Redress Scotland

Overview:
**For decades, some children in residential care in Scotland were failed by those entrusted to look after them. Scotland has taken steps to face up to the failings of the past by establishing a redress scheme for survivors of historical child abuse in care.**

**Scottish Ministers are looking to appoint a new Chair of Redress Scotland, who will continue to ensure that the public body’s mission is achieved, the statutory functions of the redress scheme are delivered, and that the values of respect, dignity and compassion are lived by everyone involved with Redress Scotland.**

**Background**

The Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Act 2021 (the Act), legislated for the establishment of a financial redress scheme. The scheme provides tangible recognition of the harm caused to survivors who were abused while a child and resident in relevant care settings in Scotland before 1 December 2004. The Act also established a new public body, Redress Scotland.

The Corporate Body has established the following governance committees:

- an **Oversight Board** to exercise the functions of Redress Scotland in relation to the oversight of its statutory and business functions, finance and administration; and
- an **Audit, Risk and Assurance Committee** to support Redress Scotland in relation to risk, control, governance and associated assurance.

**Responsibilities**:
As Chair, you will:

- demonstrate exceptional strategic leadership, personal integrity and the impartiality required to continue to build and maintain the trust of survivors and stakeholders
- provide active and effective leadership, direction, support and guidance to ensure that Redress Scotland delivers, and is committed to delivering its functions effectively and efficiently and in accordance with the aims, policies and priorities of the Scottish Ministers, with which you are expected to be familiar
- lead on providing scrutiny and oversight of corporate governance, exercising a strong, healthy ‘challenge function’, carefully scrutinising planned and underlying assumptions before decisions are taken - in exercising this function, you will, where necessary, challenge other members and senior officials of Redress Scotland
- lead the Oversight Board, and work with members and the Chief Executive to ensure that Redress Scotland delivers its statutory obligations
- represent Redress Scotland at meetings with Scottish Ministers and other Members of the Scottish Parliament
- be actively involved in the recruitment process for other members of Redress Scotland, ensuring such members have the skills, knowledge and expertise relevant to its functions
- be responsible, with other members of Redress Scotland, for ensuring that there is a comprehensive policy in place in relation to the making of a qualifying disclosure (whistleblowing) by staff and members, and for ensuring that staff and members have confidence in the fairness and impartiality of procedures for making and dealing with qualifying disclosures.

As Chair, and working closely with the Chief Executive, you will:

- continue to embed a culture of trauma informed practice at Redress Scotland, ensuring that survivors’ views continue to be heard
- oversee and assist in the development of corporate and operational plans which demonstrate how Redress Scotland contributes to the National Outcomes and send to Scottish Ministers for approval
- prepare a statement of accounts each financial year and send a copy of the statement to Scottish Ministers
- be the public face of Redress Scotland, representing it at meetings with other stakeholders, at conferences and in the media
- establish effective partnership working with other organisations and participate in reference groups, discussion forums and open meetings, listening to the views of survivors to ensure their needs remain at the heart of the delivery of the redress scheme.

For more specific detail of the particular requirements of the role, please see the ‘person specification’ which forms part of the Applicant Information Pack.

Skills/Experience Required:
Essential Criteria

1. Leading and managing effective teams to deliver.

2. Track record of delivering evidence based decision making.

3. Experience of developing positive relationships and influence with others.

4. Excellent communication skills.

Remuneration and Expenses

The appointment attracts a gross daily rate of £561, payable for each day devoted to performing the functions of Chair of Redress Scotland. The appointment is non-pensionable.

Travel and subsistence costs, as well as reasonable receipted dependant carer and childcare expenses, incurred in relation to Redress Scotland’s work, will be reimbursed.

Appointment details

Time Commitment

The time commitment for the role will be up to 10 days per month.

Location

Redress Scotland is a digital public body and has no office base. Most of Redress Scotland’s work is carried out remotely,