Child migration 'shameful' part of Scotland's history

Many children's homes and charities adopted the practice of sending orphan children abroad to start new lives

The abuse of children who were sent away from Scotland as migrants is a "shameful chapter in our history", a judge has concluded.

Lady Smith released her initial findings on children in care who were shipped to countries like Canada, Australia and New Zealand over decades.

She said thousands were physically, emotionally, and sexually abused by those charged with caring for them.

Many also had their heads shaved, possessions taken and names changed.

Others were sent to work as slave labourers on farms and building sites.

'Inherently abusive'

The inquiry has heard from children whose ties were severed with families, including one man who was not told he had siblings and believed he was "all alone".

In 2010, former prime minister Gordon Brown apologised on behalf of the country for the Child Migrant Programme.

Lady Smith concluded the migration system was "inherently abusive".

Lady Smith is leading the inquiry

She added: "Although decades have passed since the last shipload of child migrants left our shores, and though apologies have been made, families reunited, and public inquiries conducted in other jurisdictions to examine what happened to their children, it is important to listen to and understand what happened to all child migrants including those from Scotland.

"I am satisfied the child migration system was abusive and it resulted in many children being abused.

"Abuse began at the outset, unacceptable practices being inherent in the systems and procedures applied at the stages of selecting children and making arrangements for their migration."

Why were children sent abroad?

Many children's homes and charities adopted the practice of sending orphaned children abroad to start new lives between the late 19th Century to well into the second half of the 20th Century.

The report said Canada received the majority of child migrants, with an estimated 80,000 children dispatched from the UK by 1920.

Despite reports exposing the abuse of children sent to Canada, the practice continued until 1948.

After World War Two, Australia became the most popular destination for child migration, the report continued.

Between 1912 and 1970 around 7,000 children were migrated from the UK to Australia.

During hearings, Lady Smith heard evidence from 45 child migrants.

They spoke about their own experiences as well as that of other child migrants.

Children from Barnardo's homes for orphaned or destitute children on board the SS Sicilian in London, before emigrating to Canada in March 1920

Children were sent to remote locations and some parents who followed their children abroad were not allowed to remove them from institutional care.

The report stated examples of the physical abuse suffered included "brutal beatings" on heads and bodies with belts, straps, canes or pieces of timber.

"Some of it was sadistic," the report said.

It also concluded children were sexually abused including by men in holy orders and by members of a paedophile ring.

Girls had to assist in caring for the elderly, including men suffering from senile dementia. This included washing their soiled sheets and preparing dead bodies for burial.

The report said children were "denigrated, insulted, humiliated, and kept in a state of fear".

They also had inadequate food and clothing and went barefoot in winter.

And it found they had no or limited access to health care as well as a "lamentable" education.

Many are still haunted by their experience, the report said.

Although the early proponents of child migration - such as William Quarrier, Annie MacPherson and Kingsley Fairbridge - may have been well-intentioned, the report said this did not excuse bad practices.

It also quoted author and historian Prof Lynn Abrams, who went as far as to say "evangelical philanthropists used emigration schemes for almost 100 years as an efficient means to pursue the permanent destruction of thousands of Scottish working-class families".

'Valuable contributions'

Lady Smith added: "During the case study hearings, I heard of many aspects of the experiences of child migrants that were shocking and distressing.

"I appreciate how challenging it will have been for all witnesses, near and far, to engage with and provide evidence to the inquiry. I am very grateful to them for their assistance and co-operation and for their valuable contributions."

The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry was set up in October 2015 to look at the abuse of children in care in Scotland.

It is led by Lady Smith who was appointed in August 2016.

In 2018, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), which investigated abuse in England and Wales, also examined the issue of child migration schemes.

The Scottish inquiry is still ongoing.

Evidence relating to boarding schools will resume in August.