Response to the Report on Time to be Heard: A Pilot Forum

In September 2009 we gave approval for a Pilot Forum, now known as Time to be Heard, to test out a Confidential Committee to hear testimony from adults who had formerly been residents of Quarriers, with the aim of making recommendations on the wider rollout of such a forum.

The aims of Time to be Heard were:

    * To listen to former residents
    * To acknowledge and record their experiences
    * To provide a historical record of their experiences
    * To signpost available services for survivors and support, advocacy, advice and information about these services
    * To enable lessons to be learned which can assist in the further improvement of residential services for children, including protection from harm
    * To test out a particular model – a Confidential Committee model

In responding to this, the Scottish Government has considered in detail each of the main recommendations identified by the Chair and Commissioners of Time to be Heard and how these can be or are being put into practice. The valuable lessons learned from the Time to be Heard pilot forum will undoubtedly help in the development of a full national confidential forum in the future.