a society and as an organisation, in apologising for failing to ensure every young person in care was protected from abuse in whatever form.

Advice and assistance in accessing historical records

Capability Scotland will always respond with openness and compassion to requests for access to historical records. In the reporting period, we have received no such requests.

In the event that a request was made, we have robust processes in place to expedite the required access to records as quickly as possible. We do, however, acknowledge that some of our records may be inconsistent, incomplete and/or unavailable but we will make every endeavour to provide whatever information we can.

In 2025, we have commenced an exercise to review what information we hold and where it is located. During 2026, we will begin a process of digitising our more historic records thereby allowing faster access to be able to respond to any information requests.

Advice and assistance on tracing and reuniting families

We have received no requests for advice or assistance in tracing and reuniting families during the reporting period.

Again, if such requests were received, we would make every attempt to assist and to work alongside specialist organisations to aid in those attempts.

Funding for emotional, psychological or practical support

During the reporting period, Capability Scotland has not been in direct contact with any survivors of abuse and therefore has not directly provided funding for the support of any individuals. If that position changes, we will offer appropriate and sensitive support directly and we will signpost survivors of abuse to specialist organisations who may be able to offer on-going support.

Safeguarding Activity

As we noted in our public statement, safeguarding the wellbeing of those in our care is our priority. We have robust policies, procedures and practices in place to ensure that the safety and dignity of those we support are foremost in everything we do. In 2025, we reviewed our child and adult protection policies and developed a new Safeguarding Framework which was approved by our Board of Trustees in June 2025. A Safeguarding Statement was published on our website.

Conclusion

Capability Scotland is fully committed to its responsibilities to ensure redress applicants are fully supported and listened to. We recognise their bravery in coming forward to report historic abuse and we will continue to acknowledge, support and champion their rights.

4.6 Carolina House Trust

Introduction

This report covers the activities of Carolina House Trust (CHT) subject to the Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Act 2021 (Section 99).

CHT celebrated its 210th year as a provider of care for children who cannot live with their birth families. Previously an orphanage in Dundee, CHT now provides family-based care (foster care) for 22 young people and runs a small service providing family care to asylum-seeking young people.

It is acknowledged that, as an organisation with such a significant history, the care and protection of some young people will not have always met our current high standards. In these cases of abuse and neglect we are committed to providing the appropriate redress.

Our current practice is underpinned by the following aims;

Our Mission

Making homes to nurture children and young people’s potential

Carolina House Trust works to the highest standards with children and young people to create homely nurturing environments where they are supported to grow, develop and achieve their individual potential.

Our Vision

Our vision is that all children and young people irrespective of their background can grow up to be the best they can be

We do this by:

• Ensuring that if a child or young person can’t live at home we offer a safe and nurturing home to them.
• Giving our community especially our children and young people a voice and hearing it.
• Promoting growth mindset and individual potential.
• Recruiting high-quality carers and supporting them to offer a secure base to children.
• Supporting the needs of and advocating on behalf of the children and young people we work with.

This report will include information regarding the information provided to individuals who make a subject access request, either directly or via an organisation such as Birthlink. It will also cover the following areas;

• The acknowledgement of abuse and meaningful apologies
• Assistance on accessing historical records
• Emotional or practical support
• CHT’s current safeguarding processes to ensure that there are robust processes in place to keep young people safe

Apologies

We have not received any requests for an apology during the period covered by the Inquiry. It is the position of CHT that, if required, an unreserved apology would be issued. Any requesters would be offered an opportunity to meet with the Chief Operating Officer and a member of the Board of Trustees.

Access to Historical Records

CHT has received the following requests for information during the reporting period;

• One direct request via email. No information was provided as there was no record of the individual being cared for by CHT. They were directed to Dundee City Council for potential information about their care history
• One family member request from a daughter regarding a deceased parent. No information was provided as there was no record of the person in CHT’s archives.
• One verification that CHT had not made a prior payment requested from Redress Scotland
• Five individual requests via Birthlink. All records were provided within the required timescales

CHT is a trauma informed organisation and it is recognised that accessing personal information can be triggering for individuals. The Chief Operating Officer manages the requests and she is trained in trauma informed and relationship-based practice as well as being an experienced child protection social worker. CHT has clear processes for making subject access requests and these are available on the website pages. CHT also has robust complaints procedures.

CHT holds historical records from 1966 with older records being stored by Dundee City Council Archives. CHT has a close relationship with the archivists and no delays in providing records have occurred when requested from this service.

CHT also has a significant number of photographs relating to the orphange, some of which are displayed in the Headquarters foyer. CHT also produced a book to celebrate its 200th year anniversary which is available at events CHT attends. CHT has a visible profile in Dundee and it is acknowledged that this may encourage previous service users to make subject access requests.

Emotional or Practical Support

All staff at CHT are trained in trauma informed and relationship-based practice and anyone who directly approaches the organisation is treated with dignity and respect. There have been no requests for support but if individuals come forward they would either be signposted to suitable resources or offered a meeting with the Chief Operating Officer to assess their individual requirements.

Tracing and Reuniting Families

CHT has not received any request regarding tracing or supporting the reunification of families. If any requests are received we will signpost the person to the appropriate organisations who may be able to assist them with their request.

Current Safeguarding Systems

CHT operated subject to a Safe Recruitment Policy and all staff, carers and volunteers are vetted via Disclosure Scotland.

Child and Adult Protection Training is mandatory within the induction process and is also required to be completed on an annual basis by carers.

CHT also provides specialist training for staff carers and volunteers which has included social media safety and Police Scotland discussing County Lines.

CHT also uses the training resources and other information provided by Dundee’s Child Protection Committee.

All young people have a safer caring plan which is updated regularly. Carers are also trained in safer caring practices.

Young peoples’ feedback is also an important way that CHT ensures that they are safe and nurtured. Carers are subject to annual reviews by an independent panel and young people spend time with a support worker to complete their own report. Participation events are held throughout the year and young people are encouraged to express their views.

Other Activity

Ex-residents from the orphanage attended the celebration of 210 years of CHT with the Civic Reception held by the Lord Provost. An ex-resident also gives talks about his time in the orphanage to community groups in Dundee. Staff have also given talks to two Dundee Rotary Groups about CHT’s history and its current services.

Sara Lovelock

Chief Operating Officer, Carolina House Trust

4.7 Charity Trustees of the Church of Scotland (CrossReach)

This report is issued on behalf of the Charity Trustees of the Church of Scotland (the Unincorporated Entities), Scottish Charity SC011353, including the Church of Scotland Social Care Council (also known as CrossReach) and its predecessors. The Church fully supports the Scottish Government Redress Scheme in its aspirations to recognise the historical abuse which occurred in children’s residential care settings prior to 2004, and to acknowledge the harm this abuse caused.

While we have committed financial support to survivors of historical abuse through the Redress Scotland Scheme, this is only one aspect of the many ways in which we have offered support to survivors over the past year.

Apology

We recognise that there have been times when our practice has fallen short, and people have, regrettably, been harmed in our care. CrossReach has offered a public apology to survivors as well as individual apology, written or oral, where that has been sought.

Care records

CrossReach recognises the vital importance of historical records for individuals who have experienced care, as these documents often provide the only detailed account of their early lives. To ensure that access requests can be supported effectively, our records must be accurately catalogued and securely maintained. In support of this commitment, CrossReach has employed a dedicated Archivist since 2017.

Over the past year, CrossReach has responded to over 90 data subject access requests from people formerly in our care. We have also fully cooperated with Police Scotland in their investigations into allegations of abuse within Church-run care services, providing records and relevant information as required. In addition, we have worked closely with Birthlink and Wellbeing Scotland to assist in the provision of records held to survivors.

Engagement

CrossReach has an established protocol to guide our response when survivors contact the Church to raise concerns about their experiences in care. We recognise that each individual’s needs and expectations are unique, and we therefore provide a tailored, personcentred response in every case. This may be through just listening, offering counselling, signposting to relevant external supports, or making people aware of the Redress Scotland Scheme.

There are occasions when individuals who were previously in our care contact CrossReach during periods of financial hardship or other personal difficulties. Our response is tailored to their specific circumstances and needs at that time. Depending on what they are seeking, we may provide practical assistance or emotional support, delivered by the staff members best placed to help.

Over the past year, we have engaged with two individuals who previously used our services as children. One is currently receiving support through ongoing communication, and plans are in place for them to visit our education campus to speak with current pupils and share their life story. They have expressed appreciation at discovering photographs of themself and their brother within our photo archive.

Another individual has publicly shared their experiences of being in care and the impact this has had on their life, at a CrossReach engagement event. As our relationship with them has developed, we have been able to offer counselling support to them.

We continue to maintain longstanding contact with another individual who previously used our services. They reach out every few months for conversation and support, and they regularly speak with a designated employee with whom they have built a trusting relationship over recent years.

In 2025, CrossReach did not receive any requests from individuals seeking assistance with tracing or reuniting with family members. As CrossReach is not a specialist provider in this area, when such situations do arise we supply any relevant records we hold and direct individuals to appropriate agencies, including Birthlink and Scottish Adoption. These organisations offer professional, specialist support and hold many of the Church of Scotland’s adoption records.

Many people want to reach out through social media, therefore we support two Facebook pages for Ballikinrain and Geilsland residential schools, both of which are now closed. The Ballikinrain page is active and provides a mechanism for former pupils to exchange memories, good and bad and share experiences. This is carefully moderated and supported by a group of senior managers within our Care and Education service. The same support is provided to through the Geilsland Facebook page but its members are less active at this time.

Safeguarding Policy and Training

It is important to CrossReach that we have robust Adult and Child Protection policies in place which promote best practice. As a result, our Safeguarding Policies are updated on an annual basis by our specialist Safeguarding team. Staff are trained in Safeguarding in both face to face and virtual learning platforms. The culture in our services is to positively recognise and report any potential safeguarding issues at the earliest opportunity.

Staff receive regular supervision which allows any practice issues to be discussed or addressed. Staff know that they can speak to their line manager at any time and issues of concerns should be raised straightaway.

Posters are displayed within all CrossReach services detailing the name and contact details of the external manager and the Business Partner for Quality, Compliance and Improvement. This means that if someone doesn’t feel they can raise an issue within the service they can raise it with a more independent and appropriate person.

CrossReach Children and Families staff members work with Who Cares, an independent organisation who regularly come in and advocate for the young people. CrossReach continue to work towards being a Trauma Informed organisation, with all staff undertaking training on Trauma Informed Practice. Many frontline specialists have undertaken trauma specialist training.

Regulation

The children’s residential services we run are all registered with the Care Inspectorate, and we ensure that we meet the requirements of safe care and focus on achieving positive outcomes for our young people. This is reflected in the high Care Inspectorate grades we hold, with one service being awarded a 6 – excellent, under the theme of wellbeing.

Our workforce is also professionally registered with the Scottish Social Services Council with all staff holding or working towards a relevant qualification.

Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry

CrossReach continues to engage fully with requests for information from the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry. As the Inquiry enters Phase 10, we have submitted our opening statement regarding the Lord and Lady Polwarth Children’s Home. We are also reviewing the records we hold and carefully considering the witness statements that have been shared with us.

Moving Forward

We recognise there is always more we could do to support survivors and will continue to explore ways in which they can be appropriately supported.

4.8 Children First (Royal Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children)

Introduction

Children First is Scotland’s national children’s charity. We stand up for children, keep them safe and support them to recover from trauma and abuse through our national and local services.

Children First has been a contributor to Scotland’s Redress Scheme since 26 August 2022.

As well as providing a fair and meaningful financial contribution to the scheme, the Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Act 2021 requires contributors to the Redress Scheme to report annually on their wider (i.e., non-financial) redress activities, such as providing emotional, psychological, or practical support for people who were abused as children; providing assistance to survivors to access historical records; providing assistance in tracing and reuniting families; or providing apologies to survivors.

Children First became a contributor to the Redress scheme on 26 August 2022. This report covers our non-financial redress activities from 7 December 2024 to 6 December 2025.

Non-Financial Redress Activities

Advice and assistance on accessing historical records and digitising our historical archive

In the reporting period, Children First received 138 total subject access requests for historical records. The table below shows the number of requests received broken down by type of request.

Type of request	Total received in reporting period
DSAR received directly from a requester for historical records (pre-2011)	38
DSAR received from requester for records of their time at a care setting run by the RSSPCC	8
DSAR received from organisations supporting a requester (i.e. Birthlink)	92

The majority of requests received (61 requests) do not relate to a care setting which was historically run by Children First but to check whether an RSSPCC Inspector was ever involved in the childhood of a survivor. Knowing this, we have been able to target records within our archive to digitise. The work to digitise RSSPCC Inspectors case records from 1920-1990 for all branches of the RSSPCC across Scotland was highlighted in our 2024 report and this work has now been completed. These records, though limited, provide invaluable information about decisions that were made about children and families who were involved with the RSSPCC. Although the case records rarely provide evidence of ‘in care’ status, the records may hold information that can lead to a survivor being able to identify a place where they were ‘in care.’

Continuing to work alongside Redress support organisations

We have continued to respond to requests received from third party support organisations that represent survivors. This has led to an open dialogue with those organisations to ensure we are providing the best possible response for survivors. Keeping an open dialogue with these organisations ensures we can adapt our approach to how survivors want to access or receive their information.

Commitment to providing trauma sensitive support to survivors and those accessing their records and supporting the “Better Records Together” campaign

In our previous Redress reports, we have highlighted our trauma sensitive approach to assist survivors to access their records. We continually build on this work and have received positive feedback from survivors, advocates, and support organisations. Children First has long been a leading advocate and provider of trauma recovery support to children and their families. Children First has aligned our subject access request and historical records request processes with our trauma informed way of working with the children and families we currently work alongside.

This means we are open, sensitive, and compassionate in all dealings with people who seek to access information. We provide clear and transparent information to requesters about what information we might hold about their life and why we hold that information. We are honest with requesters that although we have extensive historical records, they are incomplete, and we may not always be able to provide evidence of time in care for requesters.

We ensure that a trauma-trained Children and Family Services senior manager is involved in the process. We make the offer of providing in person or virtual professional and specialist support to requesters to review their records, to help provide some answers and most importantly because some of the content could be re-traumatising for requesters. Requesters may not wish to access the support initially, and we ensure that this offer remains open should the requester wish to come back later.

In December 2025 the ICO launched the “Better Records Together” campaign with new resources to support both people with care experience and the organisations handling their records. Children First supports the campaign because people must be able to understand their past in a way that feels meaningful. For many care experienced people records are the only way to fill the gaps in their history and make sense of who they are. Based on our experience of helping care experienced people access their records, we make sure that our historical records are as easy to access as possible.

One requester, who was happy for us to share their feedback anonymously told us,

“This might only be one page from a register, but it has helped me understand my childhood and why I didn’t live with my parents. My records also told me things about my life that I never would’ve known. Although I don’t need the support you are offering, I am glad you offer this to all people who wish to understand their childhood.”

Advice and assistance on tracing and reuniting families

Children First continues to work alongside specialist organisations to respond to requests for information directly relating to tracing and reuniting families. We have successfully helped trace and reunite two families this year.

In one case our records were able to identify that the person had been incorrectly admitted to a hospital with their middle name as their surname, a note in one of our diaries highlighted this error. This then allowed the person to get access to other records from other care settings and those records identified three siblings the requester never knew they had.

Current work alongside children and families across Scotland

In 2025 Children First continues to support children, young people and their families across Scotland.

Children First has expanded our Support line to continue to support families across Scotland and embed our established financial wellbeing service within our Support line offering. Our support line offers emotional, practical and financial help for families.

Furthermore, Children First has also taken over the Kinship Care Advice Service for Scotland. Our service will bring kinship carers, their friends, extended family, and potentially birth parents together to collaboratively plan the best support for children. The support line will also provide expert advice to kinship carers and their families.

Building on the opening of Scotland’s first Bairns Hoose, we are also working with ten local authority partners to embed the Bairns Hoose model across Scotland. The Bairns Hoose is key to Scotland’s aspiration that children experience child-centred, protection, trauma-free justice, care and support to recover from abuse.

Funding for emotional, psychological, or practical support to survivors

During the reporting period, Children First has not been in direct contact with survivors of abuse and as such has not directly provided funding for support for individuals. However, as, and when survivors contact us either directly or through their representative, we will offer a trauma sensitive, open, and compassionate response. Specifically, we will offer one to one initial support and counselling and where appropriate signpost survivors to other specialist organisations who may be able to offer ongoing support.

Provision of apology to survivors

During the reporting period, Children First has not been in direct contact with survivors of abuse and has not had the opportunity to provide a direct apology to a survivor of abuse. Within our public statement published in September 2022, we offer our unreserved, whole-hearted apologies to anyone who suffered harm as a child whilst in our care. As and when survivors contact us, we will make a direct apology to survivors and offer survivors the opportunity to discuss their experience.

Conclusion

Children First is fully committed to its responsibilities to ensure redress applicants are fully supported and listened to. We will continue to provide a trauma informed response to support and meet the needs of requesters, develop our historical archive to assist survivors with their search for answers and commit to providing apology and support when we are in contact with survivors. Finally, Children First will continue to acknowledge, support, and champion the rights of survivors.

4.9 Congregation of Christian Brothers

St. Ninian’s Falkland

The Congregation of Christian Brothers was founded in 1802 in Waterford, Ireland by Edmund Rice. Since then, many schools were established by the Christian Brothers in Ireland, England and throughout the world. The Christian Brothers ran one residential school in Scotland called St. Ninian’s. St Ninian’s in Falkland, Fife opened in January 1951 and closed in July 1983.

This report includes information on supports provided by the Christian Brothers for former residents of St. Ninian’s.

Funding for emotional, psychological or practical support

The Christian Brothers have not been approached by any former residents of St. Ninian’s with requests for funding for emotional, psychological or practical support during the reporting period 7 December 2024 to 6 December 2025. The Christian Brothers have previously offered assistance with financial and emotional support in terms of providing funding for counselling and arranging meetings with members of the Leadership Teams of the Congregation and Safeguarding Office.

The Congregation has settled civil claims brought by former residents of St. Ninian’s and has provided financial compensation.

Advice and assistance on accessing historical records

The Christian Brothers have in their employment a professional archivist who responds to requests from former residents, their families, their solicitors or other bodies such as Birthlink, Wellbeing Scotland and the Redress Scheme in order to help former residents access their records and to confirm their residency in St. Ninian’s. The St. Ninian’s records have been digitised, indexed and transcribed so any references to individual former residents are easy to find and requests can be responded to quickly. As the entries in the admission register are quite brief and focus on admission and discharge dates we do supplement the register entry with entries from the logbooks or school newsletters where possible.

Sometimes advice is given on how to further a search for records if the applicant was found not to have been a resident in St. Ninian’s Falkland but may have been in another school.

During the reporting period the Christian Brothers’ archives responded to 15 Subject Access Requests (These were received from Birthlink, Wellbeing Scotland, directly from former residents, from solicitors for former residents and there were four who were found not to have been admitted to St. Ninian’s Falkland).

During the reporting period the Christian Brothers responded to seven enquiries from Scotland’s Redress Scheme seeking to confirm if previous payments have been made to former residents of St. Ninian’s.

Advice and assistance on tracing and reuniting families

St. Ninian’s Falkland only opened in 1951 with many of its residents having relatively short periods of residency there. Therefore, requests for tracing family history and reuniting families have not been received by the Congregation in relation to St. Ninian’s Falkland. We do receive and respond to many requests such as these for the residential schools the Congregation ran in Ireland dating back to 1870. We are aware that Birthlink and In Care Survivors Scotland have services available to former residents in Scotland and should we in the future receive requests for advice in this area their contact details will be provided.

Activity relating to the acknowledgment of abuse and provision of an apology to those abused

In 1998 The Christian Brothers in Ireland issued a message and apology to anyone who suffered ill treatment while in their care. They apologised to those who experienced physical or sexual abuse by a Christian Brother. This message was published in national newspapers at the time. Contact details for the Brothers in Ireland and Northern Ireland were given with contact details of Faoiseamh (now Towards Healing), a counselling service funded by Religious Congregations in Ireland including the Christian Brothers. Shortly after the apology in Ireland, the then English Province of the Christian Brothers (under whose jurisdiction St. Ninian’s was in) made a public statement. It referred to the message and apology in Ireland and stated that the Province Leader in England was ready to respond to people who may wish to make contact. It emphasised that the Brothers were ready to listen sympathetically to any complaints and were ready to offer practical help and advice. The English Province has since amalgamated with the Irish Provinces of the Christian Brothers.

The Christian Brothers have cooperated fully and positively with the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry since 2017 and have responded to all requests from the Inquiry including extensive requests for records relating to St. Ninian’s. Members of the Congregation attended and gave evidence at the Inquiry in 2019. The Congregation has acknowledged that children were abused within St. Ninian’s Falkland, has apologised unreservedly for this, and has acknowledged that the abuse of children is always reprehensible and intolerable. Apologies have also been given to individual former residents of St. Ninian’s that have made direct contact with the Christian Brothers’ Safeguarding Office. No individual apologies were requested during this reporting period in relation to St. Ninian’s.

Any other supports

A Designated Liaison Person with training in psychotherapy and counselling experience has been employed by the Christian Brothers and is available to former residents or past pupils of Christian Brothers’ schools should they wish to make direct contact with the Congregation for support in any area. The Province Safeguarding Statement is updated as and when necessary and is reviewed by the Trustees and the Safeguarding Team. The Christian Brothers do not currently have children under their care in Scotland. The Congregation is compliant with the policies and guidelines of the Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service (CSAS) and more recently the Religious Life Safeguarding Service (RLSS) and the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA) in England.

4.10 The Congregation of the Poor Servants of the Mother of God

The Congregation of The Poor Servants of the Mother of God does not currently have any Residential Care Services in Scotland. We have relevant policies and procedures, including safeguarding training, HR and Safeguarding Personnel in those countries where we have Social Services for children and vulnerable adults.

We acknowledge with sadness the wrongfulness of any and every form of abuse and harm suffered by ‘looked after children’ in the many institutions in Scotland, and we apologise profusely for whatever part we may have played in the abuse of children and vulnerable adults in our care.

To date, to the best of our knowledge, no complaint of abuse has been made by any former resident of St Mary’s, Galashiels. In consequence, for the foreseeable future, we do not intend to include the Redress Report on our website.

Since our last Report, sent on the 18 February 2025, to the best of my knowledge,

• No funding has been sought or made available for emotional, psychological or practical support.
• No advice or assistance has been sought or made available on accessing historical records.
• No advice or assistance has been sought on tracing and uniting family members.
• We are prepared to provide a private and/or public apology to any former resident of ours who, at some future date, may make a complaint of abuse against the Congregation of the Poor Servants of the Mother of God.

Sr Mary Whelan SMG

General Councillor and Trustee

4.11 The Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul

The Daughters of Charity continue to support survivors of abuse, work closely with the Redress Team and ensure that all safeguarding policies and procedures within the Congregation are of the highest standard and adhered to by all members of the Congregation and employees.

During the course of the last year, 7 December 2024 to 6 December 2025, we responded to 50 requests for verification regarding residence in our establishments in Scotland. These requests came from Wellbeing Scotland, Birthlink, solicitors and individuals. Subsequently we also verified these requests for the Redress Team and confirmed any previous payment given to individuals.

The Congregation’s archivist was readily available to assist the safeguarding team when, on a few occasions, verification was problematic.

As with previous years, all requests were dealt with swiftly, in order to minimise any anxiety arising for survivors in undertaking the process for redress.

Four letters of apology were written by the Provincial, and it is hoped that this helped in the healing process for individuals. Included in these letters is always a willingness to meet with and listen to the person concerned, if they so wish.

Pastoral support has been given to several people who have engaged with the Congregation and practical assistance was given to two people. No requests were received throughout the course of the year, to assist in tracing or reuniting families. This, we assume, is due to the fact that today, the average age of those who resided in our Care Establishments is approximately 60 years of age.

The Safeguarding Team, along with the Archivist and legal representatives are open to assisting anyone from our Care Establishments, who requests support of any kind.

The annual Memorial Service in Lanark, organised by the Chair of INCAS (In Care Abuse Survivors) in conjunction with the Daughters of Charity, took place in August. This was very well attended by survivors, Daughters of Charity and a few representatives from the Redress Team, whom we were delighted to welcome. The Daughters of Charity organised and financed a meal at the local Golf Club for everyone, which was greatly appreciated. The Trustees of the Daughters of Charity continue to finance this meal for everyone in the Golf Club after the Memorial Service, each year.

With regard to governance, safeguarding is an item on the agenda at the monthly Trustee meeting and the Policy is reviewed annually and distributed to all the members of the Congregation to read and adhere to.

The named Safeguarding Trustee, as well as the person responsible for Care and Support in our residential care homes, meet bi-monthly with the Safeguarding Team.

Also, all active members of the Congregation undertook Safeguarding Training during the course of the year, as well as each member of the Board of Trustees. The Safeguarding Administrator ensures that all PVGs/DBSs are current.

As the Daughters of Charity reside in both Scotland and England, they are actively involved in the Scottish Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (SCSSA) as well as the Religious Life Safeguarding Service (RLSS) and the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (SCSSA) in England.

We continue to work tirelessly, to ensure that all aspects of governance regarding safeguarding are adhered to, that all members of the Congregation understand safeguarding as integral to their lives and the lives of those with whom they have contact, and that we respond to all survivors with openness and respect.

4.12 De La Salle

Below is our Annual Report under the Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Act 2021. We will follow the criteria set in section 99(2) of that Act.

Background

In 1992, the De La Salle Brothers (the Brothers) left the last Scottish school in which they had a presence. Whilst the Brothers had provided the Head, some Teachers and some Residential Social Workers in the schools, the Brothers were not the statutory body responsible for operating the schools, nor were the Brothers the employers of any civilian staff in the schools. The statutory responsibility for these schools rather lay with the Managers appointed under the relevant Regulations (the Approved Schools (Scotland) Regulations 1961) and the statutory predecessors of these regulations. This statutory framework has significance in the context of this report given the Managers were not only the employers, and in loco parentis to the children, but the Managers, not the Brothers, were also responsible for the record-keeping (Regulation 49). The impact on this Report is that, without having had the statutory responsibility for record-keeping the scope for the Brothers to engage proactively is limited, but the Brothers have sought to engage when approached.

An additional hurdle is that, with the passage of time, all of the current Brothers who had taught in those schools are deceased, except for one (a former prisoner resulting from convictions for offences against children arising in these schools). Whilst the Head was a Brother, the Head was also an employee of the Managers (and indeed, we have a copy contract of employment with the Managers for the last Head of St Joseph’s School, Tranent, who was also a Brother).

We can confirm that following the above 2017 Limitation reforms a number of civil claims for damages were intimated on the Brothers, who have settled a number of litigations arising from former pupils.

We would also wish to add that in separate litigation proceedings in the last few years, the Brothers have succeeded in recovering payments from insurers for the Managers. These payments represent a reasonable proportion of a number of the settlement sums the Brothers have paid out to former pupils. In effect, the ultimate cost of a number of these claims has been split between the Brothers and the Manager’s insurers through this process. These recoveries have been made principally in separate later recovery proceedings so that claimants have not been delayed in receiving their damages. As well as what the Minutes and Logbooks have now shown on the contribution of others too, we do consider this has also vindicated our approach that the Managers (appointed under Statute) through their insurers require to accept a share of their legal liability.

Addressing specific aspects for the Annual Report we would comment as follows:

Activity relating to the provision of an apology to those abused.

We can confirm that in less than 5% of those litigations that have already settled, has an apology been requested. Where this has been requested, it has been provided promptly, individually, and unreservedly by the Brothers.

In addition, in 2024 and in early 2025, these schools have been the subject of Chapter 2 of Phase 8 of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry. The Provincial, the most senior office bearer of the Brothers in the UK, along with their Safeguarding Lead, were present for the entire Chapter of evidence concerning the Brothers. The Brothers apologised publicly both in their Opening and Closing statements for Chapter 2, and also again at the closing of Phase 8.

A public apology was also issued by the Brothers in 2021 following the conviction of Michael Murphy for criminal offences committed by him in these schools.

Advice and assistance on accessing historical records

It will be appreciated from the above context that the Brothers were not the record keepers for the schools under the 1961 Regulations. That statutory responsibility lay with the Managers as outlined above. The Brothers only have index cards showing where and when the individual Brothers were located at any particular time. The Brothers have sought to assist the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (the Inquiry) where they can by providing these index cards to the inquiry if requested.

In the last few years, the Brothers have undertaken extensive investigations to try to locate the school records and pupil records, since these are not in the possession of the Brothers, for the reasons already outlined, namely, the Brothers were not the statutory record-keepers. The Brothers made inquiries with the National Records of Scotland, submitted Freedom of Information requests to various local authorities, and made requests to the Archdioceses. These investigations finally proved fruitful in December 2023 when a court order the Brothers had been granted in their favour uncovered that extensive records were held by East Lothian Council relative to St Joseph’s School, Tranent. These also included 31 boxes of pupil records. East Lothian Council will have had these records as statutory successors of the Managers (who were the statutory record-keepers). The Brothers can now direct any inquirer to East Lothian Council for pupils’ records. The Brothers are heartened that they can assist with such SARs in the future. We would add that at the Closing Submissions of Phase 8 of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry in February 2025, we set out for the inquiry our understanding of what records had been found at East Lothian Council from those referred to for St Joseph’s School, Tranent. We did so in the Closing Submission to the inquiry by reference to an Addendum paper setting out more details of the records that we had seen, as held by East Lothian Council, relative to St Joseph’s School, Tranent. This Addendum paper provided an analysis of the extensive Minutes of Managers Meetings extending over decades, and also of the Daily Logbooks, also extending over decades. This has provided a flavour of the daily life of the school and the numerous stakeholders regularly in attendance and participating in decision-making and service provision, in addition to the Brothers. The Chair welcomed this additional work. The Addendum document has been loaded up onto the Inquiry website, and so no doubt that can be referred to by the Chair if she so chooses when writing her report. In any event, it is referred to in the Closing Submission, which submission no doubt should be publicly available in the Inquiry transcript.

Our Closing Submission of Phase 8 of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry in February 2025 also confirmed that, despite investigations, only very limited records had been uncovered for St Ninian’s School, Gartmore and that a Freedom of Information request to the relevant local authority (Stirling Council) had been fruitless. We referred the Inquiry to a police statement from 2000 that we had recently uncovered in a litigation. It referred to the records of St Ninian’s School Gartmore as having been destroyed on the instruction of the Scottish Executive/Scottish Office when the school was closed in 1982. We also pointed out to the Inquiry that there was evidence from a very elderly (now deceased) Brother (the former Head of St Joseph’s) who had taught at both these schools (St Joseph’s Tranent and at St Ninian’s Gartmore) who had confirmed the two schools were managed similarly. We would stress again that this additional work was done despite the Brothers having no statutory obligation (or entitlement) to have retained these records, since the Brothers were not the Managers under the 1961 Regulations and so had no responsibility for record-keeping.

The only other point we can add on the records position is that we do receive a number of SARS applications for records from solicitors acting for former pupils. When received, we have pointed out to the applicants the position on record keepers under the 1961 Regulations and re-directed them to the respective local authorities (with those local authorities being the statutory successors of the Managers appointed under the 1961 Regulations).

Funding for emotional, psychological or practical support

The settlements of civil claims reached have been global ones, but in a context where heads of claim have often included an element for damages payments for counselling. Given the global settlements, the Brothers do not know if any sum paid has actually been applied by any claimant for counselling or treatment, but certainly, settlement funds have been provided by the Brothers, which would more than cover such treatment costs. The Brothers could not insist on such treatment being sought as a condition of settlement. For the avoidance of any doubt, the reference here to the lack of separate requests for counselling is intended to cover the absence of separate requests for funding for emotional, psychological, or practical support.

As an aside, the Brothers have also become aware that some of the claimant’s solicitors have retained as fees from the claimant’s damages a proportion of the damages paid by the Brothers. The Brothers would emphasise that in the course of these settlements, the Brothers have also paid the claimants’ solicitors legal expenses (costs), so it appears that the claimants’ solicitors are receiving both legal expenses from the Brothers (who are uninsured) and also retaining a proportion of the claimant’s damages from the claimants. The Brothers would emphasise that the Brothers are not party to any such arrangements between the claimants and their own legal advisors. The Brothers do not approve that some claimant’s representatives in legal firms are doing so, but the Brothers have no means to prevent that from occurring, even though it limits the actual damages being received in the hands of claimants. From press reports, the Brothers are aware that such legal firms also seem to be taking a proportion of Redress payments from Redress applicants, but again, the Brothers have no means to prevent that since it is a matter between the Redress applicants and their legal advisors.

The Brothers have not been approached by any survivors’ groups in Scotland.

Advice and assistance on tracing and reuniting families

The Brothers’ involvement was in the day-to-day operation of Approved/List D Schools. Pupils arrived at such schools upon referrals through the Children’s Hearing system under the Social Work (Sc) Act 1968, so subject to compulsory measures of care. Generally, these pupils remained at such schools for about 18 months before being returned to the family setting. In those circumstances, advice and assistance on tracing and reuniting families in the present day has not been an issue since the pupils were returned to the family setting in the time period proximate to their attendance in the schools concerned. At the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, we do recall one or two isolated instances where applicants gave evidence that, on their return to their families, they had discovered their families had moved without notifying them prior to the return from the school in question. However, the Brothers would add that the Brothers have never seen any civil claim where an allegation has been made against the Brothers requesting such assistance or alleging failure to provide such assistance.

The Brothers took no part in any child migration from Scotland, given the nature and role of the schools in which the Brothers had a presence.

In this respect, the Brothers would reiterate that the impact on this Report is that, without having had the statutory responsibility for record-keeping, the scope for the Brothers to engage proactively in other support is limited, but the Brothers have sought to engage when approached as outlined elsewhere in this report.

Having withdrawn from the last Scottish school in 1992, the Brothers have no presence in Scotland. The Brothers educate around 900,000 children globally. The Brothers have appropriate measures in place in the jurisdictions in which they are still present to ensure the relevant local safeguarding policies and care measures are in place. The Brothers have sought to listen and learn at the Scottish inquiry, through attending every day, and have fed back those lessons into their communities in other jurisdictions.

Finally, the Brothers would reiterate that we remain committed to continuing to monitor the progress of the Redress scheme generally and to keep under review our relationship to it.

Brother Benidict Hanlon FSC,

Chair of the De La Salle GB CIO

4.13 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 6 December 2025, East Park was not made aware of any claims specifically naming East Park. (Although we have had historical enquiries, I am not aware of any 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 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 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 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 20 September 2025 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.

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

We have no records of any individuals who were abused to report for the period 7 December 2024 to 6 December 2025.

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.

Catriona Campbell

Head of Education

4.14 Harmeny Education Trust

Introduction

This report sets out the non-financial steps that Harmeny Education Trust Limited (HETL) has taken to meet our obligations as a member of the Scottish Government’s Redress Scheme (the Scheme) for Survivors of Historic Abuse. The reporting period covers 7 December 2024 to 6 December 2025. The report is submitted to the Scottish Government in line with our obligations under the Scheme.

During the reporting period, we had no direct contact from the Scottish Government Redress Team regarding any former pupils placed at Harmeny School (the School) during the period HETL has held responsibility for running the School (from December 1995). We have not been made aware of any verification requests to Save the Children UK (SCUK).

We have received eight new subject access requests (SAR) relating to former pupils and have met our obligations in this regard. Five of these were in regards to the time of the Harmeny Education Trust. Two were from the stewardship of Save the Children.

We outline, below, the measures that we have in place to ensure that we are prepared to provide assistance or support to survivors who make contact with us.

Governance

We have taken the following steps to ensure that we fulfil our obligations under the Scheme and provide high-quality support for survivors:

• The Chief Executive holds responsibility for overseeing HETL’s commitments under the Scheme, with a team of individuals providing support, including the Administration Manager, Head of HR (who fulfils the role of Data Protection Officer), Harmeny’s Social Worker and HETL’s external solicitors.
• Requests are responded to within required timeframes, and HETL’s Trustees are regularly kept up-to-date at Board meetings.
• An agreement is in place with SCUK regarding how we work together to support former pupils to access records and provide emotional, psychological or practical support.

Providing, emotional, psychological or practical support

During the reporting period, we have not had any requests for emotional, psychological or practical support from individuals who were abused as children during the period HETL has run the School. As an organisation involved in the therapeutic care and education of children and young people who have experienced early years trauma through abuse and neglect, we have a number of resources which will allow us to offer such support to any former pupils. These are as follows:

• Harmeny Here4U, a ‘transitions and keeping in touch’ project, which enables former pupils to maintain contact with Harmeny and have conversations about their time at the School. This allows us to evaluate and learn from their experiences, and signpost former pupils to services which might provide support in relation to their identified needs.
• A fully qualified Harmeny Social Worker, whose background includes significant child protection experience and the provision of practical and compassionate support to children and families.
• A Therapies Manager, who is a Chartered Psychologist, and oversees a small team of Therapists and Assessment and Planning Workers.
• A therapeutic practice framework, known as the Harmeny Way, describing the range of theories and evidence-informed approaches which inform our work.

The above resources allow us to work in a trauma informed way, and in the event of a request from a former pupil who may have been abused during the time HETL has run the School, a package of support would be put together, in consultation with the individual, and tailored to their needs. This might include counselling through a third-party accredited provider depending on where the individual lived.

Our approach will always be flexible and continually monitored, and will be refined based on feedback on how it works in practice from survivors over the course of the Scheme.

Providing assistance to survivors to access historical records

We have a contractual agreement in place with SCUK to ensure that our obligations to make historical records relating to the School available to applicants under the Scheme are met. This agreement sets out the basis for the control, protection and sharing of personal data between HETL and SCUK in line with data protection legislation and guidance, as well as forming the basis on which HETL and SCUK co-operate with one another in relation to access to, and use of, historical records relating to the School.

Under our agreement, and in practice, HETL and SCUK work closely together to handle SARs by former pupils of the School. Such requests are generally received by the management at HETL, whereafter HETL and SCUK jointly prepare the response to the individual (if appropriate) to ensure that all appropriate records relating to their request can be provided.

HETL maintains contact with the individual making a request, or their representative, by telephone or email, and offers the opportunity for the individual to visit the School, if they would like to do so. A copy of the book, ‘Recollections of Harmeny: The First Fifty Years’ see 7.5) is also available free of charge for any former pupil, should they wish to have a copy.

Providing assistance in tracing and reuniting families

We have had no requests to provide assistance in tracing and reuniting families during the reporting period. Should an individual request this we would support them in doing so, with our Here4U Project Worker taking a lead role in this, supported by the Chief Executive.

Providing apologies to survivors

As stated in our Acknowledgement Letter, published on the Scottish Government’s Redress Scheme’s Website, Harmeny Education Trust offers our unreserved and sincere apologies to anyone who suffered abuse or harm while in our care. While nothing can undo the hurt and pain suffered, we hope that being part of the redress scheme confirms our commitment to making amends.

During this reporting period, we have not provided an apology to any individual survivors; however, we acknowledge the importance of this element in relation to non-financial redress. Our approach would be to tailor an apology to an individual who was abused or harmed during the period HETL has held responsibility for running the School, ensuring that they are treated with dignity, respect and compassion.

Where a face-to-face apology is requested/agreed by an individual victim and/or their family, we would be willing to provide this. We would equally be willing to provide a written apology only, where a victim expressed such a preference. We would seek advice as appropriate in those circumstances.

Other support

Contact/visits from former pupils

Our Harmeny Here4U project offers former pupils, both from during the period in which SCUK ran the School as well as during the period in which HETL has run the School, the opportunity to visit the School. SCUK has provided a financial contribution to HETL to support former pupils from their time with travel and other expenses. During their visit, we provide hospitality through food and refreshments, allow the them time to share memories of their time at the School, provide a tour, provide a free copy of the ‘Recollections of Harmeny’ book (see 7.5), and share any photographs and historic archives which might be of interest.

During the reporting period, Harmeny Here4U Project hosted the following visits:

• Visits from one SCUK former pupils, totalling three separate visits.
• Visits from 25 HETL former pupils, totalling 14 separate visits.

We also have a monthly visit from one former pupil to meet with her sister who still resides at Harmeny.

We had contact with 44 individuals in total from the time of the Harmeny Education Trust and 6 from the time of Save the Children.

The Harmeny Here4U project also had first time contact from three former pupils from the SCUK period of governance and two new contacts from the HETL period.

Formal Pupil Memorial

Over the course of the reporting period, we have continued to work with the current young people at Harmeny and several potential partners, to identify an appropriate focus on site for former pupils of both SCUK and HETL to mark their connection with Harmeny. The proposal is similar to the ‘love locks’ concept seen in many places around the world. Costings have been forthcoming from different installation providers and these are currently being considered. This is the second attempt to take this forward having been let down by the artist commissioned in 2024.

National standards and commitment to quality

HETL has very good processes in place to safeguard the welfare of children in our care, evidenced by strong inspection reports over the last 16 years. We are dedicated to providing the highest quality services, and the safety and wellbeing of children in our care are core to our values, practice and ethos.

We are regulated and inspected by the Care Inspectorate, and are required to provide residential care and education to children and young people, in line with national Health and Social Care Standards. In June 2025 we received an unannounced care inspection and received the grade of 5 (Very Good).

The key inspection findings were as below:

• Young people were kept safe both emotionally and physically by confident staff who knew and understood their needs and risks well
• Young people experienced very warm, nurturing, and respectful interactions with staff
• We were impressed with how well young people were supported to maintain and develop connections with family, friends and the community
• We were impressed with the significant positive change in culture across the organisation
• Strong leaderships supported staff wellbeing, learning and development, resulting in increased staff retention
• The organisation’s ‘Here 4U’ project was impressive and supported transitions for young people within and out of the service
• Quality assurance processes impacted positively on learning and development and improved practice.

(Care Inspectorate June 2025)

Safeguarding policy and procedures

We have a comprehensive Child Protection (CP) Policy based on the Scottish National guidance, which includes clear procedures for handling CP and well-being concerns. The policy and procedures are overseen by the Chief Executive, updated regularly, and signed off by the Board of Trustees. The policy includes the following key sections:

• Definitions of CP and well-being concerns.
• Types and indicators of abuse.
• Procedures for reporting concerns internally and externally.
• Recording procedures.
• Roles and responsibilities.
• Procedures when allegations against staff are made.
• Staff supports.
• Training.

All staff, volunteers and consultants are required to undertake CP training and read the policy and procedures as part of their induction, and receive refresher training on a regular basis. A group of Lead CP Officers meets quarterly to review incidents, update the CP Policy and oversee the provision of training, alongside our learning and development team.

Safeguarding governance

A summary of safeguarding issues is provided at each Board meeting by the Chief Executive, and Trustees are invited to ask any questions or provide feedback in relation to this. Trustees also regularly visit the School and attend School events and Harmeny Pupil Council. Pupil and parent/carer representatives attend the Board once per year to provide feedback on the quality of services and make suggestions around how they might be improved.

Historic archive

As well as the safe storage of former pupils’ records, we hold a small historic archive relating to the School’s history, including documents relating to the establishment and development of the School, photographs, annual reports, newspaper articles, and records of visits from dignitaries and officials. In 2014, HETL published ‘Recollections of Harmeny: The First Fifty Years’, which tells the story through words and pictures of Harmeny School, drawing on stories of staff and former pupils.

The Harmeny archive has now been digitised in full.

Participation in the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry

In 2018 HETL was named by the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI) and was advised by the Inquiry Team that we were required to respond for the period from December 1995, when HETL took over the running of the School. We are fully cooperating with the process and submitted a formal two-part questionnaire in September 2019, covering the period from 21 December 1995 to December 2014. Subsequent to that we answered a number of queries from the Inquiry Team and made a further submission in January 2025.

In November 2023, Lady Smith, Chair of the Inquiry, announced Phase 9 of the Inquiry, which convened in 2025 focusing on the provision of residential care in establishments for children and young people with long-term healthcare needs, additional support needs and disabilities. The Chief Executive appeared on behalf of HETL as part of Block 3 of Phase 9, alongside around 17 other establishments, and made a full apology to anyone who felt that they had suffered from abuse at Harmeny since 1958 and to all people who had been abused by people they should have been able to trust in Scotland. We remain highly supportive of the SCAI and will continue to fully cooperate with any further requests that the Inquiry Team might have.

Gavin Calder

Chief Executive

4.15 Kibble Education and Care Centre

Introduction

This report is submitted in response to a formal reporting direction issued by Scottish Ministers under the Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Act 2021. It covers the reporting period from 7 December 2024 to 6 December 2025.

Kibble Education and Care Centre recognises that the requirement to produce an Annual Redress Report is both a statutory obligation and an important opportunity to demonstrate how the organisation approaches matters relating to historical abuse with transparency, care, and respect for those affected.

The report sets out Kibble’s activity during the reporting period across the areas specified by Scottish Ministers, including support for access to historical records, practical and administrative assistance, engagement with national redress processes, and the organisation’s ongoing commitment to trauma informed practice.

In preparing this report, Kibble remains mindful that redress extends beyond financial measures alone and includes acknowledgment, accountability, and the manner in which organisations respond to those seeking information about their past. This report reflects Kibble’s continued commitment to meeting these responsibilities in a sensitive, proportionate, and compliant manner.

Funding for emotional, psychological, or practical support

During the reporting period, Kibble received 104 requests for records from individuals, or their representatives, seeking information relating to their time in Kibble’s care.

Kibble continued to invest in a dedicated records team responsible for reviewing historical records held by the organisation. This investment enabled requests to be managed efficiently and consistently, supporting timely access to records where these were held and ensuring that disclosures were made in a compliant and trauma informed manner.

This established capability also supported prompt engagement with the Scottish Government Redress Team, particularly where verification of records or confirmation of information was required in relation to applications made under the Redress Scheme. Kibble recognises the critical importance of effective record management in all contexts and continues to make ongoing investments in this area, supported by both the Board and the Chief Executive.

Kibble confirms that, during the reporting period, it did not engage in direct contact with survivors of abuse. This reflects a considered and respectful approach, recognising that engagement should be survivor-led and supported through appropriate redress and advocacy routes.

During the reporting period, Kibble also participated in the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, complying fully with its legal obligations, including the provision of Section 21 responses, attendance at proceedings, and the provision of evidence where required.

Advice and assistance on accessing historical records

During the reporting period, Kibble successfully provided all available records to 80 requestors. Two requests remain open due to the volume of records involved.

For 20 requests, Kibble was unable to confirm, based on the records available, whether the individuals had previously been in Kibble’s care. Of the remaining four requests, these related to records not held by Kibble, identification not having been provided to enable release, records having previously been sent to a requestor’s colleague, or a requestor choosing not to proceed.

Where records could not be provided, Kibble offered practical advice and guidance on alternative sources of information, including relevant local authorities.

Throughout this process, Kibble maintained established collaborative relationships with Birthlink and Wellbeing Scotland, both of which support individuals seeking access to historical records.

Kibble is transparent in its correspondence with requestors about the limitations of historical records, acknowledging that not all records have been preserved over time and that some may provide only limited confirmation of an individual’s care experience, such as dates of admission and discharge.

Where more substantive records are available, Kibble adopts a sensitive and trauma informed approach to disclosure, recognising that historical records may contain information that is distressing or challenging to read.

Advice and assistance on tracing and reuniting families

During the reporting period, Kibble did not receive any requests for support relating to the tracing and reunification of families.

Kibble remains prepared to provide assistance should such requests arise and continues to support individuals seeking information about family members who were previously in Kibble’s care and who have since passed away, helping them to understand more about their family history and heritage.

Activities relating to the acknowledgement of abuse and providing a meaningful apology to survivors

Kibble has not been provided with details of any Redress Scheme payments made to former residents who were in its care. During the reporting period, Kibble did not receive any direct contact from individuals seeking an acknowledgment of, or an apology for, abuse experienced during their time in Kibble’s care.

As part of Kibble’s participation in the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, a formal acknowledgment of historical abuse was made and a public apology was issued to all survivors who experienced abuse while in Kibble’s care. This acknowledgment remains central to Kibble’s approach and continues to inform organisational culture and practice.

Other relevant examples of support provided to survivors

Kibble has a longstanding commitment to maintaining appropriate connections with individuals who have previously been in its care and who have reached out for support or informal engagement.

The organisation continues to enhance its practices through a trauma informed model of care across all services. Kibble also continues to embrace The Promise, which informs the ongoing development of policies and practices relating to care, safeguarding, and protection.

Closing Statement

In responding to its obligations under the Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Act 2021, Kibble remains conscious that how it responds to requests for information, how it communicates about the past, and how it maintains appropriate boundaries are all integral to meaningful redress.

This report reflects Kibble’s continued commitment to approaching these responsibilities with care, consistency, and accountability, and to ensuring that organisational learning from historical harm continues to inform present and future practice.

4.16 Loaningdale

Loaningdale School Company closed in 1969 and no longer operates as an approved school, and therefore have limited information about support provided for individuals who were abused while attending the approved school.

We have no names or any records of any of the pupils and any correspondence we have received in the reporting period covered in this report from organisations representing ex-pupils of the approved school have been replied to advising we hold no historic records and as a member of the Redress Scheme asking them to contact the Redress Scheme with any future correspondence or claim. During the reporting period we have received two requests for historic records that we have replied to.

As we do not get any information from the redress scheme regarding individual claimants we have no way of offering any assistance unless a former pupil or their agent contacts us directly for support, which we would respond to.

“Advice and assistance on accessing historical records” is the only activity that we have taken part in, in the current year, as discussed above.

We do have in our governing documents that we would consider supporting former pupils of Loaningdale Approved School but to date have not had any requests.

If we receive any requests then we would deal with them sympathetically.

4.17 Local Authorities

Introduction

Scottish Local Government is committed to providing redress to survivors of historical child abuse. In doing so, local authorities collectively acknowledge and seek to address the wrongs of the past and the harm caused by historical child abuse, in a meaningful and tangible way.

In terms of financial reparation, local authorities initially committed to contributing £100 million to the cost of the redress scheme, to be incrementally top sliced from the Local Government Settlement over a period of 10 years. This started with £5 million in financial year 2022/23 and there will be a £10 million contribution in 2026/27.

In October 2025, COSLA Leaders agreed a £50 million uplift to the Local Government contribution to the Scheme, with the contribution now capped at £150 million. As part of the agreement to an uplift Local Government emphasised that there needed to be operational improvements to the Scheme, in order to address the challenges set out in this report and to improve the survivor journey.

In addition to financial reparation, local authorities are also collectively committed to providing wider non-financial redress for survivors of historical abuse, including acknowledgment, apology and therapeutic support.

As contributors to Scotland’s Redress Scheme during the reporting period which commenced on 7 December 2022, Scottish local authorities are required to provide the Scottish Ministers with a redress report, in accordance with Section 99 of the Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Act 2021.

This document is a collective annual redress report for Local Government, which has been prepared by COSLA (Convention of Scottish local authorities) on behalf of all 32 Scottish local authorities, in collaboration with Local Government partners including Social Work Scotland. In line with the requirements of the Act, it provides information on the non-financial redress activities that have been undertaken by local authorities during the reporting period which ran from 7 December 2024 to 6 December 2025 (referred to hereafter as ‘the reporting period’). The report also provides information on current policy and practice within local authorities, in relation to the care and protection of children and young people, as well as further actions currently underway to improve care and protection.

Support provided by local authorities during reporting period

Local authorities have undertaken a range of wider, non-financial redress activities during the reporting period. Provision varies between local authorities, with councils designing and delivering support in a way that seeks to respond to the specific needs of their communities and individuals living in their area. This section provides a summary of the support that has been provided across Local Government during the reporting period.

Funding for emotional, psychological or practical support

Many local authorities continue to provide, or fund partner organisations to provide, support services for survivors of abuse. Some local authorities provide or fund services specifically for those seeking redress through the scheme.

In addition, there have been some instances where a local authority has funded access to specialist counselling or other forms of support for individual survivors.

Nationally, support for survivors seeking redress through the Scheme is provided by Future Pathways, funded by Scottish Government.

Advice and assistance on accessing historical records

All 32 local authorities continue to provide survivors with advice and assistance on accessing historical records. The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry and recent related increase in requests for access to records has highlighted this as a significant area for local authorities.

All 32 councils have existing processes in place to support the individual’s right to access their own personal data under the Data Protection Act 2018 (‘DPA2018’), also known as Subject Access Requests or SARs. Work is ongoing to reduce duplication across existing Local Authority processes and Redress-related information requests.

The right of access is subject to legal provisions under the DPA2018 and statutory guidance from the Information Commissioner’s Office, which limit the information that local authorities can lawfully disclose. For example, local authorities can only provide personal information relating to the individual making the request. Information relating to third parties, including children who are not related and were in the same establishments, often cannot be disclosed. Historic recordkeeping practices also differ significantly from today’s. These combined factors mean that accessing historic records can be a complex and complicated matter. Local authorities are keen to simplify processes for survivors to access their records and to make these processes as clear and straightforward as possible. The importance of rights-based approaches which balance data protection, confidentiality, privacy and human rights is recognised.

Local authorities are reviewing their systems and processes to ensure information on how to access records and how to access records to support Redress applications and the support that is available to people is open and transparent. Many local authorities have dedicated individuals or teams who respond to access requests, though the nature of the dedicated resource varies dependent on geography, span, reach and need. A further complexity in the system is that it is sometimes the case that a survivor or their representative (solicitor or support agency) submits a SAR seeking all records or all records up to the age of eighteen when they do not need to access their full records to support their personal statement, whether for fixed or individually assessed payments. Of course, sometimes survivors may wish to see their full records in advance of making a decision about pursuing Redress and/or to consider what information is held. However, sometimes it may be that they do not need to seek all of their records and may not need to request all of their records through SAR.

People absolutely have the right to access all of their records, their personal information, to understand their identity, family life, decision-making history, and more. This is critical. However, we must consider whether these important motivations are being overshadowed by the demands of the Redress process, potentially contributing to delays or complications. The tension being the legal right to access personal information against the practical needs of the Redress Scheme.

To support systems development and review Aberdeen City Council, The City of Edinburgh Council, Birthlink and Wellbeing Scotland continue to be a part of a pilot in relation to the Fixed Redress process. Lessons learned and areas for development are progressed through the Local Authority Redress Group to ensure best outcomes for people subjected to abuse.

Person centred and trauma informed approaches to records access is also recognised as critical to support the unique journey of each person seeking their records. The significant impact that seeking records can have is recognised across the country, and Local authorities have and are developing responsive, trauma informed teams and reviewing resources to support those seeking their records.

Social Work Scotland recently undertook a piece of research into the experience of care- experienced people accessing their records across Scotland, along with other relevant groups. Accessing Records in Scotland was published in July 2024, providing the foundation to develop a consistent, trauma informed, rights-based framework to support organisations responding to Right of Access requests. The voices of people with lived experience of care and accessing records are at the heart of this project. This report lays the foundation for a Gold Standard Best Practice Guide. The development of the Gold Standard is supported across the country. This project continues and updates will be provided in due course.

Advice and assistance on tracing and reuniting families

In the specific area of non-financial redress for survivors of historical abuse, we are not aware at this time of any specific cases where local authorities have provided support with tracing and reuniting families. However, some local authorities, to support next of kin redress applications, carry out forensic research to trace family members.

As it relates to adoption and fostering, local authorities must provide post adoption support services for adoptive people/birth families seeking information, or to be reunited. Some authorities outsource this service to other organisations.

Activities relating to the acknowledgement of abuse and providing a meaningful apology to survivors

A number of local authorities have given evidence at the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, which is investigating the historical abuse of children in care in Scotland. In the process of giving evidence, including through written submissions, oral evidence and opening and closing statements, many local authorities have taken the opportunity to include acknowledgement and acceptance of historical failings and abuse, and issue apologies to survivors. This is a key mechanism by which councils have sought to acknowledge and provide meaningful apology to survivors during the reporting period. Transcripts from the inquiry hearings are accessible online here.

As a contributor to the Scheme, a letter of acknowledgement was submitted by COSLA’s Resources Spokesperson on behalf of all Scottish local authorities. This letter confirms Local Government’s commitment to providing redress to survivors, collective acknowledgement of and commitment to address the wrongs of the past, and commitment to provide financial as well as non-financial redress, including acknowledgement, apology, and therapeutic support for survivors.

Local authorities, as an aspect of redress, also provide individual apologies. These can be written or face to face dependent on the survivor’s needs and circumstances. A range of such apologies have taken place over the reporting period.

Other examples of support

Local authorities continue to provide information during the reporting period on new policies and practices which have been put in place to prevent the harms of the past repeating. Information of this kind has been included in submissions and opening and closing statements made by a number of local authorities in their contributions to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry.

In many cases current local strategies and policies relating to the care and protection of children are publicly accessible online. In addition, relevant legislation, as well as a number of national level policy frameworks and guidance materials which are implemented or applied by local authorities, can be accessed online.

The possibility of providing memorial events continues to be considered and may be planned in future by local authorities.

Challenges facing Local authorities when providing support

Local authorities are committed to providing support to survivors and have taken a range of actions to do so during the reporting period.

However, due to high demand and significant resource pressures, particularly in relation to staffing within local authorities and the complexities and pressures around accessing records, timeous engagement and support for care-experienced people seeking support have not always been possible during the reporting period. This is a consequence of the significant budgetary and financial challenges facing councils and does not demonstrate a lack of desire to provide that support.

Over the reporting period all local authorities have been operating in a climate of staffing vacancies and a national shortage of social workers. Some local authorities have been working with 64-75% staffing, with this level of vacancy having a significant impact on ability to carry out core functions. While national work is ongoing to seek to improve this picture, this is a longer-term activity. There are also a number of new and ongoing policy, practice and legislative developments underway which are impacting on the workforce, in particular children’s services.

The budgetary and financial pressures currently facing Local Government remain significant. Over the past decade, Local Government has experienced substantial pressure on core budgets as a result of real-terms cuts to funding and increased demand, compounded by inflation, the cost-of-living crisis, the impact of Covid, an ageing population and climate change. This has meant that Councils have been forced to make difficult choices about service funding levels. This has significant implications for local services, and the staffing capacity and resources at their disposal, which restricts the ability of local authorities to deliver on important priorities, including the provision of non-financial redress under the Scheme – for which no additional funding has been made available by Scottish Government.

As is referenced above, whilst local authorities are fully committed to the provision of wider redress support to survivors, without adequate funding they regrettably do not have the capacity or resources to provide timeous support to survivors in every case.

Developments in Policy and Practice – care and protection of children and young people

The landscape of legislation, policy, and practice around the care and protection of children and young people has developed significantly over recent decades, with many important changes being made to the way that national and local systems and services are designed and delivered. This includes changes to legislation; national policy frameworks and guidance; local planning and partnership working; as well as developments in specific areas of policy and practice at both national and local level.

In 2002 the first Child Protection Reform Programme was launched, resulting in key achievements such as the Children’s Charter, the Framework for Standards and guidance for Child Protection Committees (latterly incorporated into the National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland). A further programme of reform within care and protection services began in 2016 as the focus of the Child Protection Improvement Programme (CPIP). As described in the meeting of the National Child Protection Leadership Group in March 2023 (see minute), a review of the delivery of the CPIP and the Child Protection Systems Review (CPSR) by CELCIS concluded that all actions and recommendations have been adequately addressed.

Since 2007, the Care Inspectorate have led a regular schedule of strategic inspections of children’s services which support improvement in how local multiagency children’s planning partnerships design, develop, deliver, and evaluate services for children. As well as the strategic inspections, registered services such as residential, foster care, adoption and continuing care services undergo separate inspections and are scrutinised in depth by local authorities themselves, the Care Inspectorate and other inspection bodies.

Growing networks to share emerging learning from the myriad of quality assurance and evaluation activity now routinely underway within and across services, assist in ensuring lessons learned are shared in order to maximise their value. This includes improved use of technology such as Knowledge Hub which facilitate online communities of practice.

Development of care and protection services has reflected new understandings of the nature and extent of child abuse and neglect, advances in policy and practice in caring for children when the level of risk requires that they be removed from their family home, broader changes in relation to the place of children in society and an increasing focus on children’s rights, including progress to incorporate UNCRC into Scottish legislation.

Placement of children and young people who require alternative care in family settings has always been a focus for local authorities but has been given additional emphasis over recent years. This has included a significant increase in the use of formal kinship care as a placement of choice for children, and additional support for permanent kinship placements.

Many of the inquiry reports on the abuse of children in care have highlighted issues in relation to the recruitment and selection of carers, their education and training, and the levels of support they receive when caring for children and young people. Legislative, policy and practice changes have been made based on this.

Against this background of significant development and improvement, local authorities take a wide range of actions to ensure that in the discharge of their statutory duties, and through the services they provide, they satisfy the required standards of care and meet the wellbeing, development and safety needs of children and vulnerable people. This section provides a non-exhaustive overview of policy and practice changes over this reporting period (including changes still currently being developed or implemented), which local authorities adhere to in the course of their work with looked after/ care- experienced children and young people.

It should be noted that the pieces of work highlighted below do not sit in isolation from each other or other areas of policy and practice (including, for example, education, child poverty, and children and young people’s mental health); Local Government is committed to ensuring that the work being taken forward, as outlined below, is not siloed and that every effort is made to ensure that joined-up approaches are taken.

It is worth noting that there are a number of other legislative and policy changes and improvement currently being proposed and/or developed (for example the Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act; Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning Bill). It is worth noting the Care, Care Experience and Services Planning Bill passed stage one on Monday 19th January 2026. If passed it is anticipated to have a significant impact for local authorities and the delivery of services in future.

National developments

Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC)

With the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) as its foundation, GIRFEC provides Scotland with a consistent framework and shared language for promoting, supporting, and safeguarding the wellbeing of all children and young people. GIRFEC is based on evidence, is internationally recognised and is an example of a child rights-based approach. It is locally embedded and positively embraced by practitioners and managers across children’s services, changing cultures, systems and practice for the benefit of children, young people and their families.

Scottish Government published refreshed GIRFEC guidance in December 2022, which reassures leaders, managers and practitioners about how GIRFEC should be delivered within the current legislative and policy framework of rights, information sharing, and delivery of supports and services to children, young people and their families.

Amongst the refreshed guidance is Getting it right for every child Practice Guidance 3Role of the lead professional 2022. which provides updated guidance for those in the role of Lead Professional. For children who are looked after, the Lead Professional is usually the local authority social worker. The Lead Professional coordinates delivery of the child’s plan and support for the child and their family. The refreshed guidance has an increased emphasis on the voice of the child or young person, including enabling participation within decision-making.

A new GIRFEC Child’s Plan Practice Statement was published by the Scottish Government in October 2023. It aims to provide practitioners with confidence, clarity and practical support to continue to implement GIRFEC.

The non-statutory child’s plan remains a core component of the GIRFEC approach to promoting, supporting and safeguarding the wellbeing of children and young people.

This new practice statement reflects the relationship and alignment between statutory and non-statutory plans, and recent legislative and policy developments. It covers what a child’s plan is within GIRFEC, when a child’s plan should be considered, who should be involved in the development and review of a child’s plan, how a child’s plan supports transitions and chronologies.

You can find the statement here, on the Scottish Government website, along with an easy read version here, also on the Government website.

National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland

The National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland was updated in 2021, and again in 2023, to ensure that all professionals working with children and families continue to have up to date guidance on care and protection. A National Child Protection Guidance Implementation Group was in place between September 2021 and September 2023 to undertake detailed implementation planning as local areas engage with the Guidance and a fuller picture of support needs for practitioners, managers and leaders emerges. Certain workstreams continue.

As part of the national implementation plan for the revised National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland, a National Learning and Development post was funded by the Scottish Government for two years, supporting substantive revision of the National Framework for Child Protection Learning and Development. The National Framework for Child Protection Learning and Development has been revised and central learning materials developed to assist the multiagency workforce with the skills and knowledge required to effectively protect children and young people.

A cornerstone of the system in place in Scotland to protect children from harm is the Interagency Referral Discussion (IRD). IRDs are formal processes for sharing information and making decisions regarding the protection of children when concerns about abuse or neglect arise.

Part of the work outlined above to support implementation of the National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland, included work by a multiagency group to develop a National IRD training course for those identified within national guidance as being a core partner within IRD: namely police, social work, and health.

From 2025/2026 a National IRD Project has been established.

Funded by Scottish Government, this project is a collaborative initiative aimed at enhancing the protection of children in Scotland. It involves a multiagency team from social work, police, and health, delivering a national learning and development programme for IRDs.

This project is the next stage of national delivery following a stakeholder survey in 2023 and two pilots of the new training programme in 2024/2025. Following positive evaluation of the pilot, there was support for a national roll out within a geographical focus to support existing partnership working.

The project focuses on building specialist knowledge and skills to ensure that risk to a child or young person is identified, mitigated and appropriate support put in place. This work will further strengthen the child protection system in Scotland.

There are 31 Child or Public Protection Committees across Scotland. These are locally based, multiagency strategic partnerships who lead on local child protection policy and practice, as well as contribute to national policy and practice. Amongst their responsibilities, which include strategic planning, multiagency learning and development and continuous improvement, these Committees also lead local programmes of awareness raising about child abuse and neglect and they actively promote routes for children and families to seek support as well as guidance for adults on how to identify early indicators of concern about children.

The National Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (CSAE) Strategy Group

The National Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (CSAE) Strategy Group was established at the end of 2024 to provide national level expertise and strategic oversight to inform effective responses to CSAE in Scotland across prevention, identification, deterrence and recovery. A work plan for year one of this group progressed under the leadership of co-chairs Police Scotland and the Office of the Chief Social Work Adviser with priority areas around workforce development, .education as prevention and recovery and survivor support.

An independent national review of local responses to group based CSAE is being undertaken, the first stage of which involves four inspectorate bodies scrutinising data and evidence from all local authorities and this is complemented by ongoing review work by Police Scotland.

Professor Alexis Jay takes up the role of independent chair of the National CSAE Strategy Group from January 2026 and will advise on the reviews design, and at key stages of the investigation. This review, ongoing work by Police Scotland and the National CSAE Strategy Group will help inform a future decision by Scottish Government on any need for a public enquiry into group based CSAE.

Local partnership activity

Children’s Services Planning

Under Part 3 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, local authorities and health boards hold joint statutory responsibility for developing, publishing, implementing and reporting on local Children’s Services Plans (CSPs). Local authorities and health boards work collaboratively with other members of their Community Planning Partnerships, as well as children, young people and their families, as part of this process. Each local authority and its relevant health board jointly prepare a Children’s Services Plan every three years, as well as annual progress reports. CSPs set the strategic direction for the planning and delivery of children’s services in each area and highlight priorities and key areas of focus for the three-year period. The current cycle of CSPs runs from 2023 to 2026.

This process is in place to ensure that local planning and delivery of children’s services is integrated, focused on securing quality and value through preventative approaches, and dedicated to safeguarding, supporting and promoting child wellbeing. It aims to ensure that any action to meet need is taken at the earliest appropriate time and that, where appropriate, this is taken to prevent need arising.

Participation and voice of children, young people and families

Inquiries and reviews, including those related to child abuse and neglect in care settings, have consistently highlighted missed opportunities to respond to early concerns about children due to failure to hear children or notice and respond to indicators of distress.

Most children and young people who experience abuse and neglect do not disclose their experiences at the time. This is due to several factors but, critically, children fear that they will not be believed, or their experience is that they have tried to tell someone what has happened, and they have not been believed.

Cultural changes in our society mean that we are, collectively, more willing to recognise that abuse and neglect of children does occur and that it can occur in a variety of places, including being perpetrated by those charged with caring for children. This shift is helping us to create more opportunities for children to be heard in policymaking, in service design and in their own lives. With the range of national level frameworks noted above – all of which promote an explicit focus on the voice of the child – local children’s services partnerships have a range of mechanisms in place to ensure children’s voices are heard and are actively, meaningfully involved in the support, services and systems that impact them. These include children’s rights officers and services, advocacy services and Champions Boards.

In addition, much more attention is being paid to ensuring children are aware of their rights, including their right to protection from abuse, and to providing education and awareness to children and families, and those that come into contact with them, about child abuse and neglect and where to seek help if they have worries.

All local authorities have a children’s rights plan, often designed with children and young people and incorporated into their children’s services plan, which outlines how they include the voice of children in service design and priorities for work.

The Promise

Following the Independent Care Review, Scotland made a Promise, shown here on their website, to care experienced children and young people that they would grow up loved, safe and respected. Many organisations and institutions, Local Government included, have committed to keeping the promise by 2030. The promise recognises that transformative changes are needed to the ‘care system’. Initially plan 21-24, outlined at the Promise website, shaped and structured the work required to make this happen. This has now been built on with plan 24-30 shown on the Promise website which was launched in June 2024 and 25 route maps published in December 2025.

Implementing The Promise is a key priority area for Local Government and a wide range of work is currently taking place across Scotland’s councils to implement the changes it requires, and significant progress is being made in a challenging landscape. Examples of the work, detailed here on Cosla’s website, taking place includes service redesign and transformation; increased and innovative participation and engagement with children and families; new models of family support; examples of workforce development, recruitment, and training; and multi- agency and multi-disciplinary partnership approaches. There is more information on the work underway in COSLA’s promise annual reports which have been published annually since 2022. The Local Perspectives Report published by The Promise Scotland in 2025 also provides significant examples of work underway across all areas of Scotland.

Over the reporting period, local authorities, alongside others delivering care, have accessed Promise funding for a range of aspects of service improvement and innovations. This includes work to support siblings to remain together and connected, and development of family support provision via the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund.

The Scottish Government introduced the Children (Care, care experience and services planning) (Scotland) Bill in June 2025. This bill intends to progress some of the legislative changes required for the promise to be kept by 2030. Local Government has been working closely with the Scottish Government to ensure that the changes are deliverable and costed accurately.

UNCRC incorporation and implementation

Local Government has from the outset been fully supportive of the intentions of the incorporation of the UNCRC into Scots Law, sharing the vision of a Scotland where children’s human rights are embedded in all aspects of society and public services, including services and support delivered for looked after/ care-experienced children and young people.

Whilst the enactment of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child(Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 was delayed following the Supreme Court legal challenge, local authorities have remained committed and engaged in this work.

Extensive work is underway across local authorities to take forward and embed the UNCRC, and excellent progress has been made in a challenging landscape.

Nationally, Local Government, through COSLA and a range of professional associations (including the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives, Association of Directors of Education in Scotland, Social Work Scotland, and Society of Local Authority Lawyers and Administrators in Scotland), is continuing to engage closely in the work on legal incorporation and implementation of the UNCRC, led by Scottish Government. This includes work to ensure that the right support, guidance, information and resources are in place to support meaningful implementation of the UNCRC by local authorities and practitioners on the ground.

Local authorities continue to work with the Improvement Service to prepare for incorporation and implementation of UNCRC. This project (details of which are on the Improvement Service website here), which launched in 2022, aims to support local authorities to prepare for their new duties under the UNCRC legislation, and embed and implement effective children’s rights based approaches across services. Key elements of the support available from the Improvement Service’s dedicated team include: webinars and briefing materials for Elected Members; a facilitated Peer Support Network constituted of officers from every local authority; high-quality learning materials (shared through a designated Knowledge Hub); and help with identifying practical action councils can take to further embed and improve the realisation of children’s rights.

One example of local work taking place is the Rights Respecting Schools Award project, through which UNICEF UK works with primary and secondary schools to embed children’s rights in the schools’ ethos, raise awareness of the UNCRC and increase understanding of children’s rights. In May 2022, Scottish Government announced funding for UNICEF UK to offer this programme to all local authority schools in Scotland. UNICEF UK has and continues to develop strong partnerships with local authorities to support schools and embed the work. Based on UNICEF figures, 75% of Scotland’s local authority schools were engaged with the programme.

Scottish Child Interview Model and Bairns’ Hoose

The Scottish Child Interview Model is a new approach to joint investigative interviewing in Scotland. Joint investigative interviews are interviews conducted by specially trained social workers and police officers where a child may be a victim of, or witness to, criminal conduct and there is a concern that they may be at risk of significant harm.

Joint investigative interviews are a form of pre-recorded evidence and their use in court proceedings can help prevent or minimise a child being required to give testimony in person in court, an experience that can be retraumatising. The implementation of the Scottish Child Interview Model across Scotland has led to improved quality of joint investigative interviews which, in turn, is key to their increased use in court proceedings.

The new approach is trauma informed, places the needs and rights of children at the centre, and aims to achieve best evidence through enhanced planning and interviewing techniques.

Evidence to date highlights that children who are interviewed using The Scottish Child Interview Model are likely to tell the interviewers what has happened to them. This is a key development in services to protect children and ensures that where there is a concern that a child may have been abused or neglected, they are supported to participate in an interview that provides the conditions necessary to help the child provide detail of what has happened.

With the specialist training now provided to interviewers, very young children and children with complex needs can also be offered a joint investigative interview when it is in their best interests. Thus, the needs of a wider range of children can now be effectively met through this new model of practice for forensic interviewing.

Local partnerships gather feedback from children in relation to their interview experience and this is universally positive, with children reporting they feel prepared for the interview, supported to participate and some have also said that giving their account in such detail in a forensic interview has helped them feel better. The trauma informed approach utilised in the Scottish Child Interview Model promotes children’s recovery from abuse.

Capturing high quality evidence such as this also assists in both children’s hearings processes and criminal justice processes, as the child’s pre-recorded evidence in the form of an audio and visually recorded interview can be utilised in court proceedings, further contributing to improved protection of children and young people as those adults who perpetrate harm to children are brought to justice and the needs of all children involved in such circumstances are better met.

The Scottish Child Interview Model is now available to children living in every part of Scotland with continued work by local multiagency partnerships underway to reach full implementation.

The Scottish Child Interview Model is a key element of Bairns’ Hoose, which is a child- centred response for child who are victims or witnesses of serious crime and abuse.

Bairns’ Hoose is Scottish Government’s approach to bringing Barnahus to Scotland. Barnahus is internationally recognised as an evidence-based model of excellence for children and families. The Barnahus model was established in Iceland in 1998. It seeks to provide a trauma informed response to child victims and witnesses of abuse and harm in a child-friendly and trauma informed environment.

Bringing ‘Barnahus’ to Scotland has been a long standing and crosscutting policy ambition. The 22/23 Programme for Government made a commitment to “Set out the next steps in ensuring access to Bairns’ Hoose services for all children referred for support.” This was reaffirmed in the 2023/24 Programme for Government with a commitment to “Launch Bairns’ Hoose Pathfinders in autumn 2023, a key action in our keeping The Promise Implementation Plan and Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan, enabling a whole-system approach for child victims and witnesses of abuse and harm.”

Ministers have approved a delivery timeline which will adopt a three-phased approach for the development of Bairns’ Hoose. This allows time to build in the learning and evaluation needed to ensure that the Bairns’ Hoose model is achieving the correct outcomes ahead of national rollout. The first phase will be the Pathfinder phase from 2023-25, followed by the pilot phase from 2025 to March 2027 and then national rollout from the end 2027/early 2028.

The overall vision of Bairns’ Hoose is that all children in Scotland who have been victims or witnesses of abuse or violence, which has caused, or is likely to cause significant harm will have access to trauma informed recovery, support and justice.

In delivering for Scotland, Bairns’ Hoose will ensure that any child under the age of criminal responsibility whose behaviour may have caused serious harm or abuse will have access to trauma informed, needs-focused support and recovery.

In Programme for Government 2024 there is a commitment to test an approach to Bairns’ Hoose across ten multiagency partnerships – providing safe, trauma informed environments for child victims and witnesses to access multi-agency support and recovery services – ahead of a national rollout, incrementally, from 2027.

These ten partnerships are sharing their emerging learning and all local authorities across Scotland are collaborating with partners to consider Bairns’ Hoose developments in the communities they serve.

National Trauma Transformation Programme

NHS Education Scotland led the development of The National Trauma TrainingProgramme in partnership with the Scottish Government with the ambition of a trauma informed and responsive workforce, that is capable of recognising where people are affected by trauma and adversity, that is able to respond in ways that prevent further harm and support recovery, and can address inequalities and improve life chances. The Officer of the Chief Social Work Advisor (OCSWA) has established an expert advisory group to ensure Scotland’s social work services are able to recognise where people are affected by trauma, and to respond in ways which reduce risks of retraumatising and supports recovery. Scottish Government are looking at approaches to trauma train foster carers.

Local Government and Scottish Government share a vision for trauma informed workforce, systems and services and all councils have committed to work to achieve this vision.

The Scottish Child Interview Model, as set out above, is one example of the application of trauma informed principles in the delivery of services to children and families. The trauma content in the new National Joint Investigative Interviewing Training Programme sits at enhanced level.

4.18 Mugdock Children’s Trust

This report is provided in recognition of the responsibilities entered into by the Mugdock Children’s Trust as contributors to the Redress Scotland Scheme. (Redress For Survivors (Historical Child Abuse In Care) (Scotland) Act 2021 – annual reports: statutory guidance – updated August 2024)

The Mugdock Children’s Home closed in 1980 following a prolonged decline in the number of children referred for care, presumably from local authority agencies. The Home was sold, and the sale proceeds were devoted to the establishment of the Mugdock Children’s Trust. The Trust is a small grant awarding body which provides grants to charities in Scotland supporting children in all areas of need, including those who have been the subject of abuse. The Trust gives grants typically in the range of £500 to £2,000. We have a small number of volunteer Trustees and no paid staff. The Mugdock Children’s Trust has not had any direct involvement in the care of children.

The Trust is sadly aware of the widespread reports of abuse of vulnerable children in establishments that should have been places of support but were anything but. Despite efforts, the Trust can trace no records from the home which closed forty-six years ago. In this highly problematic situation Trustees are not able to confirm or otherwise the residence of any individual at the former children’s home. The Trustees have been advised by Redress Scotland that there have been several claims by former residents alleging abuse in the Mugdock Children’s Home. Some claims have been settled which is an acknowledgement that Redress Scotland have information substantiating these claims.

The Trustees acknowledge that the possibility of historical abuse within the Mugdock home exists and that if this was the case, as the successor organisation whose Trust Deed principles are the support of vulnerable children, we must support anyone adversely affected. This is the reason the Trustees elected to provide financial support to the Redress Scotland Scheme. To hear that abuse has been established under the Redress Scheme is deeply upsetting to the Trustees. Neither financial compensation, nor a fulsome apology from the Trustees, both of which are willingly given, adequately undo abuse in what was established as a caring and supportive haven for vulnerable children. The Mugdock Children’s Trust condemns unreservedly, any abuse in any environment. For this to be present in what was meant to be a caring and supportive home is deeply shocking. The passage of time does not lessen either the hurt felt by victims, nor the sorrow of the Trustees of the Mugdock Children’s Trust as successor organisation to the Mugdock Children’s Home.

The Mugdock Children’s Trust appreciates the need for the provision of support in emotional, psychological and practical terms to victims who may have suffered abuse in The Mugdock Children’s Home before it’s closure in 1980. There is also a clear need to assist former residents with the accessing of records and reuniting families. Since the Mugdock Children’s Trust holds no records for the former children’s home, nor can identify a source of such records, we are in the invidious position of being unable to offer help in these regards.

The Mugdock Children’s Trust stands ready to offer any support it can to former residents. We have no paid staff and a small number of volunteer Trustees which limits our capacity to offer the support which victims of abuse so clearly deserve. During the reporting period (7 December 2024 to 6 January 2026) the Mugdock Children’s Trust has received no request for support from any former resident of the Mugdock Children’s Home.

To any adults adversely affected as children during their time at Mugdock, this is a source of profound sorrow, since these experiences would run absolutely counter to the aims of the former Mugdock home and the successor trust.

The Mugdock Children’s Trust has stood, stands now, and henceforward for the support, protection and development of children in Scotland who are vulnerable, disadvantaged, abused or underserved by statutory provision.

The Mugdock Children’s Trust stands ready to offer an unalloyed apology to any former resident who may have been harmed in any way during their stay at the former Mugdock Children’s Home.

Bill Dunwoodie.

Secretary to the Mugdock Children’s Trust

4.19 NHS Boards

This report sets out examples of wider (i.e. in addition to financial redress) activities undertaken by NHS Scotland Health Boards from 7 December 2024 to 6 December 2025, as indicated in the Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Act 2021: Statutory Guidance.

It provides a national, thematic account of support to individuals and collective actions across NHS Boards, reflecting NHS Scotland’s continuing commitment to acknowledging harm, supporting survivors with compassion and dignity, and contributing meaningfully to the national redress process.

Individual Support

As per previous reports, all 22 NHS Boards have confirmed that their corporate websites include the Public Statement to confirm their participation in the scheme created by the Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Act 2021. In addition, NHS Health Boards confirmed that individuals who have been in contact regarding the Redress Scheme have been made aware of the support available to them by both the Health Board and through the Scottish Government Redress Scheme.

The following report identifies a range of themes reported in the Board’s submissions and examples of the comprehensive approach taken by the various NHS boards to support survivors of historic childhood abuse, ensure safeguarding, and promote trauma informed practices.

Trauma informed Care Across Services

Most Boards emphasise trauma informed practice as a core principle. This includes:

• Staff trained in trauma informed approaches
• Trauma-aware pathways in mental health, psychology and CAMHS
• Holistic supports (e.g., spiritual care, wellbeing services)

Psychological Therapies and Specialist Trauma Services

A consistent theme is access to psychological support tailored for survivors of childhood abuse, including:

• Stepped-care psychological therapies (e.g., in NHS GG&C, Lanarkshire, Fife)
• Highly specialist trauma services (e.g., Glasgow Psychological Trauma Service – ‘The Anchor’)
• Trauma-focused therapy across the lifespan (e.g., NHS Grampian)

Group-Based Therapeutic Programmes

Many Boards run recognised group interventions for survivors, such as:

• Safety and Stabilisation
• Survive and Thrive (including malespecific cohorts)
• Emotion Regulation Groups (ERG)
• Mindfulness groups
• STEPPS
• Brief Group Schema Therapy
• Compassion-Focused Therapy

These groups support emotional regulation, coping, and recovery.

Gender-Based Violence and Survivor-Specific Services

Some Boards provide targeted specialist services, including:

• EVA Psychology service in NHS Lanarkshire (gender-based violence)
• Male survivor groups (e.g., NHS Fife & Tayside collaboration)

Multi-Agency and Third-Sector Partnerships

Several Boards direct survivors to or work jointly with:

• Third-sector support services (e.g., Kingdom Abuse Survivors Project, Safe Space, Fife Rape and Sexual Assault Service)
• Cross-Board collaborations (e.g., joint Survive and Thrive groups across Fife and Tayside)

Psychological support remains central to the offer for adults who have experienced nonrecent abuse in care. Boards report the availability of evidence-based therapies including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), trauma-focused CBT, Eye-Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR – a well-established psychological therapy for people who have experienced trauma), compassion-focused therapy, schema therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), interpersonal therapy (IPT), Safety and Stabilisation approaches, and psychoeducational group programmes such as Survive and Thrive.

Examples of the range of support provided to individuals by NHS Health Boards are noted as follows:

NHS Ayrshire & Arran recorded one redress-related request in the period and describes holistic supports spanning spiritual care, staff wellbeing and onward referral to psychology and psychiatry, delivered by a workforce trained in trauma informed care.

NHS Fife issued one apology through the Redress Scheme during the reporting period. Adults seeking support are directed to appropriate specialist third-sector organisations such as the Kingdom Abuse Survivors Project, Safe Space, or alternatively, they may be referred to the NHS Fife Psychology Service, with decisions guided by the individuals’ needs and preferences. Specialist psychological therapy for survivors of childhood abuse, including those who experienced abuse in care settings, is a fundamental part of the Psychology Service’s work in Fife. Additionally, NHS Fife are working collaboratively with NHS Tayside to jointly deliver Survive and Thrive groups for male survivors.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde provide a range of support for individuals who experienced childhood abuse, including stepped psychological therapies within the Alcohol and Drug Recovery Service (ADRS), access to specialist psychiatric input, and strong links with community and thirdsector organisations, supported by staff training in traumainformed care. Patients can also be referred through established pathways for highly specialist psychological interventions such as trauma-focused CBT and therapies aimed at supporting emotional regulation, while ADRS has implemented Safety and Stabilisation training to ensure staff can deliver low-intensity trauma informed interventions within routine treatment.

Mental health services have access to the Glasgow Psychological Trauma Service (‘The Anchor’), which provides multidisciplinary treatment for people with complex PTSD linked to experiences of complex trauma. For children and young people, Specialist Children’s Services deliver trauma informed CAMHS and paediatric support, guided by a trauma informed action plan aligned with national training frameworks, including specialist teams for care-experienced young people and those involved in justice processes. CAMHS forensic services support young people in secure settings who may have experienced trauma, working with partner agencies to assess and plan care, while the service’s Public Protection Forum ensures staff development aligns with national child protection guidance.

NHS Grampian provides trauma-focused therapies across the care pathway (child to older adult; inpatient and outpatient) and runs group offers including Safety and Stabilisation, Survive and Thrive, STEPPS, MBT and ERG, alongside a developing board-wide trauma strategy led by Trauma Practice Training Implementation Coordinators.

NHS Lanarkshire’s Psychological Therapies Teams operate a stepped-care model with assessment within 12 weeks, Survive and Thrive groups (including the first male cohort this period), a specialist GenderBased Violence psychology service (EVA Psychology), and a purpose-built Dunnock Suite for forensic examinations.

NHS Forth Valley, as a participant in the national redress scheme, acknowledges past harms and is committed to supporting anyone who experienced childhood abuse, offering advice on accessing historical records and family tracing where needed. While no specific disclosures or requests for funded emotional or practical support were recorded in the reporting period, individuals can be signposted or referred to a range of therapeutic interventions, including CBT, trauma-focused CBT, EMDR, and more complex therapies such as CFT, Schema Therapy, ACT and IPT.

Between December 2024 and December 2025, the multi-agency Forth Valley Partnership continued work to establish a Bairns’ Hoose service, recognising that although the model focuses on children currently involved in protection and justice processes, parents and carers may also have lived experience of trauma and require whole-family, stabilisation, advocacy and emotional-regulation support. Learning from this development phase highlighted the emotional impact of child protection processes on children, families and staff, emphasising the need for a future Bairns’ Hoose environment that is safe, trauma informed, and enables meaningful participation in care.

NHS Tayside supported six individuals in accessing their historical records during the reporting period and continues to provide a range of trauma informed psychological and practical services for people who experienced abuse in care. Support includes confidential, non-judgemental listening through Spiritual Care; evidence-based psychological therapies such as CBT, safety and stabilisation approaches, and other tailored interventions; and onward referrals to specialist third-sector services where appropriate. Staff across NHS Tayside are trained in Adult and Child Protection and in trauma informed practice to ensure that disclosures of non-recent harm are recognised, responded to safely, and managed in partnership with relevant agencies, creating an environment where individuals feel supported, believed, and able to access appropriate care.

NHS Lothian supports individuals to access their records and provides advice throughout the process. Specialist CAMHS services, including the Meadows Team, offer care to children and young people affected by sexual trauma or displaying problematic sexual behaviour, working closely with partners across education and social care. Adult Mental Health services, including the Rivers Service and wider psychology teams, provide treatment for adults who have experienced abuse, including complex PTSD, and support individuals who disclose abuse or choose to report it to the police. The Rivers Centre also offers consultation and supervision to professionals across NHS Lothian and provides targeted support for adults affected by childhood sexual abuse.

During the reporting period, NHS Lothian received two Redress Scheme requests for apologies from survivors relating to historical experiences in its facilities; one written apology has been issued and the second is pending a face-to-face meeting.

National Boards noted that whilst they did not deliver routine care settings historically associated with incare abuse, they remain committed participants in the Scheme and to trauma informed responses when survivors engage. NHS Golden Jubilee reported no approaches during the period but maintains a public redress statement and commitment to support. Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) and NHS Education for Scotland (NES) both highlighted the provision of workforce-facing supports.

All NHS Board’s reconfirmed their commitment to the Redress for Survivors of Historical Child Abuse scheme, to provide continuous support to survivors, and to offer all necessary assistance in accessing historical records when requested.

Collective and Wider Support

Boards described continued strengthening of governance, safeguarding and public protection arrangements. NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde’s Public Protection Strategy (‘Safeguarding – It Matters To Us’, 2023–2026) and Delivery Plan (2024–2026) provide an organisation-wide framework, supported by a dedicated Public Protection Service, full implementation of Inter-agency Referral Discussions (IRDs) for children (including unborn babies), and development of an eHealth IRD referral and management application. NHS Forth Valley operates a Public Protection Accountability and Assurance Committee and hosts an electronic IRD (eIRD) system.

Embedding trauma informed practice remains a shared priority. Boards referenced Transforming Psychological Trauma Implementation Coordinator roles driving system-wide implementation (e.g. NHS Fife, NHS Forth Valley, NHS Grampian, NHS Lanarkshire), with reflective practice groups for staff and targeted training (e.g. Safety and Stabilisation) to support safe, consistent responses to disclosures and reduce vicarious trauma. NES continues to underpin national capability through the National Trauma Transformation Programme, updated guidance on complex PTSD and EMDR governance support, while HIS mandates public protection and trauma informed learning and monitors compliance.

Progress continued on Bairns’ Hoose developments and children’s rights. NHS Lothian’s Bairns Hoose (the Sycamore Partnership) opened in Spring 2024 and its UNCRC Strategic Framework was approved in March 2025. NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde is progressing multiple Bairns’ Hoose sites in partnership with local authorities, including a North Strathclyde Child Interview Team model. NHS Fife continues as a Bairns’ Hoose pathfinder, and NHS Forth Valley advanced regional development work and associated workforce supports. Boards described broader work to align with GIRFEC, UNCRC incorporation and The Promise.

Boards reaffirmed participation in the Redress Scheme and highlighted associated activity. NHS Dumfries & Galloway gave evidence to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI) in March 2025, offering an apology relating to historic inpatient facilities; NHS Grampian also responded to SCAI about Ladysbridge Hospital, acknowledging past failings and outlining improvements. HIS participated in SCAI from October 2024 and, from December 2025, commenced work on an independent multi-inspectorate national review of responses to group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation.

National and special Boards described important system roles. NES delivered Survive and Thrive nationally, Safety and Stabilisation training (including with the Trauma Responsive Social Work Programme), and supports MST-CAN; HIS provides an Employee Assistance Programme and GBV policy and co-developed Bairns’ Hoose standards with the Care Inspectorate; NSS offers coordination through the National Executive Support Team; the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) enhanced public protection policy and self-evaluation using the NHS Public Protection Assurance Framework; The State Hospital outlined a dedicated Child and Adult Protection Forum and Corporate Parenting duties for care-experienced patients.

Summary

The NHS Scotland Health Boards have continued to demonstrate a comprehensive and coordinated approach to supporting survivors of historic childhood abuse. By participating in the Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Act 2021 scheme, Boards have ensured that survivors are aware of and have access to a wide range of support services.

The reporting period evidences sustained focus on psychological therapies and spiritual care; robust safeguarding frameworks and inter-agency processes; continued development of Bairns’ Hoose and children’s rights work; and active participation in national programmes and inquiries. Collectively, these activities strengthen access to safe, appropriate support, improve consistency of responses, and uphold the commitments made under the Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Act 2021.

4.20 Ochil Tower

Introduction

Ochil Tower School is an educational community established over 50 years ago for children aged 8 to 18 and young adults 18 to 21 who need more support than a traditional mainstream educational setting can give. Our primary focus is on realising the potential of every single one of our students.

We welcomed Redress when we were first informed of the scheme and have been privileged to be part of the efforts to address past wrongs since joining the scheme on 28 August 2024.

Our absolute priority is to ensure that all children and young people in our care receive the love and protection they deserve, and we are committed to preventing any harm to our children and young people. We have robust safeguarding policies and procedures in place and deliver continuous training to ensure the lessons of the past have been learnt and do not recur. Ochil Tower School continually develops its best practice. We have adopted a trauma informed model of care and education across all areas of the organisation and intend to gain our trauma informed practice award during the current school session.

As well as providing a fair and meaningful financial contribution to the scheme, the Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Act 2021 requires contributors to the Redress Scheme to report annually on their wider (i.e., non-financial) redress activities, such as providing emotional, psychological, or practical support for people who were abused as children; providing assistance to survivors to access historical records; providing assistance in tracing and reuniting families; or providing apologies to survivors.

This report covers our non-financial Redress activities from 7 December 2024 to 6 December 2025.

Funding for emotional, psychological, or practical support to survivors

During the reporting period, Ochil Tower School has not been in direct contact with survivors of abuse and, as such, has not directly provided funding for support for individuals. In the event of a survivor contacting us, we will offer a trauma sensitive, open, and compassionate response. Where appropriate, we will signpost survivors to other specialist organisations who may be able to offer support.

Advice and assistance on accessing historical records

Ochil Tower School ensures a thorough and sensitive approach to responding to requests for access to historical records. In all our responses to requests for historical records, we acknowledge that historical case files are typically brief and usually focus on the practicalities of admission and discharge rather than progression or experience whilst the child is resident. While we have had previous cases of requests for historical records, during the current reporting period, no such requests were received.

Helping families reunite

No requests were received through the reporting period to assist in tracing or reuniting families.

Provision of apology to survivors

During the reporting period, Ochil Tower School has not been in direct contact with survivors of abuse and has not had the opportunity to provide a direct apology to a survivor of abuse. Within our public statement issued in August 2024, we offered our unreserved, whole-hearted apologies to anyone who suffered harm as a child whilst in our care, recognising just how difficult it is for survivors to have the courage to come forward. As and when survivors contact us, we will make a direct apology to survivors and offer survivors the opportunity to discuss their experience.

Conclusion

Ochil Tower School is fully committed to its responsibilities, both financial and otherwise, to ensure Redress applicants are fully supported and listened to. We will strive to provide a trauma informed response to support and meet survivors’ needs when they are received.

4.21 Quarriers

Background

The Scottish Parliament has enacted legislation to provide survivors of abuse with the opportunity to seek financial reparation through the National Redress Scheme. The Act places an obligation on participating organisations to submit a report to Scottish Ministers on work undertaken to support survivors, with particular regard to:

• emotional, psychological or practical support provided
• advice and assistance on accessing historical records
• advice and assistance on tracing and reuniting families
• activity relating to the provision of an apology to such individuals.

While Quarriers is not a contributor to the scheme, we acknowledge it is nonetheless good practice to publish an account of the work we undertake to support survivors of abuse.

Investment

The full year financial commitment to the Aftercare Service remains at £200,000 as a protected investment and commitment despite a challenging financial and social care landscape.

The service is operating in a different format at present with four members of staff. The team consists of a Head of Service, one full-time Aftercare Support Worker, a Trauma informed Coordinator, and an Information Officer to support the work relating to records management and data protection. Our Aftercare Support Worker continues to assist survivors to access records, provide advocacy support as required, and signpost to other services of support or professional advice in circumstances where that is preferred to in-house support. The role of our Trauma informed Coordinator continues to develop with a strong focus on strategic planning relating to the trauma informed practice across the organisation, the creation and facilitation of learning materials, and wellbeing planning for both staff and former Quarriers residents.

Inclusion

The Aftercare Committee is in the process of being remodelled. We note two former members have retired from their respective advocating and engagement roles and thank them for their incredible contributions to the development of Quarriers’ aftercare service, strategic development and also acknowledge their support for the wider survivor community.

Access to records

Across 2024-2025, Quarriers had a total of 74 enquiries from people looking to access information about relatives formerly supported by Quarriers (these are referred to as historical/genealogical enquiries). We also supported a total of 107 individuals to access their own records via subject access requests. At present, the majority of requests continue to relate to people who were resident in Quarrier’s Village in Bridge of Weir; however, we are continuing to receive more enquiries relating to services out with the Village setting (e.g. the former Seafield School in North Ayrshire). Work remains ongoing to digitise and catalogue all of those records, and we have made strides in our ability to digitally search for such records; we continue to acknowledge this is a long-term process that requires our ongoing commitment to ensure we achieve equity in record provision.

Across 2024-2025, Quarriers has received a total of 137 enquiries from Redress Scotland in support of applicants’ Redress claims (this is a slight decrease from previous years). The enquiries relate to the verification of in-care documentation and the provision of any civil claim information. The team prioritises such enquiries and continues to provide a response to Redress within a 24- to 48-hour period. We have also worked alongside our Redress colleagues to further expedite the process by introducing watermarking of documents which clearly identifies their ownership and origin.

All subject access record enquiries continue to be completed within the target four-week period.

Apology

As an organisation, Quarriers continues to offer an unreserved apology to people who were abused in our care.

Across 2024-2025, the organisation received four requests from individuals asking for an apology, and Quarriers remains committed to providing detailed consideration to each individual request.

Reuniting families

Quarriers continues to work with a range of overseas organisations whose primary interest is in the tracing of family connections back to Quarriers.

Schemes operating between the 1870s and 1960s led to thousands of children being migrated to Canada and Australia. We have offered an unreserved apology to the children who were migrated by Quarriers, and we acknowledge the impact migration had on children’s lives and those of their descendants.

Over the last 20 years, Quarriers has been engaging with the descendants of migrated children who wish to access records and share their experiences of how child migration has affected them and their extended families.

We have taken steps to publicise our apology in an effort to reach other former migrants with whom we are not in direct contact, and we continue to offer an aftercare service to those affected. We continue to engage regularly with citizens from overseas in relation to genealogical enquiries and have also had recent contact with Home Children Canada in relation to providing an update about their on-going work.

Commemoration

Commemoration of the former residents of Quarrier’s Village is expressed in various sites across the village.

4.22 Rossie Young People’s Trust

Introduction

Rossie signed up to Scotland’s Redress Scheme in December 2021 as part of the national endeavour to address the harms of historical child abuse. The Scheme provides financial and non-financial redress. We have made a total contribution of £195,000 to date. The official letter of apology issued by the Chair remains on our website. We have not been asked for a direct apology, assistance on tracing families or other forms of support by former residents. However, we have hosted visits, and were pleased to do so, from former residents and their families as requested by them, and as part of the redress process.

We are a trauma informed organisation and deliver all services in line with Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC), The Promise, UNCRC, Secure Care Pathway and Standards Scotland, and our legislative and regulatory requirements. This evidences our commitment to providing the highest standards of care/protection, education, health and psychological support to all young people who live with us. This Report provides information about the non-financial arrangements we have developed, and continue to develop, to prevent any forms of abuse occurring.

Culture

Our culture is informed by our values of Authenticity, Bravery, Compassion, Integrity and Togetherness. Our Board has endorsed these, and all staff are introduced to our values at induction stage. Young people are also aware of our values, and how these relate to expectations of positive behaviours by them, and what they can expect of all staff. Our services are therapeutic and delivered by multidisciplinary teams. The CEO and all members of the senior team have high visibility across the organisation, and operate an ‘open door’ policy for staff and young people. We have a well published Whistleblowing Policy.

Governance

Our Board of Governors (volunteers) provides strong governance – at least eight formal Board meetings are held per annum. Governors set our strategic direction and are sighted on all strategic developments, financial and operational aspects of our charitable business. They receive regular reports on operational performance, and proposals for projects, and have ample opportunities for scrutiny/challenge/support and approval. Our Governors carry out unannounced visits, and take the opportunity to meet with young people and staff. One Governor is designated to carry out an unannounced visit each month.

Staff Recruitment

Robust staff recruitment processes, clear job descriptions, person specifications and pre-employment checks are in place. Our young people are involved in the selection process of all staff.

Staff receive a comprehensive induction, mentoring programme, supervision and annual appraisal. Our culture empowers staff to make suggestions to improve the organisation. Our long service financial award scheme recognises/values staff for their commitment to Rossie and work with our young people. These processes ensure we recruit and retain the best talent. Clear career pathways are in place for staff. We have an on-site accredited SQA Centre delivering core operational qualifications to ensure best practice. All front line staff must register with the SSSC and abide by their Code of Conduct: annual re-registration is required to enable social care practice. We have very strong links with Universities at local, regional national and international levels. We engage in relevant research projects and provide student placements across a range of disciplines. All of these actions ensure our knowledge is current, delivering services which are evidence-based and to the highest standard.

Safeguarding

Rossie is an active member of the Angus Child Protection Committee, which is the local strategic planning partnership responsible for developing and implementing child protection policy and strategy across and between agencies. The committee is responsible for:

• the co-ordination of training for professional and other staff
• the development of policies, procedures and protocols
• ensuring the effectiveness and quality of local child protection services through continuous improvement
• the provision of public information about child protection

We have a comprehensive safeguarding policy, which has been approved/signed off by the Committee. All staff attend safeguarding training and receive ongoing refresher training. There is an annual review of joint protocols. The DCEO has lead responsibility for this work.

UN Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)

Rossie is committed to delivering all services in line with the UNCRC. Article 12 states that every child has the right to express their views, feelings and wishes in all matters affecting them, and to have their views considered and taken seriously. Our young people are extensively involved in the day-to-day decision-making across the organisation. We have a contract with Who Cares? Scotland, to ensure young people receive independent advocacy and are enabled to participate in a wide range of activities and developments.

Rossie was the first secure and residential care centre in Scotland to purchase an airport scanner to get rid of the need to physically search young people on admission. In January 2024 we installed a new state of the art technical system across the organisation, which monitors, records and retains all staff whereabouts at all times. We use CCTV to ensure the safety and protection of all young people and staff and have added an additional 60 cameras across the campus.

We have continued to invest in technology to ensure the safety and protection of young people and staff, by installing CCTV throughout the school classrooms, updating our entire fire detection system, and equipping staff with new communications equipment able to locate and track individual’s whereabouts should they require assistance. We are working in partnership with a private company to install sensors in bedroom areas to prevent young people self-harming (there are no cameras in the sensors). Our sector leading approach evidences commitment to deliver Article 37 and treat young people with dignity and respect and ensures the relationship with staff starts on a positive footing.

Article 25 states if a child has been placed away from home for the purpose of care or protection they have the right to a regular review of their treatment, the way they are cared for and their wider circumstances. Rossie supports young people to attend their Children’s Hearing, and prepares accurate and current reports in a timely manner. Procedures related to making complaints are communicated to all young people and their families/carers at the time of admission: these procedures are published on our website. We are highly regulated by the Care Inspectorate and receive unannounced annual inspections. Our most recent published secure care inspection report graded the care of young people as “very good”, and eadership and management as “excellent”. The Residential Inspection in October-November 2025 achieved “excellent” status.

Also in line with Article 37, Rossie facilitates family visits on our campus. We have made significant investments in digital technology, media walls, so young people, their families and other key people in their lives can maintain positive and regular contact. The CORRA Foundation awarded us a grant in December 2023 to further develop our family services and ensure siblings remain in contact and enjoy fun time together. Our new activity centre will open in April 2026.

Article 39 states children who have experienced neglect, abuse, exploitation must receive special support to help them recover their health, dignity, self-respect and social life. We have specialists who provide psychological assessments and interventions to aid recovery from trauma and support reintegration back into their family and community (as appropriate). As a multidisciplinary organisation, we ensure a holistic approach to the needs of all young people, delivering individualised interventions. We have excellent partnerships with NHS Tayside, CAMHS and a multitude of specialist organisations.

The Secure Care Pathway and Standards Scotland

Rossie has been actively involved in the design of the Secure Care Pathway and Standards Scotland. These have been co-produced with care-experienced children, young people and adults. They follow a child’s journey before, during and after their time in secure care. The Standards provide a framework to ensure rights are respected and positive outcomes achieved.

The Promise - Physical Restraint Reduction

Rossie is a member of two national working groups (Restraint Reduction Network, Scottish Physical Restraint Action Group) committed to the reduction of physical restraint. All relevant staff are trained, and accredited in CALM physical restraint procedures. Annual accreditation is required for staff to safely, and legally use physical restraint on young people.

We have 13 Instructors, fully trained in debrief methodology delivering robust support to staff and young people. This approach provides staff with the necessary skills and support to de-escalate violent or harmful behaviours, reducing the need for physical interventions or restraints. Our specialist debriefing supports staff and young people, post incident to re-establish positive relationships.

Our regulatory body, the Care Inspectorate requires us to report all incidents to them and carry out reviews as appropriate. As a learning organisation, we ensure we learn from all incidents and improve practice and/or send staff on refresher programmes. All Inspection reports are published and available on the Care Inspectorate website.

We prepare reports for our Board on incidents of physical restraints, and monitor, review and analyse trend data. Rossie is committed to using physical restraints only as a last resort to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all.

Historical Records/Former Residents

We have received requests from former residents to access historical records. We have responded speedily to all such requests and will continue to do so. There is additional work and costs associated with these requests, evidencing Rossie’s ongoing commitment to both the principles of redress and the Redress Scheme.

We have offered former residents the opportunity to visit Rossie, to demonstrate the range of protective measures, systems and procedures we have in place to ensure the highest standards of care. Rossie warmly welcomed former residents and their families on site during 2025.

Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry

All elements of Phase 8 have been met with full compliance in 2025.

Conclusion

Rossie is the only secure care provider to have signed up to the Redress Scheme. This report provides information on the culture, governance, systems and procedures we have in place, which provide protections to all young people placed in our care.

As a Charity, Rossie is committed to providing the highest quality of services to the most vulnerable children across Scotland and the UK. We remain both committed and determined to achieve our Vision of being a:

Community of Excellence that Changes Lives

4.23 Royal Blind Asylum and School Trading as Sight Scotland

In accordance with our responsibilities under Section 99 of Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Act 2021 (The Act) please find below the report of Royal Blind Trading as Sight Scotland for the period between 7 December 2024 and 6 December 2025.

During the reporting period we have not been contacted by any survivors of abuse that occurred while in our care.

To date, we have not been asked to provide advice and assistance on tracing and reuniting families (as per s.99(2)(a)(iii)), or to take action relating to the provision of an apology to such individuals (as per s.99(2)(a)(iv).

We continue to offer support to any survivors that were in our care that make contact with us, and will do our utmost to provide records from our archives in support of any requests for information. If we become aware of any further specific cases we will work with the survivor to provide funding for emotional, psychological or practical support if requested (as per s.99(2)(a)(i)), advice and assistance on tracing and reuniting families if requested (as per s.99(2)(a)(iii)), take action relating to the provision of an apology to such individuals if requested (as per s.99(2)(a)(iv) or any other support the survivor needs from us (as per s.99(2)(b)).

During the year representatives of Sight Scotland attended and gave evidence at the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry hearings. The process of the Inquiry uncovered certain chapters in the School’s history that the current leadership team had been unaware of. In its closing submission to the Inquiry Sight Scotland expressed its heartfelt sorrow to the pupils who were the victims of any abuse while at the Royal Blind School.

We have in place a safeguarding manager and have a policy whereby all staff, whether engaged in childcare or not, undertake safeguarding training. Care, Education and Nursing staff and volunteers working directly with service users (this definition includes children as well as vulnerable adults) will be expected to undertake Safeguarding training both at basic and advanced levels. This will be a combination of e-learning and face to face training. Staff are expected to successfully complete the advanced training module every year.

We first published our statement on Redress on our website on 31 May 2022: Sight Scotland - Redress Statement

We are fully supportive of the work being carried out by the Redress, Relations and Response Division of the Scottish Government and will continue to engage with them when called upon to do so.

4.24 Sailors’ Society

Background

Sailors’ Society today does not run any residential care services for children and has not done so since the closure of Lagarie Children’s Home in Scotland, which ran from 1949 to 1982. A Joint Venture Agreement with Quarriers at Overbridge followed and this ran between 1982 and 1985.

In our current work with seafarers and their families, we have robust safeguarding policies and procedures in place, which are updated as needed, reviewed annually and are in line with national and international guidelines and requirements. We also have ongoing safeguarding training.

While Sailors’ Society is not a contributor to the Redress Scheme, we are pleased to provide an account of the work we do to support survivors of abuse with access to records, funding for counselling and advice on accessing historical records.

Access to records

It is important that individuals get timely access to records, and we prioritise this area of work.

Record requests come to us in various forms:

• calls to our designated phone line from former residents or their family members;
• by email to the designated email address, which is published on our website;
• by post, and;
• most frequently, through Birthlink and Wellbeing acting on an individual’s behalf.

All enquiries are handled with sensitivity, compassion, understanding and in a trauma informed manner. We provide transparent information on the records we hold. We have limited surviving records and if we cannot provide evidence of time in care, we help in whatever way we can, giving advice on searching for records and signposting to further support. We also advise former residents and their families about how to contact the redress scheme.

Funding for emotional, psychological or practical help

In the past we have offered and funded counselling support for individuals. However, within the reporting period specified for this report, we have not been approached for help in this area.

We do, however, provide a listening ear whenever required and help in whatever way we can, including signposting to the help provided through the redress scheme.

We have been engaged in extensive discussions with former residents of Lagarie, during this reporting period.

Advice and assistance on accessing historical records

As we have very few surviving records from Lagarie, we have conducted extensive searches for information that could be held by other organisations in relation to children who were resident there. Having approached all schools we knew children attended, we were able to access the Rhu Primary School register of admission and withdrawal for the period Lagarie Children’s Home was operational. This was the only school that had retained records for the relevant period and had Lagarie listed as the address of children from the Home. This register has become our primary reference document in helping individuals prove residency at Lagarie for redress.

During this reporting period, we received 11 Subject Access Requests from individuals, relatives or solicitors acting on behalf of individuals, and Wellbeing. This is an increase from the seven received during the previous reporting period, but still a drop from the 17 received for the period before that.

The redress team has sent us three requests to authenticate documents and/or confirm any previous payments to individuals.

This is a significant reduction from the 15 requests made for the last reporting period and the 33 for the period before that.

Where a record request is made by an individual for whom we have no records, we direct them to organisations that can help search on their behalf, like Birthlink and Wellbeing.

Advice and assistance on tracing and reuniting families

This is not something we have been asked to help with. In the event that this was requested, we would signpost individuals to appropriate organisations who may be able to help them with their search for relatives.

Activities relating to the acknowledgement of abuse and providing a meaningful apology to survivors

Sailors’ Society has apologised unreservedly for any abuse that was suffered by children who were in the care of the British Sailors’ Society (Scotland) at Lagarie. Apologies have been made in the media, on our website, and through personal letters to survivors known to us.

During this reporting period, we have not had any requests for an individual apology.

Additional activities

Sailors’ Society has participated openly and fully in the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry and representatives were present in Edinburgh when Lagarie was included in Phase 10 of the Inquiry, which began with opening statements in December 2025. In the past, we have written to all former residents we were aware of inviting them to contact the Inquiry and police.

Improving record request processes

We work to continually improve our processes. We aim to respond to requests quickly and well within the time limit. Where a Subject Access Request is particularly complex, we keep the former resident updated and request time limit extensions if necessary.

Submitted on behalf of Sailors’ Society.

Melanie Warman

Director of Communications

4.25 Salesians of Don Bosco

The Salesians of Don Bosco were the providers of the following historical residential care provision in Scotland. All were for boys of secondary school age:

St Teresa’s (residential care home for boys), Hillside House, Aberdour, Fife, KY3 ORH (1950-1960).

St John Bosco School (Approved School and then List D School for boys), Hillside House, Aberdour, Fife, KY3 ORH (1 960-1983).

Bosco House (residential care home for boys), 7 Hamilton Road, Mount Vemon, Glasgow, G32 9QD (1972-1984).

The Salesians of Don Bosco have not been a provider of any childcare provision in Scotland since the closure of Bosco House in 1984 but resolved to be a Contributor to Redress Scotland from its establishment in December 2021. As part of joining the Scheme we submitted an acknowledgement of non-recent abuse in our care and committed ourselves to providing an annual statement of our redress activity provided in addition to our financial contribution to the Scheme.

Not being a childcare provider in Scotland for 40 years our current safeguarding policies and practices have been developed in relation to our work in England. This has involved compliance with and adoption of the polices and guidelines of the Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service (CSAS) and more recently its replacement the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA), along with the Religious Life Safeguarding Service (RLSS).

There has been a renewed emphasis on care and support for abuse victims and survivors with the establishment of ‘Safe Spaces’ to provide free independent counselling and support to anyone who has been abused in a Catholic or Anglican church context.

Anyone in England who now approaches us about past abusive experiences is offered a formal apology and the Safe Spaces support, in addition to the offer of meeting with us in person. We consider these policies are largely transferrable and will inform our practice in relation to anyone approaching us in connection with abuse experienced during residence at the childcare provision we provided in Scotland.

During the period 7 December 2024 to 6 December 2025 we have assisted past residents of our care provision in Scotland by promptly confirming dates of attendance and by providing any personal records that we might hold in response to Subject Access Requests (SARs). We have also responded, usually within a day or two, to requests from Redress Scotland as to whether or not past residents have received any compensation payments from the Salesians.

For St Teresa’s, St John Bosco School and Bosco House the total number of Subject Access Requests during the 12-month period 7 December 2024 to 6 December 2025 was seven. There were five in the previous 12 months.

We did not receive any requests during 2025 from a recipient of a Redress settlement for a written apology. No past residents of our childcare provision in Scotland contacted us in 2025 for any reason.

Salesians of Don Bosco

January 20th 2026

4.26 Salvation Army

The Salvation Army believes it is important to be honest about the past and acknowledge that our history includes some people in our care who did not get the safety and support they needed. We understand the importance of making sure that people who have experienced abuse have their voices heard, receive a proper apology, and where appropriate, financial redress.

The Salvation Army has established processes in place to ensure that people who have experienced abuse are able to meet and dialogue with us and have an opportunity to seek financial redress from The Salvation Army. This process also includes working with the police to secure a conviction whenever possible.

We are not a contributor to the current redress scheme although we have had regular engagement with the Scottish government regarding the redress scheme and support all queries that arise as part of this redress system.

The Salvation Army is currently engaged with the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI) and will give evidence to the SCAI in February 2026.

Advice and assistance on accessing historical records

The Salvation Army is fully committed to ensuring people have access to their records as this can help them understand more about traumatic periods in their lives. Records are made available in a sensitive and pastoral manner, in line with the UK data protection law. Where appropriate, we provide access via social workers and adoption support agencies.

Some historic records have not survived but those that have are maintained at our International Heritage Centre.

Advice and assistance on tracing and reuniting families

The Salvation Army Family Tracing Service helps to reconcile family members who have lost contact with each other and facilitates the first contact or rebuilding of these relationships.

The Salvation Army tracing specialists know that contact can be lost for many reasons, and searching for a relative is often an emotional experience. They provide a compassionate and non-judgmental service with support throughout the searching process. However, the focus of this department is about family reconciliation. Queries in relation to the Scottish redress system would ordinarily be passed to The Salvation Army Safeguarding Department and our International Heritage Centre.

Activity relating to the provision of an apology

The Salvation Army acknowledges that there are times when we have not provided the care that people would expect and deserve. It’s important to acknowledge failings and so The Salvation Army will offer an apology if there has been wrongdoing on our part. Over the years, this has taken a number of different forms, including public and face to face apologies to survivors of abuse.

On some occasions, we have invited survivors to input on our safeguarding procedures to help us learn and improve our systems going forward. Our aim is to demonstrate our commitment to not just acknowledging past wrongs but learning from them. Placing the survivor voice at the heart of our processes improves our systems and demonstrates our commitment to listen and learn from them. We have been informed by survivors that it has been helpful to meet with us to share their experiences.

The national leaders of The Salvation Army in the UK and Ireland have given a public apology to those previous Service Users who experienced abuse when under 18 years and residing in a Salvation Army residential establishment. This apology is published on our public-facing website.

Emotional, psychological or practical support

Reporting current or historical abuse takes incredible courage. The Salvation Army has a Wellbeing Department tasked with ensuring that therapy and support is in place for those who need it.

Survivors of abuse may be offered access to officers trained in counselling or may be provided with external counselling or therapeutic support, where appropriate.

Our current safeguarding systems

Our safeguarding policies are clear that The Salvation Army believes that every human being is created and valued by God and should be given respect, dignity, and neighbourly love.

We are committed to ensuring that officers and staff know how to recognise and respond to possible abuse and that victims feel supported in coming forward to report abuse.

Learning from and implementing good safeguarding practice means that:

• Care, support staff, officers and volunteers for all Salvation Army services are recruited according to the principles of safer recruitment, which includes reference checking and Disclosure Scotland checks, including PVG scheme membership where applicable.
• Service User risk assessments are conducted on entry into the Service, are updated regularly and in response to the emergence of new risks.
• Safeguarding Leads are in place at each programme/service, supplemented by Deputy Safeguarding Leads to provide cover in the event of absence and to allow complainants to circumvent Safeguarding Leads where they may be implicated in a safeguarding concern.
• All staff and volunteers receive safeguarding training where it may be relevant to their role. Further training and induction is mandated to relevant personnel and this includes training in Trauma informed Conduct to enable staff to provide trauma informed care and support to Service Users within The Salvation Army residential settings.
• Safeguarding resources including awareness-raising posters detailing how to raise concerns are placed in all Salvation Army residential settings.
• Adult Service Users are treated according to the principles of adult safeguarding, taking into account capacity, personal autonomy and choice.
• Accessible safeguarding information is made available to Service Users.
• Services collaborate with statutory partners on placement and ongoing care plans for young people in supported accommodation.
• A system of internal auditing operates to ensure that safeguarding and wider support systems are implemented effectively.
• An incident reporting system is in place which enables our services to escalate safeguarding concerns to The Salvation Army Safeguarding Department.
• The Salvation Army Safeguarding Department provides casework support for current incidents, risk assessment support for blemished disclosure checks, in addition to advice and guidance on safeguarding matters, as well as reviews of non-recent allegations.
• Safeguarding is a standing item on management meeting agendas.
• A weekly national Salvation Army Safeguarding Board meeting is held to review cases, policy and training updates, etc.
• Deep dive reviews of some of the serious incident cases are selected by the Safeguarding Committee and an independent professional is commissioned to conduct a deep dive review. Recommendations for practice improvement are subsequently shared and implemented.

4.27 Save the Children

This report provides information about the activities Save the Children UK (SCUK) has taken to support survivors of abuse suffered at Harmeny School, Balerno, during the period of SCUK’s management of the school from 1958 to 1996. The report is prepared in accordance with SCUK’s obligations as members of the Scottish Government’s Redress Scheme for Survivors of Historic Abuse (‘Scheme’) and relates to relevant activity between 7 December 2024 and 6 December 2025.

The report includes information on the steps we have taken in relation to the non-financial elements of Scheme membership.

These are:

• Funding for emotional, psychological, or practical support,
• Advice and assistance on accessing historical records,
• Advice and assistance on tracing and reuniting families,
• Activity relating to the provision of an apology to those abused,
• Other relevant examples of support provided to survivors including our current approach to safeguarding.

Governance

Our approach to supporting survivors and our membership of the Scheme is led by an oversight group. The oversight group is responsible for monitoring and implementing our membership of the Scheme. This group includes senior staff responsible for our work in Scotland, as well as representatives from our Safeguarding and Legal Teams and Chief Executive’s Office. This group reports directly to SCUK’s Trustees, primarily through the Audit and Risk Committee and Safeguarding Committee of the Board of Trustees.

In addition, we have an agreement with Harmeny Education Trust Ltd (HETL) on how we work together as members of the Scheme to support former pupils to access records and provide emotional and practical support.

Non-financial Redress Activities

Emotional, psychological or practical support

Our Safeguarding and Wellbeing Teams follow a values-based, people-centred approach to providing emotional, psychological and practical support to survivors.

Support to survivors of historical abuse is included in our case management standard operating procedures and survivor-centred protocol. Our Director of Safeguarding is the named lead for these policies, and these policies are subject to periodic review and update.

We have developed a therapeutic pathway for survivors of all historical abuse relating to the organisation, including any survivors contacting us through the auspices of the Scheme. The pathway sets out how the organisation follows a person-centred approach and provides support that is tailored to an individual’s needs.

Our Safeguarding and Wellbeing Teams work closely together to ensure that the best possible support is available to survivors, and this includes an initial screening with a trained TRiM (trauma risk incident management) practitioner. Following this initial screening and discussion with individuals, we can offer counselling or a referral to a clinical psychologist. These services are provided through third-party, accredited providers depending on where the survivor is based. Our approach is flexible and continually monitored. We aim to refine our approach based on feedback from survivors on how it works for them in practice.

We would be happy to provide more information on our pathway and providers.

During this reporting period, we have not had any contact or referrals from case workers relating to cases arising under the Scheme with requests to provide emotional, psychological or practical support.

Providing advice and assistance to survivors to access historical records

Our cooperation with HETL (the organisation that took over management of Harmeny School from SCUK) continues to be frequent and strong, particularly with regard to the provision of historical records to survivors.

In order to govern our relationship in this regard we have a legal agreement in place to ensure that our obligations to make historical records relating to Harmeny School available to applicants under the Scheme are met. This agreement sets out the basis for the management, protection and sharing of personal data between HETL and SCUK, in line with data protection legislation, as well as the basis on which HETL and SCUK will co-operate with one another in relation to access to, and use of, the historical records relating to Harmeny School. Under our agreement, and in practice, SCUK and HETL work together closely to handle subject access requests by former pupils of Harmeny School. Such requests are generally received by HETL Management, whereafter HETL and SCUK will jointly prepare the response to the survivor to ensure that all appropriate records relating to the survivor’s request can be provided. HETL maintains contact with the individual making the request, or their representative, by telephone or email, and offers the opportunity to visit the school, if desirable to the survivor.

Given the fact that requests for records can go back some decades, there may be instances where we do not hold detailed records for survivors to access. We therefore work with HETL to provide as much information as we can from our records relating to our period of ownership of Harmeny School.

As an organisation, senior staff in our Safeguarding, People and Legal Teams are able to assist survivors to access their records directly in the event that they contact us directly, or through the Scheme. Over the course of the reporting period, all requests for records have reached us through HETL.

We provide financial support and assistance to HETL to support access to historical records, as well as assistance and support for any former pupil visits to the school.

During the reporting period we:

• In conjunction with Harmeny School, responded to three individuals’ subject access requests, noting that we had been unable to locate any records.
• Received no requests of verification of records or previous relevant payments received and responded to.

Providing advice and assistance in tracing and reuniting families

We have had no requests to provide assistance in tracing and reuniting families during this reporting period. We are able to offer advice and assistance if required in future. As an organisation, we recognise that abuse can have both immediate and longer lasting emotional, psychological and social effects, and that the trauma of abuse can impact survivors in a variety of different ways. This means that we will ensure that any assistance offered puts the survivor’s needs and wishes at the centre. Our ‘Survivor-centred Protocol’ encapsulates this approach, directly references non-recent/historical abuse and is available on our website.

Providing apologies to survivors

Apology is an important element of non-financial redress. We are committed to providing individual apologies based on any requests received. During this reporting period, and in line with our survivor-centred approach, we provided a written apology from our Chief Executive Officer to one survivor, acknowledging their experience and the impact this has had.

Our wider statement of apology for past abuse is available on our website. This year, SCUK applied for, and was granted, leave to appear and to fully participate in Phase 9 of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry. This case study focused on the provision of residential care in establishments for children and young people with long-term healthcare needs, additional support needs and disabilities, and related to our establishment and management of Harmeny School between 1958 and 1995. We reiterated our apology and deep regret to survivors in both our opening and closing statements, and also during the oral evidence of our Executive Director.

As set out in our response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on the apology framework, and in line with our own survivor-centred approach, we will tailor apology requests to the individual concerned, ensuring that the language we use towards the individual is dignified, respectful, compassionate and contrite.

In terms of the mode of apology, we aim to follow the wishes of the survivor and to support their recovery. Where circumstances allow, we can offer either a face-to-face apology from our Chief Executive Officer or suitable alternative (for example, our Chair of the Board), or a written apology, or both.

The key obstacle to providing the most meaningful form of individual apology is the availability of accurate and relevant information relating to the individual and the period in which they attended the institution at which they suffered abuse. The information available to the organisation from our historical records, if any, can often be basic, thereby limiting what we can ascertain, such as the dates during which a student attended the relevant institution. This may mean that we are unable to provide meaningful context to explain the situation at the institution in question at the time a victim attended, which we understand could be frustrating for victims and which we know would hamper our ability to expand more fully on the content of any apology we provide. We are committed to sharing as much accurate and relevant information as possible within these constraints, and, where we cannot, we are committed to sharing the reasons why.

Participation in the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI)

In November 2023, the SCAI publicly announced its decision to launch Phase 9 investigations into the provision of residential care in establishments for children and young people with long term healthcare needs, additional support needs and disabilities. SCUK and HETL were named as institutions being considered as part of that case study.

In January 2024, we applied for and were granted Leave to Appear, enabling us to actively participate in and support the inquiries of the SCAI in Phase 9

We engaged fully and openly in the proceedings, including by:

• Responding to several section 21 Notices to provide evidence.
• Voluntarily sharing additional information with the SCAI Legal Team to assist live questions from the Chair.
• Giving oral witness evidence through two senior colleagues, in order to address specific points asked of us by the inquiry.
• Attending hearings to listen to, and learn from, other witness evidence, both relating to Harmeny School as well as the other establishments focused on in Phase 9.
• Preparing detailed written submissions on key issues as requested by the Chair.

We made a commitment in our opening submissions to listen to survivors’ experiences, to reflect on all the evidence read and heard and to learn from past failings. When our Executive Director for UK Impact and Director of Safeguarding gave oral evidence to the SCAI in August 2025, we recognised our past failings and reiterated our apology to survivors (see full apology at the end of this report).

During our evidence and in our written and oral closing submissions to the SCAI, we accepted that children experienced abuse at Harmeny School. We accept, and deeply regret, that unacceptable practices took place, that there were failures in safeguarding systems and that insufficient action was taken to prevent children from suffering abuse. Accountable management of Harmeny School during our management period was lacking and out of touch with the day-to-day life of the children and staff.

We also accept that there were failures in our response to abuse and allegations of abuse. Those failures that led to children suffering abuse included:

• A lack of effective oversight.
• Supervision and training of staff being seriously deficient.
• Failures to listen to children and to involve them in decision-making, representing a missed opportunity to learn from the children, to identify and prevent abusive behaviour, and to improve children’s experiences at Harmeny School.
• Inappropriate forms of discipline being practiced by staff.

We are committed to learning from these failings. Our evidence shared our current approach to safeguarding children, with listening to children being at the centre of that approach.

In line with our stated commitment, a Harmeny School: Learning Lessons report was produced. This will facilitate discussion across the organisation, including with our Executive Leadership Team and Board of Trustees.

Other support

Support for former pupils to visit HETL

Through our agreement with HETL, we offer a joined-up approach to supporting former pupils of the school during SCUK’s period of management.

We support HETL to facilitate visits to the school from former pupils, principally through providing financial assistance to HETL to host former pupils on the school’s premises. HETL have committed to supporting any visitor who discloses historical abuse on those visits.

A copy of the book, ‘Recollections of Harmeny: The First Fifty Years’ is also available free of charge from HETL to any former pupil, should they wish to have a copy. The book covers a history of the school and can support former pupils to make sense of their time at the school.

Our approach to safeguarding

Keeping the children and adults we work with safe is vital and is our top priority. We believe that all children, adults, families, and communities who come into contact with us or our partners (in person or online) should have a safe, inclusive and collaborative experience, free from all forms of abuse, harm and harassment. We expect all staff, volunteers and partners to demonstrate the highest standards of behaviour in both professional and personal lives, and we do all that we can to prevent, report and respond appropriately to all safeguarding concerns.

Our five pillars of safeguarding are: Prevention (preventing harm, including through robust risk management), Reporting (ensuring children and adults can share any concerns they have, and will be protected when doing so, whilst also encouraging lower-level, ‘near miss’ reporting), Response (investigating all concerns in a prompt, safe, fair and survivor-centred way), Learning (seeking feedback from children and families, and carrying out regular case reviews) and Governance (ensuring that our Board is well equipped to provide constructive challenge and to hold us to account). We are determined to learn from our mistakes, including from historic cases and lessons learnt from the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, and this learning is reflected in how we implement our safeguarding policies in practice.

Our Safeguarding Team is survivor-led and benefits from having a registered social worker and a former Police officer within the team. We supplement our Safeguarding Team with a network of safeguarding leads within different organisational departments. These individuals are trained and supported to champion safeguarding, encourage reporting and support robust risk management within their area of work. We completed an internal assessment of our safeguarding approach in 2024 and, as a result, have (1) made some changes to our risk assessment process, and (2) updated our participation toolkit for engaging with families.

Conclusion

Our approach to supporting survivors and safeguarding is based on continuous learning (including learning from historic failures) and keeping up to date with best practice. We aim to build on the steps we have taken this year to ensure a joined-up approach with HETL in providing practical and emotional support to survivors. The learning from our participation in the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry has been, and will to continue to be, influential in shaping our organisation’s safeguarding system, as will any learnings from any further historic cases we become aware of – whether through the Scheme itself or outside of it.

Appendix

Save the Children’s apology to survivors as shared during Phase 9 of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry

SCUK offers its sincere, unreserved and heartfelt apologies to anyone who suffered harm and abuse as children while in its care. SCUK apologises for the failures that allowed abuse to happen and for the fact that it failed to address obvious concerns. SCUK apologises for the impact that has had and continues to have on those lives. SCUK acknowledges its responsibility to promote the welfare of all children, to keep them safe and to take action in relation to any incidents of abuse. There is no time limit on SCUK’s accountability to children. Nothing can undo those wrongs, but SCUK is committed to striving to protect the children and families it works with to the highest possible standards. SCUK is fully committed to working with the Inquiry, learning from the applicant’s evidence and the reports, when published.

4.28 Seamab

Seamab has been asked to provide this report as a ‘relevant organisation’ in an eligible application to the Redress Scheme.

Seamab is a charity providing residential care and education for children and young people from across Scotland with a variety of complex and additional support needs. It provides residential care, primary and secondary education, therapy and specialist support in its school and residential services in Kinross-shire and West Lothian.

Seamab was established as a primary school by the Governors of Lendrick Muir School in 1988. Lendrick Muir School itself was opened in 1962 as a school for secondary pupils unable to cope with mainstream schooling; it closed in 1998. Seamab continued to operate as a residential primary school after the closure of Lendrick Muir School and has gone through a number of changes to evolve into the charity that it is today.

Advice and assistance on accessing historical records

Seamab always endeavours to provide a thorough and sensitive response to any request for access to historical records. During the period covered by this report, Seamab received and responded to 10 subject access requests. In the case of more recent records, Seamab has taken care to provide as much information as possible to any requests from former pupils. However, many older records have not survived due to actions, we presume, by previous school leadership and in some cases this has made it difficult to confirm more than the date of admission to the school.

No direct payments have been made by Seamab to survivors or past pupils. Seamab has not been provided with details of any Redress payments made to survivors or past pupils.

Participation in the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry

Seamab and was called to give evidence to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry in July 2025. Seamab co-operated fully with the Inquiry, complying with all legal obligations, including the provision of Section 21 responses. The Chief Executive attended and gave evidence to the Inquiry and, along with trustees of the charity, heard evidence given over the three days of the Inquiry by former pupils and staff of Lendrick Muir School and Seamab.

As a result of questions asked by Lady Smith and as a proactive employer, Seamab reviewed its Whistleblowing Policy and staff contracts to ensure all staff were aware of their duty to report any suspicion of abuse. Seamab added a clause to all employee contracts to state:

The employee agrees to comply with all applicable laws and organisational policies related to the reporting of suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation, and acknowledges that failure to do so may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

The Child Protection Policy, which is issued to all employees and is reviewed annually, states employee responsibility is to be “vigilant to the possibility and potential of harm and abuse to children, and for reporting any such concerns to statutory agencies.”

Activity relating to the provision of an apology to those abused

In the course of giving evidence to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, the Chief Executive of Seamab made an apology for any and all harm or abuse experienced by any child or young person whilst they attended Lendrick Muir School or Seamab, and for the lack of historic records that are available.

Such information as considered appropriate about any other support which the relevant organisation has provided for individuals who were abused as children.

Seamab has received no requests for funding to support individuals abused as children during the reporting period; nor for emotional, psychological or practical support from individuals who were abused as children; nor for assistance in tracing and reuniting families.

Information about the actions a relevant organisation is taking to ensure that the services they provide satisfy or exceed the relevant care standards to meet the well-being, development and safety needs of children and vulnerable people;

Seamab delivers care and education in an appropriate and contemporary way to meet the care and educational requirements of our children and young people. We are regulated by both the Care Inspectorate and HMIE and our standards must be of the highest order in all aspects of our care and protection of children and young people.

We appreciate that to best meet the needs of our young people who have experienced traumatic early life experiences requires a specialist and individualistic approach. We are cognisant of the wellbeing, developmental age and stage of each young person and their health and safety is of paramount importance to Seamab.

We provide a range of therapeutic and psychological support through our wrap-around services of Play Therapy, Speech & Language Therapy and Theraplay alongside our in-house Educational Psychologist. Our work is focused on the relational impact that all of our staff can have for the children at Seamab and our core training foundation is PACE. This is a model that is built on Play, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy.

In January 2026, we will move into a purpose built and self-funded school. We led a Capital Appeal that garnered huge backing from a community of Seamab supporters from across Scotland, the UK and beyond. This trauma informed educational environment for children and young people who have experienced abuse and harm will be significant in the social care and educational landscape for many years to come.

We are diligent in our commitment to safeguarding and child protection and our policy and procedures, and their implementation, reflect this. We are committed to attracting and retaining the very best care and education workforce to provide our young people with the very best people and resources that we can. We have created a new up-to-18 service for young people and extended our school offering so that we can deliver secondary education, both of which will help to reduce the number of transitions young people experience.

We have been part of a two-year programme of work in partnership with The Promise (Corra), The Knowledge Transfer Partnership and Strathclyde University to focus on the reduction of physical interventions within Seamab. This project has been a great success, significantly reducing the numbers of incidents that involve physical interventions.

The accessibility of the redress report should also be meaningfully considered by the scheme contributor or responsible organisation in receipt of a reporting direction.

Seamab is aware that this report will be publicly available on the Scottish Government website and will forward a copy of the report if requested.

Stuart Provan

Chief Executive, Seamab

12 December 2025

4.29 Scottish Prison Service

As required under Section 99 of the Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Act 2021, please see below our annual report for the reporting period 7 December 2024 to 6 December 2025, on the wider actions SPS has taken to redress the historical abuse of children.

Acknowledgement of abuse and provision of an apology

On 8 December 2021, the SPS published on its external website a letter acknowledging the harm that children experienced whilst in our custody and apologised for the suffering that each child endured.

As with the previous reporting period, SPS has not received any requests from individual survivors of historic child abuse seeking an apology for any harm they experienced or endured whilst in our custody. Should we receive any future requests, we will engage with the Survivor Relations Team within the Scottish Government to facilitate the redress between the SPS and the survivor.

Whilst we have not received any requests from individual survivors during this reporting period, we have again received correspondence from the Redress Team enquiring if any compensation has been paid out to survivors by SPS. Staff resource would be made available to ensure that these requests are responded to timeously.

Advice and assistance on accessing historical records

We have continued to provide advice and assistance to those seeking to access their historical records through engagement with those responsible for the Redress Scheme. We have maintained a secure means of communication to verify information and respond in a timely manner to allow the scheme administrators to support survivor’s claims for compensation.

The SPS have continued to support the Policy and Communications team at the Redress, Relations and Response Division to develop guidance for applications in custody. This guidance provides key information to those in the care of SPS on how to apply to the Scotland’s Redress Scheme, including how communications will be received; what may be offered by means of redress; and how this process will work for those currently held in custody. In addition to this, action will be taken to ensure that SPS staff remain aware of the importance of the Redress Scheme and our responsibilities under this.

Subject Access Requests (SAR)

Through SPS’ established SAR process, survivors remain able to obtain access to information held by SPS to support their claims for compensation. They have been able to do this by writing directly to SPS or downloading a SAR from our external website.

Where a person making a SAR has some form of disability and finds it is unreasonably difficult or not possible to make a SAR request in writing, SPS will consider a verbal request.

Where no records pertaining to an individual can be recovered, SPS will signpost survivors to alternative channels through which they can seek information e.g. wider SPS records held by National Records Scotland or other partner agencies.

Advice and assistance on tracing and reuniting families

SPS continues to recognise the importance of family support for those in our custody and provides prisoners with a variety of means to reintroduce and maintain contact with family. This includes through correspondence, physical and virtual visits, by telephone, the email-a-prisoner and prisoner voicemail schemes.

In relation to means of contacting family, SPS completed an estate-wide project of installing in-cell telephony during a previous reporting period. This system allows those in our custody increased access to means of communication with their families and friends who are often their personal support system in the community. This has proven to be successful and has significantly increased individual’s access to telephone communications with their families. As part of the in-cell telephony, there remains multiple pre-programmed numbers for support services on the system that are free for individuals to contact at any time. These include, but are not limited to, the Samaritans, Alcoholics Anonymous and Scotland’s Citizen’s Advice Helpline. The Scottish Redress Scheme is also included in this and is therefore free for anyone in SPS custody to call.

SPS continues to have in place processes to assist families in tracing relatives who may be in our custody. It should again be noted that this was not introduced specifically to support the Redress Scheme but does support this. Under the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998 and GDPR, SPS are prohibited from confirming whether a person is in SPS custody as this information is considered personal data. To assist families who may wish to trace those in our custody, we have arrangements in place which allow families to write to individuals c/o SPS Legal Services who will, if the individual is in our custody, pass the letter on to them. This is done without confirming to the sender whether the individual is in custody in line with Data Protection legislation. This provides those in our custody the ability to reunite with family members they may have lost contact with if they choose.

Funding for emotional, psychological, or practical support

Those in SPS custody are able to access a variety of emotional, psychological, or practical support that is either funded by SPS or provided by local NHS boards or other partner agencies. This includes access to Samaritans services either via the SPS Listener Scheme or via SPS phones (the Samaritans telephone number, as mentioned above, is pre-programmed in all SPS in-cell and communal phones and is free to contact), self-referral processes to NHS Mental Health Services and on-site Chaplaincy support. In addition to this, several other free support services are available via in-cell and communal phones to support those in our custody including Rape Crisis Scotland, Scottish Woman’s Aid and Child Line.

SPS is not able to fund services that would provide emotional or psychological support services for those not in SPS custody. The SPS is an operational branch of the Scottish Government and is funded directly by Scottish Ministers to provide prison services. The budget allocated to SPS is intended to cover expenditure associated with operating the prison system and the provision of the Court Custody and Prison Escorting Service (CCPES) on behalf of Scottish Courts, Police Scotland and the wider justice system. The SPS budget does not cover the costs of funding the provision of services to individuals in the community.

In terms of practical support, as detailed above in relation to SARs, SPS have processes in place to enable survivors, or those representing them, to obtain access to information held by SPS to support their claims for redress compensation.

Safeguarding policy and procedures

The Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 (Commencement No. 1 and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2024 commenced provisions in the Act on 28 August 2024 to change the meaning of “child” for the purposes of commencement of amendments to the relevant provisions of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 to prohibit the detention of children (anyone under the age of 18) in a young offender institution (YOI), and enable their placement in, for example, secure accommodation. This therefore means that a child cannot be held on remand or sentenced to detention in a YOI and there are now no longer any children held in SPS custody. While it is recognised that anyone under the age of 18 years old are no longer held in SPS custody, policies and procedures remain in place for young people held in custody (aged 18 to 21 years old) or are visiting the establishment. Below an overview is provided of some of the key policies and strategies that relate to this.

Vision for Young People in Custody

The aim of this policy is to use the time a young person spends in custody to enable them to prepare for a positive future. This means providing the care and experiences which will support the young person’s mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing in addition to a safe and secure environment. The purpose of this is to build the young person’s knowledge, skills, and employability, and therefore promoting their successful reintegration into our communities.

Think Twice – The SPS Strategic Approach to Encouraging Respectful Behaviour in Prison

This strategy focuses on identifying and recognising when bullying occurs with an objective to appropriately address the behaviour of the person bullying whilst also supporting the person experiencing the bullying behaviour. The policy aims to reduce the level of bullying within prisons, ensuring that any incidents of bullying are thoroughly investigated and managed appropriately to prevent future occurrence. The fundamental purpose of this strategy is to create a safe and supportive community within our prisons where people take responsibility for their own actions and also gain an understanding of the impact that their actions could have on other people. This policy is applicable to all individuals held in SPS custody, their children, families and visitors in all areas of the SPS.

A review of the Think Twice strategy has been undertaken by SPS in this reporting year as part of the wider work of the Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) Taskforce. Research and the review of the current strategy was completed at the end of 2025, and the development of the new strategy and guidance is now underway. The SPS are working with the support of external organisations, such as Respect Me, Community Justice Scotland and the Criminal Justice Voluntary Sector Forum, to develop the new strategy and reporting mechanisms. The first phase of this work is the development of the strategy for young people in custody, and this is expected to be drafted and piloted in HMP & YOI Polmont in this reporting period, before focusing on the adult populations.

SPS Child Protection Policy

SPS continues to have the SPS Child Protection Policy in place to safeguard children and young people who visit or contact a prison or people in our custody. This is also applicable for young people in custody.

The objective of this policy is for SPS staff to take reasonable steps to protect children and young people visiting our establishments or contacting a prison or people in our custody and protecting young people from any form of harm and abuse whilst in our custody. The policy provides guidance to SPS staff on appropriate actions to take if they become concerned about the welfare of a child of young person while undertaking their duties. All SPS staff have a responsibility to act on any concerns they may have, and this policy provides the support to SPS staff on how to exercise this responsibility. SPS staff are provided with guidance in relation to what the signs of potential abuse are; their obligations to protect children and young people from harm and abuse; and details of the correct reporting procedures they should follow when required.

Any other support

Where a survivor who is currently seeking redress sadly passes away, their family may be able to take their claim forward. This would follow the same procedures SPS currently use for any other claims where the original claimant has sadly passed away.

We note this redress report will be reviewed and published as part of a combined report as required by Section 99 of The Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Act 2021.

Scottish Prison Service

February 2026

4.30 The Sisters of Nazareth

Much discussion and effort has been made in recent years to engage with survivors to understand and address the harm caused by historical child abuse. The Sisters of Nazareth welcomed all children who were referred to us and in many cases we made a positive contribution to their lives but we recognise that we did not get it right for a number of our former children. Survivors of historical abuse have the option of seeking justice through the criminal and civil courts. The financial redress scheme provides an alternative to the criminal and civil court process and is sensitive to the needs of survivors.

Nothing can ever compensate for any suffering endured whilst children were in the care of the Sisters of Nazareth. Making redress payments for survivors of historical child abuse in Nazareth House Children’s Homes in Scotland is an important part of dealing with the past. The Congregation of the Sisters of Nazareth recognises that financial redress is only one aspect of acknowledging the harm that past child abuse has caused to survivors.

Advice and Assistance on accessing historical records

All of us want to have knowledge of our background and family history, so we can understand that care records are a vital link for an individual who has been in care to understand their identity and childhood. Access to records and information can be challenging due to the records kept at the time and those that have survived; in the past the requirement to keep records was not the same as is required today. Our archivists work hard to maintain the records and to provide timely, accurate and complete access to records in support of an applicants’ claim for redress or to gain a better understanding of their care experience, and to Redress Scotland for the administration of the scheme. The archivists work tirelessly to identify the requested records, including when names and dates do not match.

During the year to December 2025, 21 requests for individual in-care records were verified or provided to support a redress application. In addition, Redress Scotland sought and received verification of previous payments made to 28 applicants to the scheme.

Advice and assistance on tracing and reuniting families

We haven’t specifically provided advice and assistance on tracing and reuniting families in addition to the provision of records and verifications above. However, there have been cases where records have been requested but the individual has not resided in a Nazareth House, in which case we have provided advice on where else they may make enquiries. These may be related to redress claimants or others who approach the Congregation looking for their care records or family connections.

Funding for emotional, psychological or practical support

There have not been any specific requests for funding for emotional, psychological or practical support during the last year relating to children who were cared for in our former children’s homes in Scotland. Should we receive such requests we would consider them and where appropriate provide funding as we do in other parts of the UK.

Apology Framework

The Sisters of Nazareth have engaged in the Apology Framework for Scotland’s Redress Scheme. Whenever an individual asked for a written apology, we welcome the opportunity to provide them with a sincere, unreserved and heartfelt apology. In each of the two requests for an individual apology received in the past year, the survivors gave consent to share their personal statement, thus making the apology more personal and meaningful. We received one request for an in-person apology, our Safeguarding Lead Sister for the Congregation met with the person in Glasgow and for both parties it was an empathetic and healing process.

The Sisters warmly welcome former children, survivors and their families to visit a Nazareth House. Many lessons have been learnt as we engage with survivors, and our prayer is that a healing process may commence and lead to reconciliation. Every day we remember in our prayers all survivors whose childhood memories were contrary to the love, care and nurturing they should have received.

We do not intend to publish this report on the Sisters of Nazareth website.

Sr Brenda McCall, Superior General

4.31 Vincentian Community

The Vincentian Community ran the Glengowan Boys’ Hostel in Glasgow from 1971 to 1976. We do not currently provide any residential care services for children in Scotland.

To date, to the best of our knowledge, no complaint of abuse has been made by any former resident of Glengowan during the time that the Vincentian Community operated the Hostel.

We have robust and comprehensive safeguarding policies and procedures in place, as well as designated Safeguarding Personnel in Ireland and England where we minister.

We acknowledge the importance of survivors being listened to and believed, with compassion, dignity, and respect. We are committed to playing our part in the collective response.

We in the Vincentian Community offer our unreserved and sincere apologies to anyone who suffered abuse or harm while in our care. We deeply regret and sincerely apologise for the suffering people have endured or experienced as a result of abuse.

Rev. Paschal Scallon CM

Provincial

4.32 WCH Trust for Children

What funding have you given for emotional, psychological or practical support?

In our Constitution dated 24 August 2016, we put as our first charitable purpose, “To provide financial assistance and other benefits, from time to time, to former residents of the former Widowers’ Children’s Home, Edinburgh who are in need by way of ill health, financial hardship or other disadvantage”. We have a limited database of ex-residents (currently 26) and besides responding to individual requests for financial assistance, we pay each one an annual amount at Christmas - presently set at £220. We have also met with three ex-residents to hear of their experiences while in the Home.

Advice given on accessing historical records

The Home was closed in 1980, and we did not take over management of the subsequent charity until much later. We have in the past contacted the previous Secretaries (KPMG) and have been told no records exist from the time the Home was operating. We also understand from KPMG that their understanding from Edinburgh Council is that they too hold no records regarding the Home.

Advice and assistance on tracing and reuniting families

We have had no such enquiries.

Activity relating to the provision of an apology to those abused

Our statement on joining the Redress Scheme as a Contributor is a matter of public record and we have notified all those who receive a Christmas cheque that we are a Contributor to the Scheme. We also recently appeared before the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry and made a public apology to all those who had suffered abuse while in the Home.