How Redress Scotland communicates with survivors
Redress Scotland will only contact survivors or their next of kin for very specific reasons. In most instances, our contact with you will be done in written form, and through the Scottish Government.
There may be occasions when we contact you directly. For example, if you have been in touch with Redress Scotland or have a query or complaint then we will respond to you. If you have contacted us we will get back to you as soon as we can.
The information below aims to clarify when and how Redress Scotland may contact survivors or their next of kin and things to look out for to ensure your personal information is protected.
Will Redress Scotland communicate with me about my application?
Redress Scotland usually communicates with survivors about applications by sending letters to the Scottish Government. These letters are then forwarded to an individual survivor by the Scottish Government case worker.
The two main types of letters are:
1. Decision letters: these will be shared with you by the Scottish Government after a panel has made a decision about your application for redress.
2. More information and clarifying questions: If a panel needs more information or further clarity on the information provided in your application, they will write to you through the Scottish Government to request this.
Will Redress Scotland staff or panel members contact me through social media?
No one associated with Redress Scotland will proactively contact you on social media channels.
If you contact us through social media, we may reply and suggest you get in touch through more formal channels, such as email. This is to ensure that your personal information is protected and that we can maintain confidentiality.
What should I do if I receive an email from someone at Redress Scotland?
If you were not expecting an email from Redress Scotland or you are concerned it is not from us, please let us know. It is important that you DO NOT click on or follow any links. Please tell us about any emails like this. You can forward the email and tell us about it using hello@redress.scot
How can I check someone works for Redress Scotland?
Some of the people who work for Redress Scotland are listed on our website. This includes people who are on the governance committees, panel members and the senior management team. If you have been contacted by someone and you want to check if they work for Redress Scotland you can email us and ask about this through hello@redress.scot or you can call us on 0300 244 9090. One of the team will call you back and give you this information.
You can also speak to your Scottish Government case worker and they can help you with this.
Will panel members or staff members phone me about my application?
Panel members will not phone you about your application. Staff members will only phone you if you have contacted Redress Scotland, or to help you progress your application. Your Scottish Government case worker will usually also be involved in any communication about your application.
I have been asked to talk to the panel members about my application and give ‘oral testimony’. How will you communicate with me about this?
‘Oral testimony’ is when survivors are asked to talk to panel members about their application. This is usually in person but can also be by phone or video conference.
Some survivors applying for redress are asked if they would meet or talk to one or more of the panel members considering their application. Usually Redress Scotland’s engagement lead or another member of the team will be in touch with you about the arrangements for this. They will talk with you about the meeting with panel members and agree with you how this will be managed. Your Scottish Government case worker will also usually be involved in this. An information leaflet about meeting in person with panel members is on our website and tells you much more about this. You can view this here.
Redress Scotland is committed to managing communications with survivors as well as possible. We accept and understand that survivors may want to check the identity of the person talking to them from Redress Scotland. If you have any concerns about how we are communicating, or the individual you have communicated with, please do let us know.
Email: hello@redress.scot
Phone: 0300 244 9090