Addressing the needs of survivors of childhood abuse in care: the Scottish Human Rights Commission InterAction Model for Justice

Survivors of abuse in care settings have had to fight over many years for their rights for justice. They experienced physical, emotional, and sexual abuse at the hands of individuals, and abuse and neglect because of failures in care systems. At times, some social work and care professionals abused children in their care. Others were complicit in failing to address such abuse. However, social work and social care professionals have also been central in supporting survivors of abuse in care, in bringing offenders to account, and enabling justice processes. The activism and demands of survivors have led to social and governmental responses in a number of countries, including public inquiries, apologies, reparation and redress schemes, and commemorative activity. However, these responses have often been ad hoc and contested. This article will detail the furtherance of justice for survivors of childhood abuse in care in Scotland through the development of a human rights-based model. It will examine the challenges to these developments, particularly in terms of accountability and financial redress. This will be compared to interventions in other countries, including different parts of the UK. Developments in theory and the implications for social work and social care professionals will be highlighted.