Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry begins with profound apologies

SCOTLAND
The National

Janice Burns @janthenational
Journalist

SURVIVORS who say they were abused as youngsters in residential care heard a succession of “profound” and “unreserved”apologies from organisations on the first day of Scotland’s national child abuse inquiry.

Groups including Quarriers, Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul, Sisters of Nazareth, De La Salle Brothers, the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland and Crossreach, the social care arm of the Church of Scotland, were among those voicing regret for past cases of abuse or alleged abuse.

The apologies were offered in opening statements from a range of bodies as the public hearing phase of the far-reaching inquiry into historical allegations of the abuse of children in care in Scotland got under way. It followed remarks from chairwoman Lady Smith who said the process will be “painful” for many, but necessary to achieve “real, substantial and lasting change”.

In their opening remarks, representatives of Quarriers and the Marist Brothers offered “unreserved” apologies to anyone who was abused in their care.

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