Glasgow City Council issues apology to girls who faced abuse at Fornethy House

Glasgow City Council has issued an apology to the girls who were abused during their stay at Fornethy House.

As of last year, more than 200 women have come forward with allegations of abuse at the residential school in Kilry, Angus, in the 1960s and 70s.

Thousands of girls were sent to the facility by Glasgow City Council, known then as the Glasgow Corporation for “short-term respite care”.

During a Parliament’s Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee meeting in March, Shona Robison revealed victims are not eligible for compensation after the Fornethy House records were destroyed, meaning survivors were unlikely to meet the evidentiary requirements for compensation.

On Thursday, September 12, Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken apologised to survivors on behalf of the local authority.

Aitken said: “Fornethy House was operated by Glasgow Corporation and the Strathclyde Regional Council from 1960 until 1993.

“It originally provided short convalescent stays to primary aged girls and later provided accommodation to girls, who it was felt would benefit from a break in the countryside.

“Since the facility has closed a number of women have come forward and recounted experience of abuse when they attended Fornethy House.

“I was shocked and I know we will all have been shocked to hear those accounts of abuse. On behalf of the council, I want to apologise and say sorry for any abuse suffered by any children who attended Fornethy House.”