Final date - Terms of Reference

The Inquiry’s Terms of Reference cover that period which is within living memory of any person who suffered abuse, up until such date as the Chair may determine but not beyond 17 December 2014.

The Chair has now confirmed that for a person who suffered abuse to give their account to the Inquiry about the experience of abuse, its impact and the effect on his or her family, the abuse must have taken place before the final date. The date is 17 December 2014. To see the Inquiry’s latest Press Release, please click here.

A Note setting out the reasons for that decision will appear on the website in due course.

Engagement with key groups

Since the Inquiry formally began work in October, several meetings have taken place with survivor groups, and representations have been made to the Inquiry about its Terms of Reference.

Among the concerns raised is that the only abuse we will consider is abuse which affected children in residential and care establishments, or children in foster care. We cannot look at abuse which took place in clubs or in the community generally. The Chair was asked to take that concern to the Cabinet Secretary, and she did so in a letter (which is published here). Decisions about the scope of the Inquiry’s remit are Scottish Government decisions, and not matters on which the Chair can or should comment.

Meetings have taken place, or have been arranged, with several organisations with an interest in the Inquiry. The door remains open for any interested groups to make representations to the Inquiry about how it should go about its task up until 31 January 2016.

Those who wish to make contact with the Inquiry can do so either by email, information@childabuseinquiry.scot or post, Historical Child Abuse Inquiry, PO Box 24085, Edinburgh, EH7 9EA

Other preparatory work

We have engaged with the Jersey, Northern Ireland, England & Wales Inquiries and with the Australian Royal Commission. We are analysing and considering all the advice which we have received and are very grateful for the help they have given us.

The Inquiry legal team are drafting the rules for giving evidence, document management, data protection, applications for anonymity, and similar matters. These will not be finalised or published until after 31 January 2016, as the Inquiry is open to considering views on how it should approach its work.

Support for survivors

We are actively considering the best arrangements for providing appropriate support for survivors before, during and after they give evidence. The Inquiry recognises that support has to be in place from the outset.