Lady Smith, Chair of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI), has asked for help with its investigations focusing on the provision of residential care for children and young people (under the age of 18) in any hospitals in Scotland which provided long-term care at any time up to the end of 2014.
These investigations form part of SCAI’s Phase 9 work, which focuses on residential care in establishments for children and young people with long-term healthcare needs, additional support needs, and disabilities, or any combination of those. Public hearings for the Phase 9 case study are expected to begin in spring 2025.
In a filmed address, Lady Smith said: ‘I understand that coming forward to give evidence to the Inquiry can be really difficult and daunting.
‘I know that it is not at all easy to decide to make the decision to do so. It is for that reason that we have a specialist witness support team who assist all witnesses according to their particular needs, discussing with them what particular support they may require.
‘We have already taken some evidence, but we would like more people to come forward. Please do get in touch with us if you feel at all able to help.’
Lady Smith’s request particularly relates to the following establishments:
NHS Dumfries and Galloway
- Ladyfield East Unit, Crichton Royal Hospital, Dumfries
- Hannahfield Hall Unit, Crichton Royal Hospital, Dumfries
- Ladyfield West Unit, Crichton Royal Hospital, Dumfries
- Eskdale House Unit, Crichton Royal Hospital, Dumfries
NHS Forth Valley
- Royal Scottish National Hospital, Larbert
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
- Lennox Castle Hospital, Lennoxtown, Glasgow
Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul
- St Joseph’s Hospital, Rosewell
Lady Smith added: ‘Our investigations cover all forms of abuse including physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. I will also be looking into any inappropriate practices that may have taken place at these establishments.
‘If you were a child or young person in residential care at one of these establishments, or a member of their family, or a member of staff, I am looking for your help.
‘Likewise, if you were a child or young person in long-term residential care at any other hospital in Scotland, I am looking for your help.
‘If you are able to provide me with any information about the experiences of children and young people at these institutions, or any other long- stay hospitals, it will be of considerable assistance to me in the work we are doing here to find out what happened to children in residential care there and, if they suffered abuse, how that happened and how to protect against it happening again now and in the future.’
You can email SCAI’s Witness Support Team or contact them by phone on 0800 0929 300.
Individuals can also contact the Inquiry by post at SCAI, PO Box 24202, Edinburgh EH3 1JN.
Contact Scotland and Relay UK services are available, and information about the Inquiry and what is involved in giving evidence can be found in a series of BSL translated and subtitled videos on SCAI’s website.