Charities may refuse to pay compensation to sex abuse victims

CHARITIES are threatening to refuse to pay compensation to victims of historical abuse in their children’s homes.

They have warned that Scottish Government plans for a redress scheme for survivors could bankrupt them or threaten the services they provide.

But campaigners insist a refusal to pay up is ‘unacceptable’ – and that charities must face up to their ‘responsibilities’.

The legacy of abuse in children’s homes across Scotland has been laid bare in a public inquiry.

The Scottish Government has set up the Redress for Survivors Bill, which is being scrutinised in parliament, to set out how compensation should be paid.

It is expected to cost up to £600 million, including fees, with survivors getting a maximum of £80,000 each and the Government paying the first £10,000.

But in correspondence with Holyrood’s education committee, charities such as the Church of Scotland, Aberlour and Quarriers have raised concerns about the Bill.

Alan Draper, of the group In Care Abuse Survivors, said: ‘These organisations have had to be dragged, kicking and screaming, to do anything. One of the points of the inquiry was to expose them. They have to accept, even if they run these organisations well now, they did not in the past.

‘Children were abused; they have to accept responsibility. The maximum redress payment of £80,000 is not a large sum if a survivor has had 40, 50 years, or more, bearing the consequences of that abuse.

‘For them to try to get out of their responsibilities is unacceptable.’

Scottish Tory education spokesman Jamie Greene said: ‘There is a strong moral onus on organisations who acknowledge their place in historical abuse to do the right thing and participate in any such [redress] scheme.’

The Scottish Government has had to fast-track some payments over fears more people will die without ever receiving compensation and justice. The latest row threatens to further derail the process.

In a submission to the education committee, Aberlour warned it was concerned about ‘the impact the scheme could have on the viability of the charitable sector’, saying organisations ‘may decide that it is not possible for them to participate in the contribution process... this will increase the burden on the public purse in respect of the amount of the redress payments’.

The Church of Scotland said: ‘To make the payments it is likely we would have to fall back on reserves, already depleted through several years of austerity and by the Covid19 pandemic, or call on insurance.

‘The scheme should enable individual charities to come forward with a meaningful and voluntary financial contribution, following full discussion of known factors.’

A submission from Quarriers said: ‘The financial test may well be too great for willing charities to participate and would be to the detriment of the people that we support today. It would be disappointing and contrary to the Scottish Government’s policy ambition if organisations like Quarriers were priced out of participating.’

The Scottish Government said charities have ‘to do the right thing’. A spokesman added: ‘We are working with organisations to ensure contributions can be structured over time so that current services are protected.

‘The Scottish Government will fund the administration of the scheme and make a financial contribution equivalent to £10,000 for every redress payment as well as all payments where the care organisation chooses not to be part of the scheme or no longer exists.’

‘Moral onus on charities to do the right thing’