The revelation that around 40 individual members of staff at Kerelaw School and secure unit in Ayrshire were involved directly in the abuse of young people is truly shocking. We have known for some time there was something rotten at the heart of the management of this centre for some of the most difficult of Scotland's youngsters, but the scale of the staff involvement is more serious than any such case so far. The distressing fact that many more staff knew abuse was going on or likely to happen, but were unwilling or too frightened to report their colleagues to higher authorities, brings into the light at last the extent to which these teenagers were exploited by the adults who were employed to care for them. It underlines the impossible situation of these young people.

The revelation that around 40 individual members of staff at Kerelaw School and secure unit in Ayrshire were involved directly in the abuse of young people is truly shocking. We have known for some time there was something rotten at the heart of the management of this centre for some of the most difficult of Scotland's youngsters, but the scale of the staff involvement is more serious than any such case so far. The distressing fact that many more staff knew abuse was going on or likely to happen, but were unwilling or too frightened to report their colleagues to higher authorities, brings into the light at last the extent to which these teenagers were exploited by the adults who were employed to care for them. It underlines the impossible situation of these young people.

That they were not sweet little children but tough and troublesome teenagers, most of whom were sent to Kerelaw as a result of persistent offending, and that the secure unit housed youngsters whose crimes would have resulted in a jail sentence had they been older, actually made their situation worse. When such youngsters make accusations they are less likely to be believed and more likely to be suspected of having an ulterior motive. Most would have been at best neglected and at worst abused physically, if not sexually, long before they ended up in Kerelaw. What they needed was skilled, experienced, knowledgeable carers and teachers who could sufficiently patch up the damage to enable them to lead decent lives and in time become better parents than their own parents had been. Instead, they were preyed on and exploited by adults who put their own sordid desires above their professional duty. When the youngsters complained, they were ignored or dismissed, even when the same complaints about specific abuse by specific staff members were made over years.

The abuse by individuals is bad enough, but for that to be compounded by the system of care is unforgivable. As the report notes, there was a comprehensive failure of both internal and external management. Indeed, it was only with the establishment of the Care Commission and its joint inspection with HM Inspector of Education in 2004 that the deficiencies were exposed and action was taken. It was almost 30 years ago that young people in care joined together to voice their concerns in the Who Cares? movement. We know now that it did not reach the darkest corners and there must now be a mechanism for every child in care to be listened to by an independent person with the power to investigate, possibly through the Care Commission.

The report also identifies a worrying potential loophole in the new measures to protect children, where concerns about an individual may be noted rather than assessed as a risk to children by new employers. That must be addressed by the Scottish Executive. Even though Kerelaw has closed, its story will continue in the courts. It must also continue in the social work and education authorities, where the history of this sorry, scandalous school can still teach important lessons. These must also be well understood at Holyrood, where our MSPs have a duty to ensure the safeguarding process is exercised effectively. No more children should be abused in our collective care.