News

Friday, 5 February 2010

Quarriers’ Former Residents to be offered a Time to be Heard

Details:

Quarriers’ Former Residents to be offered a Time to be Heard

Progress towards a pilot forum initiated by Scottish Government for adults who were in residential care as children takes another step forward, with the announcement that the trustees of Quarriers have agreed to support the initiative.

Up to 100 former residents will now be invited to speak to the Time to be Heard pilot forum. The pilot – consisting of a panel of independent experts – will test out one way of giving a voice to people who were in care as children, by having the histories of their time in care acknowledged and recognised. Sessions will be held in private, with those who choose to come forward being offered support throughout.

Public Health Minister Shona Robison said:

"Time to be Heard is an opportunity for society to acknowledge the experiences of those adults who have survived abuse in residential care. By having their experiences recognised and recorded we hope to provide these men and women with some public acknowledgement.

“Quarriers is very clear about its responsibility to the survivors of abuse and is to be commended for supporting the pilot. This is positive progress for Time to be Heard – which will in turn be a real step forward for people who spent time in residential care as children.’’

Dr. Phil Robinson, chief executive of Quarriers, said:

“Quarriers fully supports the pilot forum and will work with the Scottish Government to ensure the Forum achieves its aims.”

Time to be Heard Chair Tom Shaw said:

"I welcome Quarriers' willingness to support Time to be Heard. I hope their positive approach will encourage others involved now or in the past in residential childcare to see the pilot forum as a progressive step forward."

Background

Time to be Heard is part of the Survivor Scotland strategy to help adult survivors who were sexually abused as children. The Pilot Forum is being funded by the Scottish Government. Up to £375,000 is available for this financial year and the same amount will be allocated in the next financial year.


Appointed by the Public Health Minister – supported by Justice and Education ministers – Time to be Heard’s Chair, Tom Shaw, was previously appointed by ministers as the independent expert to lead a review of the systems for children in residential schools and children's homes from 1950 to 1995. His Historic Abuse Systemic Review from 2007 has already had a significant impact on residential childcare in Scotland. The country's first Commissioner for Children and Young People, Kathleen Marshall, has been appointed as one of the commissioners who will sit with the chair. Consultant forensic clinical psychologist Anne Carpenter has been appointed as the other commissioner.

Quarriers was selected as a large national provider of child care in Scotland (30,000 people between 1878 and 1983), which has acknowledged that some children in its care were abused.