On 11 October 2018, the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI) published its first findings.
The findings follow 20 days of evidence heard between November 2017 and January 2018 from 54 witnesses and also take account of a further 21 written submissions. That evidence and the findings are on two residential care establishments run by a religious order between 1917 and 1981.
The second preliminary took place on 25 September in preparation for the three weeks of public hearings due to start on 26 November 2018.
In the Inquiry’s words: This investigation focuses on the support services and legal remedies available to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. It responds to multiple reports of inadequate support services, obstructive insurance companies and a civil justice system that may not deliver genuine reparation.
The independent Inquiry commissioned by the Football Association to investigate child sex abuse in football between 1970 and 2005 has this week advised that it will delay its findings. The inquiry was due to publish its final report towards the end of this year. Continue reading
The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (“SCAI”) is already investigating 69 institutions. Continue reading
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Karen Bradley, made a number of announcements on the 6 September 2018 concerning the political impasse in Northern Ireland. While the cut to the pay of the MLAs made the headlines it was the discussion about the role of the Civil Service and decision making powers that may be of significantly greater relevance. Continue reading
A Scottish Government commissioned panel, the Scottish Human Rights Commission InterAction Action Plan Review Group, has reported to the Scottish Government that the state has a duty to ensure effective remedies for violations of human rights, including abuse in care. The panel has called for legislation on this by the end of the Scottish parliamentary session in 2021. It has also recommended that there should be an early payment scheme in place to benefit older survivors of abuse in residential care settings. The Scottish Government has undertaken to give these recommendations “early, detailed and sensitive consideration” and to “report back to parliament in due course”. Continue reading
Despite IICSA opening its doors in July 2015 and including in its focus the work of local authorities children’s services the length and breadth of the country continue to be plagued with problems, probes, enquiries, intervention, financial crises, adverse press interest and funding difficulties. Continue reading
