The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong learning, Angela Constance MSP, made a statement in Parliament in December 2014 announcing the Scottish Government’s intention to hold a National Inquiry into Historical Child Abuse. The Chair to the Inquiry, Susan O’Brien QC, and Terms of Reference were announced in late May 2015. Applications are now invited from candidates for appointment as Panel members.
The Inquiry is to be held under the Inquiries Act 2005 (“the Act”) and is a Scotland Inquiry in terms of section 1(2)(b) and section 28 of the Act. Panel members, along with the Chair, will form the Inquiry Panel in terms of the Act. The setting up date for the inquiry will be no later than 1 October 2015.
Applications are invited from real experts in their fields, who have a high level of professional recognition for example expertise or background in one or more of the following areas:
- Psychology or Psychiatry, in particular those with experience in working with adults or children who have been abused in a residential care setting; or of taking evidence from people who were abused in childhood/children who have been abused.
- Experience of running successful residential or secure care establishments or institutions for children or similar.
- Social work practitioner at a senior leadership level, in particular those with considerable practical experience working with children in care, child protection or safeguarding.
- Academic or medical research at a high level into any of the issues which will be explored by the Inquiry.
- Regulation or Inspection of bodies with responsibility for children in care.
- Experience in the implementation of policy and practice relating to some of the issues to be explored by the Inquiry.
Candidates whose experience arises outside Scotland are very welcome.
Further information for candidates, including the process for applying is available on the Scottish Government’s website at http://bit.ly/1H5GP9D.
Closing date for applications is 28 August 2015.
