Financial redress for survivors of child abuse in care: information note 11 - July 2021
Update on administration and decision making work taking place since the The Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Bill was passed by Parliament in March 2021.
When Scotland’s Redress Scheme opens for applications later this year, it will be managed by two different organisations. A new Division in Scottish Government will provide application forms and support to apply, in a similar way as they do currently for the Advance Payment Scheme. However, a new independent body, Redress Scotland, will make decisions on applications.
Both the Scottish Government Redress Division and Redress Scotland are committed to delivering Scotland’s Redress Scheme in a trauma informed way that makes the whole process as straightforward as possible for applicants and those supporting them.
Here is a list of who will do what once the scheme opens. We will provide more detail about this in the coming months.
Scottish Government Redress Division
- helps survivors and others with questions about the redress scheme and how to apply
- helps applicants access practical help (for example finding records) and emotional support
- makes sure applicants are aware of their rights and options under the scheme, including the payment of applicants’ legal fees related to redress applications
- receives applications and passes to Redress Scotland for decision
- tells applicants if their application has been successful and what level of redress payment is being offered
- explains the process if an applicant wants a review on a decision from Redress Scotland
- facilitates official apologies to applicants if requested
- arranges access to counselling at the end of the process if applicants request it
- pays redress payments
- pays applicants’ legal fees related to redress applications
- pays applicants’ expenses related to redress applications
Redress Scotland
- receives applications from the Redress Division when the survivor is ready for it to be considered and makes decisions about whether the applicant is eligible
- tells the Redress Division what they decide, or if they need more information before they can decide
- tells the Redress Division what level of payment should be offered to the applicant
- a different panel of Redress Scotland looks at the application and decision again if an applicant requests a review
Update on Redress Scotland
Johnny Gwynne was appointed as Chair of Redress Scotland on 28 June 2021. Mr Gwynne is the former Deputy Chief Constable of Police Scotland and a past director of the National Crime Agency, where he had responsibility for tackling child exploitation.
We will shortly be able to announce who will be Chief Executive of Redress Scotland following interviews that took place last month. We are now recruiting panel members. Panel members will be responsible for making decisions about applications, confirming eligibility and deciding on the levels of financial redress payments offered to survivors. More information about the posts and on how to apply is available on the Scottish Government Public Appointments website and other recruitment websites. You can see the advert. The closing date for applications is 2 August 2021.
We are very interested to hear your ideas on what areas we should explore with prospective panel members for Redress Scotland, during the interviews, and what questions we should ask. Your views and suggestions will help us in the recruitment process so please email any suggestions to redress@gov.scot by the end of July.
A Message from the Chair of Redress Scotland
I would like to take this opportunity to record that I consider it a real privilege to have been appointed to the role of Chair at Redress Scotland and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve those eligible for the scheme over the months and years ahead. I am mindful that a lot of people have waited a long time to see this moment and the creation in law of Redress Scotland which occurred on 28 June this year.
Now that we have the ‘green light’ to start there is a lot to be done as we build a team which is well trained and ready to receive and carefully consider the volume of applications we expect from survivors.
My focus now is to set up this new independent body with integrity and strive to earn the trust of survivors. I am mindful that the system through which applications pass touches two different organisations (Scottish Government and Redress Scotland). To this end I want to reassure you that we are already working jointly with the government officials designing the scheme to ensure the applicant experience is as smooth as possible and that at all stages care is taken in making this process as easy as it can be for those applying. Whilst this joint work is vital let me reassure you that Redress Scotland will be totally independent from Scottish Government in its decision making.
I have been enormously privileged through my career to date to be allowed to play a small part in helping folks who have suffered in a way that most people do not. I see this role as continuing to play that part as, together with others, we create an effective organisation that can carefully and considerately handle one more chapter of each of your experiences. I trust when you look back you will know your circumstances have been fully considered and most importantly you have been treated with compassion, respect and dignity.
Update on Scottish Government Redress Division
We are recruiting the staff we need to open the scheme and support applicants to apply. All staff will receive training which builds on all we have learned running the Advance Payment Scheme and is informed by our engagement with survivors, other redress schemes and others. The aim of the training is to create a workforce that is equipped with the necessary knowledge, skills and capabilities to deliver a compassionate, trauma-informed service for survivors.
We are also making arrangements for where the teams will be based and everything that needs to be in place for a working space that allows the scheme to be delivered in a safe way, keeping applicants’ information secure.
Update on Survivor Forum
We will be setting up a Survivor Forum to provide a mechanism for survivor views and feedback on the delivery of the redress scheme. The Survivor Forum will not be a decision-making panel. Members of the Forum will not see or be involved in considering any individual applications to the scheme. We want to ensure the scheme does all it can to make the process as straightforward as possible for applicants and that they are well supported. The Survivor Forum will be one way in which we hear about what we could do better. We are working with survivors to design the Survivor Forum now. If you would like to receive a short questionnaire to give us your thoughts on this, please email redress@gov.scot or phone 0808 169 9740 and we will call you back.
Finding out more
- find out more about the Scottish Government’s approach to financial redress for survivors of historical child abuse in care
- you can call us on 0808 169 9740 and leave a message and we will call you back. As the team is working from home the answerphone service is permanently switched on but we will return calls as soon as we can.
- if you wish to report your abuse, contact Police Scotland on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111
- if you wish to tell the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry about your abuse, contact them on 0800 092 9300 or email talktous@childabuseinquiry.scot
- if you need support, contact Future Pathways on 0808 164 2005 or email registration@future-pathways.co.uk
- of you find you are distressed you can contact Breathing Space on 0800 83 85 87 or the Samaritans on 116 123. Both numbers are free to call.
Contact
Email: redress@gov.scot
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