The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry is set to hold public hearings into residential care for children at establishments run by Renfrewshire Council.
Investigations will also focus on the establishments where children were placed into care by local councils.
The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI) confirmed it expects public hearings, relating to Phase 10 of the inquiry, will start in the second half of 2025.
In Renfrewshire, establishments under the inquiry include, Gryffe Children’s Home in Bridge of Weir and Rowanlea Children’s Care Home, formerly known as Newfield in Johnstone.
Exploration of this category has been ongoing throughout the life of the SCAI and the inquiry team said that many relevant statements have already been provided by a range of applicants.
The chairwoman of the inquiry, Lady Smith, urged anyone with relevant information to contact the team.
She said: “The inquiry’s wide-ranging terms of reference include requiring us to investigate the provision of residential care for children in establishments run by local authorities.
“They also require investigations to focus on establishments into which local authorities placed children in care.
“We plan to hold public hearings and expect that they will be able to commence in the second half of 2025.
“Our investigations have been ongoing throughout the life of the inquiry. A number of people have already come forward, but we would encourage anyone with relevant information to get in touch with the inquiry’s witness support team as soon as possible.”
As part of the inquiry’s preparatory work, SCAI regularly reviews the stages that all its investigations have reached and may, if necessary, add to its list of focused investigations.
The overall aim and purpose of the inquiry is to raise public awareness of the abuse of children in care, particularly during the period covered by SCAI.
It covers the period which is within living memory of any person who suffered such abuse, up until such date as the chair may determine, and in any event not beyond December 17, 2014.
The inquiry’s witness support team can be contacted on 0800 0929 300, or by email: [email protected]
Individuals can also write to the inquiry by post at SCAI, PO Box 24202, Edinburgh EH3 1JN.
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