Case Study no. 3 The provision of residential care for children in Scotland by Quarriers, Aberlour Child Care Trust, and Barnardo’s between 1921 and 1991 Evidential Hearings: 23 October 2018 to 12 February 2019 This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government- licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected]. Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. This publication is available at www.childabuseinquiry.scot Any enquiries regarding this publication should be sent to [email protected] Published January 2020 Produced by APS Group Scotland, 21 Tennant Street, Edinburgh EH6 5NA Case Study no. 3 The provision of residential care for children in Scotland by Quarriers, Aberlour Child Care Trust, and Barnardo’s between 1921 and 1991 Evidential Hearings: 23 October 2018 to 12 February 2019 Contents Preface v Summary ix 1. Introduction 1 2. Quarriers, Aberlour, and Barnardo’s 3 Quarriers 3 Aberlour 8 Barnardo’s 9 3. General descriptions and regimes 11 Introduction 11 Home 11 Collusion? 12 Overviews of experiences in the care of the three providers 12 An outside view 17 Failures to follow providers’ own rules 17 Abuse: contributory factors 22 Positives 24 4. Physical Abuse 25 Introduction 25 Attitudes to the corporal punishment of children prevalent over the period of this case study 25 Quarriers 29 Aberlour 39 Barnardo’s 43 Responses to evidence of physical abuse 46 Conclusions about physical abuse 46 5. Bedwetting Practices 47 Quarriers 49 Aberlour 52 Barnardo’s 53 Response to evidence about bedwetting treatment 54 Conclusions about bedwetting 54 ii Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry – Case Study no. 3 6. Force-feeding 55 Some examples 55 Quarriers 55 Aberlour 57 Barnardo’s 57 Response to evidence about emotional abuse 57 Conclusions about force-feeding 58 7. Chores 59 Some examples 59 Quarriers 59 Aberlour 61 Barnardo’s 62 Response to evidence about chores 62 Conclusions about chores 62 8. Washing and Bathing 63 Some examples 63 Quarriers 63 Aberlour 64 Barnardo’s 65 Response to evidence about washing and bathing 65 Conclusions about washing and bathing 66 9. Emotional Abuse 67 Some examples 68 Quarriers 68 Aberlour 76 Barnardo’s 79 Response to evidence about emotional abuse 81 Conclusions about emotional abuse 81 10. Sexual Abuse 82 Quarriers 82 Aberlour 85 Barnardo’s 88 Response to evidence about sexual abuse 91 Conclusions about sexual abuse 91 11. Preparation for life after care 92 Some examples 93 Quarriers 93 Aberlour 94 Barnardo’s 95 Response to evidence about preparation for leaving care 96 Conclusions about preparation for leaving care 96 Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry – Case Study no. 3 iii 12. Reflections 97 Quarriers 97 Aberlour 102 Barnardo’s 104 13. Records 108 The 1959 Regulations on record keeping 108 Approved Schools (Scotland) Rules 1961 109 Children’s records 109 Quarriers 111 Aberlour 114 Barnardo’s 116 Response to evidence about records 118 Conclusions about records 119 Appendix A – Terms of Reference 120 Appendix B – Breakdown of numbers of children and babies at Quarriers, Aberlour, and Barnardo’s 122 Quarriers Statistics 122 Aberlour Statistics 123 Barnardo’s Statistics 124 Appendix C – Numbers of complaints, civil actions, police investigations, criminal proceedings and applicants to SCAI 125 Quarriers 125 Aberlour 127 Barnardo’s 129 Appendix D – Prosecutions of former staff of the three providers 133 Quarriers 133 Aberlour 149 Barnardo’s 151 iv Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry – Case Study no. 3 Preface The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry Public hearings (“SCAI”) In common with other public inquiries, the SCAI’s Terms of Reference (“ToR”) require work of SCAI includes public hearings. They it to “investigate the nature and extent of take place after detailed investigations, abuse of children in care in Scotland” during research, analysis and preparation have been the period from within living memory to 17 completed by SCAI counsel and SCAI staff. December 2014 and to create a national That stage can take a long time. The public public record and commentary on abuse hearings of SCAI include—importantly—the of children in care in Scotland during that taking of oral evidence from individuals period. about their experiences as children in care and the reading of a selection of evidence The requirement is to investigate sexual, from some of their written statements. physical, psychological and emotional abuse The evidence also includes accounts of and, at the Chair’s discretion, other types the impact of their having been abused of abuse including unacceptable practices as children in care. During and following (such as deprivation of contact with siblings) the evidential hearings into case studies, and neglect. There is also a requirement to applicants and other witnesses may come make findings about the impact of abuse. forward with further relevant evidence and SCAI is also to consider the extent to which such evidence will be taken into account by any form of abuse arose from failures in SCAI. duty by those with responsibility for the SCAI is aware that children were abused protection of children in care. In particular, in a substantial number of institutions in SCAI requires to consider whether any Scotland and were the subjects of migration abuse arose from systemic failures and programmes that involved an outcome of the extent to which any such failures have abuse. It is not realistic to present every been addressed. It is to make findings and institution and instance of abuse at a public recommendations for the effective protection hearing; were SCAI to do so, an Inquiry which of children in care now and in the future. will of necessity in any event be lengthy, A copy of SCAI’s ToR is at Appendix A. would be unduly prolonged. Accordingly, with the assistance of SCAI counsel, I will An “applicant” is the term SCAI uses for a continue to identify particular institutions person who tells SCAI that he/she was abused and matters that are representative of the in circumstances that fall within the ToR. issues being explored by SCAI and thus appropriate for presentation at a public hearing in “case studies.” Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry – Case Study no. 3 v Private sessions Leave to appear Applicants and other witnesses can tell Leave to appear was granted to the following members of the SCAI team about their in relation to this case study, in whole or in part: experiences as children in care and any other • Quarriers relevant evidence at a “private session.” • Aberlour Child Care Trust (“Aberlour”) They are supported throughout this process • Barnardo’s by SCAI’s witness support team. After the private session, a statement is prepared • Former Boys and Girls Abused at Quarriers covering those matters spoken about which (FBGA) are relevant to the ToR. The applicant or • In Care Abuse Survivors (INCAS) other witness is asked to check the statement • Police Scotland carefully and to sign it if they are satisfied • The Lord Advocate that it accurately records their evidence, but • The Scottish Ministers only if and when they feel ready to do so. • John Porteous This case study • “May” The scope and purpose of this case study • “Violet” was to consider evidence about: • The nature and extent of any relevant abuse at residential care institutions in Scotland run by three voluntary providers, namely Quarriers, Aberlour Child Care Trust and Barnardo’s, • Any systems, policies and procedures of these institutions, their application and effectiveness, and • Any related matters. vi Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry – Case Study no. 3 Numbers Contribution The applicants who have provided evidence Quarriers, Aberlour, and Barnardo’s made to SCAI in relation to their time in the care a significant contribution to the care of of Quarriers, Aberlour, and Barnardo’s do children in residential institutions in Scotland not represent every person who has made over many decades as is illustrated in the a complaint over the years relating to their table below: experiences in their establishments. Many applicants have described not only what Number of children In excess happened to them, but also the treatment accommodated in children’s of 30,0001 they witnessed being afforded to other homes by Quarriers in Scotland children. Appendices B-D set out, in relation between 1930 and 2014 to the establishments run by Quarriers, Number of children In excess Aberlour, and Barnardo’s covered in accommodated in children’s of 3,0002 evidence, the number of: homes by Aberlour in Scotland • Children who appear to have been cared between 1930 and 2014 for by the three providers, Number of children 3,7234 • The number of complaints of alleged accommodated in children’s abuse received by the three providers, homes by Barnardo’s in Scotland between 1940 and • The number of civil actions raised against 2014.3 any of the three providers, • The number and nature of relevant prosecutions and convictions in relation to staff of the three providers, and • The number of relevant SCAI applicants to the date set out in Appendix C. The evidence of any applicants and other witnesses who have come forward since the evidential hearings began is not referred to in these findings but it will be carefully considered by SCAI as part of a continuing process. 1 See Part A response to section 21 notice relating to Quarriers: QAR.001.001.0003 at 0038. More precise figures are unavailable. 2 See Part A response to section 21 notice relating to Aberlour: ABE.001.001.0005 at 0025.