Publish date: 10 Jun 2022

Lady Smith, Chair of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI) has today announced that public hearings examining the abuse of children in foster care will begin on Tuesday 3rd May.

The Foster Care case study includes children who were boarded out, as well as children who were placed in foster care by a Scottish local authority and children who were in kinship care.

Hearings will take place at the Inquiry’s premises in Mint House, 20 West Register Street, which is centrally located in Edinburgh, just off St Andrew Square.

Evidence will be taken from witnesses in person and some via video link. Further scheduling details will be published in due course.

Phase one of the case study will feature evidence from relevant experts and regulatory bodies to provide context and scene setting. This phase of evidence is expected to last three weeks.

Phase two of the case study will start in late May when evidence will be led from individuals who experienced abuse in foster care as well as from a range of other witnesses.

Foster care is a substantial case study and it is expected to run for several months finishing in the autumn.