Redress Report – Aberlour 2022-23

The Aberlour Redress Report 2022-23 outlines the activities undertaken by Aberlour Child Care Trust to support survivors of historical child abuse from December 2022 to December 2023. This report, required under the Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Act 2021, details the measures implemented to acknowledge past abuses and provide meaningful apologies to survivors. Aberlour issued two formal apologies during this period, one through the survivor relations scheme and another following a direct complaint.

The report highlights Aberlour's efforts in assisting individuals to access historical records, despite the limitations of these records. Aberlour responded to 119 requests for records, including those from survivors, family members, and agencies. The organisation continues to improve its record-keeping practices through projects like the ARCH project and collaborations with Stirling University.

Support for survivors includes providing clear and compassionate responses to information requests, offering professional support during the review of records, and signposting to organisations that assist in tracing and reuniting families. Although no direct funding for emotional or psychological support was provided this year, Aberlour invested in staff to offer emotional support during the records review process.

Additionally, Aberlour participated in memory-keeping workshops and projects aimed at improving the quality of records and capturing personal memories for future access. The report underscores Aberlour's commitment to continually improving its approach to supporting survivors and managing historical records.