PE1979 : Establish an independent inquiry and an independent national whistleblowing officer to investigate concerns about the alleged mishandling of child safeguarding enquiries by public bodies
Petition Summary
Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to launch an independent inquiry to examine: concerns that allegations about child protection, child abuse, safeguarding, and children’s rights have been mishandled by public bodies, including local authorities and the General Teaching Council Scotland (GTCS); gaps in the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry; and establish an independent national whistleblowing officer for Education and Children’s Services in Scotland to handle these enquiries in the future.
Petitioner: Neil McLennan, Christine Scott, Alison Dickie, and Bill Cook
Status: Under consideration
Date published: 06 October 2022
Click here for the full petition
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee Consideration
SPICe Briefing (142.9KB, pdf) (143KB, pdf) posted 31 January 2023
Committee Meetings
9 February 2023: The Committee agreed to write to the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland, COSLA, the EIS and Unison trade unions, General Teaching Council for Scotland, and Scottish Social Services Council.
Official Report of Meeting 08 February 2023
4 October 2023: The Committee agreed to invite the petitioners, and whistleblowers, to a roundtable discussion and to delegate authority to the Convener to work with the clerks on the most appropriate format for the discussion.
Official Report of Meeting 04 October 2023
7 February 2024: The Committee took evidence from the petitioners, and whistleblowers and agreed to consider the evidence heard in private at a future meeting.
Official Report of Meeting 07 February 2024
06 March 2024: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister for Children, Young People and Keeping the Promise, Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO), and the Children and Young People's Commissioner Scotland.
Official Report of Meeting 06 March 2024
Written Submissions
PE1979/A: Patricia Hewitt submission of 2 November 2022 (71.9KB, pdf) (72KB, pdf) posted 25 November 2022
PE1979/B: Claire Mooney submission of 3 November 2022 (93.6KB, pdf) (94KB, pdf) posted 25 November 2022
PE1979/C: Minister for Children and Young People submission of 28 November 2022 (135.1KB, pdf) (135KB, pdf) posted 30 November 2022
PE1979/D: Anonymous submission of 22 December 2022 (94.4KB, pdf) (94KB, pdf) posted 11 January 2023
PE1979:E: Edinburgh Peace Institute submission of 28 December 2022 (111.3KB, pdf) (111KB, pdf) posted 11 January 2023
PE1979/F: Anonymous submission of 3 January 2023 (98.3KB, pdf) (98KB, pdf) posted 20 January 2023
PE1979/G: Clare Chalmers submission of 7 January 2023 (119.8KB, pdf) (120KB, pdf) posted 20 January 2023
PE1979/H: Stephanie Morrison submission of 10 January 2023 (47KB, pdf) (47KB, pdf) posted 20 January 2023
PE1979/I: Petitioner submission of 11 January 2023 (169.6KB, pdf) (170KB, pdf) posted 20 January 2023
PE1979/J: Anonymous submission of 14 January 2023 (196.6KB, pdf) (197KB, pdf) posted 20 January 2023
PE1979/K: Helen Cadden submission of 3 February 2023 (57.2KB, pdf) (57KB, pdf) posted 06 February 2023
PE1979/L: Annice MacLeod submission of 3 February 2023 (82.3KB, pdf) (82KB, pdf) posted 06 February 2023
PE1979/M: Anonymous submission of 9 January 2023 (90.8KB, pdf) (91KB, pdf) posted 21 February 2023
PE1979/N: Anonymous submission of 31 January 2023 (180.2KB, pdf) (180KB, pdf) posted 21 February 2023
PE1979/O: Petitioner submission of 3 March 2023 (198.1KB, pdf) (198KB, pdf) posted 23 March 2023
PE1979/P: General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTC Scotland) submission of 13 March 2023 (149KB, pdf) (149KB, pdf) posted 27 March 2023
PE1979/Q: Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland submission of 13 March 2023 (264KB, pdf) (264KB, pdf) posted 27 March 2023
PE1979/R: Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) submission of 15 March 2023 (106KB, pdf) (106KB, pdf) posted 27 March 2023
PE1979/S: Petitioner submission of 16 April 2023 (181KB, pdf) (181KB, pdf) posted 22 May 2023
PE1979/T: Anonymous submission of 14 April 2023 (116KB, pdf) (116KB, pdf) posted 01 June 2023
PE1979/U: Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) submission of 19 May 2023 (143KB, pdf) (143KB, pdf) posted 01 June 2023
PE1979/V: COSLA submission of 24 May 2023 (119KB, pdf) (119KB, pdf) posted 01 June 2023
PE1979/W: Petitioner submission of 15 September 2023 (169KB, pdf) (169KB, pdf) posted 18 September 2023
PE1979/X: Petitioner submission of 13 February 2024 (152KB, pdf) posted 15 February 2024
PE1979/Y: Petitioners submission of 5 March 2024 (95KB, pdf) posted 05 March 2024
PE1979/Z: Anonymous submission of 23 February 2024 (193KB, pdf) posted 06 March 2024
PE1979/AA: Scottish Public Services Ombudsman written submission, 3 April 2024 (80KB, pdf) posted 12 April 2024
PE1979/BB: Minister for Children, Young People and Keeping the Promise written submission, 4 April 2024 (66KB, pdf) posted 12 April 2024
PE1979/CC: Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland written submission, 11 April 2024 (121KB, pdf) posted 15 April 2024