Swinney agrees compensation proposal for care abuse survivors
Survivors of abuse in care in Scotland will be eligible for financial compensation, Deputy First Minister John Swinney has confirmed.
Mr Swinney announced that the Scottish Government has accepted the main recommendations put forward a review group representing survivors and other stakeholders and that legislation to put a financial redress scheme in place will be brought before the Parliament with a view to completing its passage during the current term.
At the same time he offered an unreserved apology on behalf of the Scottish Government to all those who were abused as children while in care.
The Deputy First Minister also confirmed that advance payments will be made as soon as possible to survivors who may not live long enough to apply to the proposed scheme, due to ill health or age.
Further details of the scheme, including the level of compensation for individuals, will be considered in the next stage as part of the scheme design. Survivors of in-care abuse who took part in the national consultation on redress have identified issues that are important to them in relation to scheme design and these will be given full consideration in the next steps.
Proposals for the scheme were developed by the InterAction Action Plan Review Group in partnership with CELCIS, the Centre for Excellence for Looked-after Children in Scotland, following a consultation in 2017. The review group is a national stakeholder group which includes representation from survivors, survivor group organisations, the Scottish Human Rights Commission, the Scottish Government and others.
Ministers emphasise the need to design a scheme that is sensitive and respectful to survivors and that Scotland learns lessons from other countries that have already done so.
Discussions will take place with providers of care services to consider ways to respect the recommendation of the review group that all those responsible should contribute to the redress scheme.
Mr Swinney said: "Today, on behalf of the Scottish Government, I offer an unreserved and heartfelt apology to everyone who suffered abuse in care in Scotland. We are deeply ashamed of what happened.
"We will progress, without delay, to detailed design of a redress scheme, ensuring we learn lessons from other countries. We will move to make advance payments as soon as we possibly can, and will do so with urgency.
"I am determined we will have a redress scheme in Scotland which treats survivors with sensitivity and respect. Their courage and determination to speak out for justice and to protect children today and in the future from experiencing the abuse that they suffered is inspiring."