Next phase of child abuse inquiry to start public hearings in December

A phase of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry which will include looking at grooming gangs and the exploitation of children in care will begin public hearings in December, it has been announced.Phase 11 of the inquiry will focus on “Protecting children in care in Scotland from abuse: present and future” and will consider the failures of institutions to protect children in care from abuse and what further steps are needed to strengthen protection.The first chapter of the Phase 11 public hearings, which begin on December 8, will be in relation to children who abuse other children.The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI) will hear from national agencies, third sector organisations, residential childcare providers, academics and clinical psychologists.Read MoreHearings relating to issues which could include grooming or exploitation which took place outside the child’s placement or foster home will form part of another chapter of evidence of Phase 11 next year.Lady Smith said she wants to ‘explore the important question of why it happens’ (Nick Mailer/PA)PA MediaLady Smith, who chairs the inquiry, said: “The inquiry has already heard much evidence about children in all types of care settings having been abused sexually, physically and emotionally by other children, as well as by individuals responsible for their care.“Such evidence has been presented in many of our case studies, and I have made numerous findings about it.“In this chapter of Phase 11, I want to explore the important question of why it happens.”The first chapter of Phase 11 will consider abuse between children in residential care settings and strategies, programmes and approaches to prevent such abuse.It will also explore what could be done to prevent and strengthen protection of children in care from such abuse.The inquiry aims to raise public awareness about the abuse of children in care.It covers the period which is within living memory of any person who suffered such abuse, up until December 17 2014.