Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry

Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry

The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI) is ongoing.

The Inquiry was set up in 2016 to investigate the historic abuse of children in a care setting in Scotland. For the purposes of the Inquiry, boarding schools fall within the definition of institutions which care for children.

The Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS) and our member schools have played a full, open, and active contribution to enable the inquiry to achieve its aims and will continue to do so.

We share the Inquiry’s vision to ensure that all survivors of abuse have the right to be heard, so that everyone can learn lessons from what should never have taken place.

We deeply regret the distress caused and offer an unreserved apology to each and every person who suffered abuse while attending one of our member schools.

As a sector, the care and well-being of children and young people in our schools is of paramount importance.  We have a zero-tolerance approach toward anyone who fails to live up to these values. 

Each school has strict and fully updated child protection policies and procedures which are well established and reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure they meet the needs of children and young people today.  With this in mind, we are confident that our schools provide a safe and nurturing environment where children can learn and flourish.