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Scotland’s shame: decades of neglect, abuse and suffering

Scotland yesterday set out its fullest public account of mass historic child abuse. An independent report for the Scottish Government gave an official voice to the men and women who, as children, were sexually, physically and emotionally tortured over nearly half a century.

Its author, Tom Shaw, found widespread systemic failures in the nation's confused and confusing network of children's homes and residential schools run by the state, charities and churches.

In his recommendations, Mr Shaw said survivors of abuse should get a national support centre alongside a new nationwide task force to stand up for youngsters currently in care.

The Scottish Government welcomed the report yesterday, without giving much away about future plans. Adam Ingram, the Children's Minister, said he was "in full agreement of the principles of the findings and the recommendations". The report was "far-reaching" and "it is right that we give detailed and serious consideration to the issues".

Mr Ingram has already announced an inquiry into allegations - and convictions - for child abuse at Kerelaw, the residential school and secure unit in Ayrshire that sparked Scotland's biggest child abuse investigation before it closed in 2005.

Kerelaw, however, was just the latest in a succession of abuse scandals in residential institutions for children. The list has grown in recent years. It includes: Larchgrove, a council-run children's home in Glasgow; Blairs College, a seminary in Aberdeen; St Ninian's, a school run by the De La Salle Brothers, monks in Gartmore, Stirlingshire; and Nazareth House, a chain of Catholic children's homes.

Full story at The Herald.