A Statement on Child Migration Schemes

Attending the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, on 1st October 2020, Chief Executive SallyAnn Kelly described migration schemes for youngsters during the early 1900s as “not acceptable”, but said it was among many other mistreatments at the time.

She said: “My view as a professional in 2020 is that there were a lot of things happening to children in the early 1900s that should have been seen as not acceptable.
That includes migration schemes and the way we were expecting children to work in our own country at that time.”

Aberlour was involved in the migration of 55 children and juveniles from 1900 to 1932. All those under the age of 14 went abroad with, or to live with, family. All those sent by Aberlour to work placements abroad had reached the school leaving age of 14. Aberlour was involved in the migration of 2 youngsters after 1932. Nevertheless as an organisation we apologise wholeheartedly to everyone involved and believe these schemes were unacceptable.