Lesson of Kerelaw is effective leadership and well-trained staff

The Scottish Institute for Residential Child Care (SIRCC) wishes to acknowledge the serious concern generated by publicity about abusive care practices and inadequate management in the now-closed Kerelaw secure unit and residential school. While there are numerous concerns to address, we have focused on three areas for the purpose of this letter. We express our sympathy to the former residents who have been abused and harmed by the care they received. The safety of young people and the challenges in providing good residential care are at the forefront of our minds. We are concerned because when children and young people do not receive the level of care they deserve, it is not only their future which is undermined but also that of Scotland as a whole.