SHATTERED survivors of care home abuse are to be thrown a £2million lifeline by the Scottish Executive.

Ministers are set to announce that the cash will bolster the work of support groups helping traumatised victims of institutional abuse.

Health Minister Andy Kerr is expected to unveil the funding next week, along with the appointment of an 'abuse tsar' to oversee the support given to survivors.

The plans will be revealed almost a year after the Executive denied a public inquiry to children who had been abused at care homes.

Kerr declined to discuss his proposed support plan in detail yesterday but confirmed: 'There will be an announcement in the near future.

'I want to see better support and services for survivors of sexual abuse.

'Last week, I met with members of the Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse Cross Party Group to talk about how we could improve the support we provide.

'We discussed a number of plans and I am keen to move forward on this issue.'

The move comes after decades of abuse was exposed at number of care homes, including the shameful regime in place at Scotland's De La Salle schools.

The Sunday Mail campaigned for De La Salle victims, including Charlie Watts, 55.

Born to a poor circus family, he was four when his dad ran off and he was placed in the care of the Catholic Church. He was then sent to St Joseph's, Tranent, East Lothian, where he was repeatedly abused by staff.

Charlie told us: 'I was only eight when I was raped, but was told to keep quiet and say my prayers.'

Three staff members were later convicted of abusing boys at the monk-run schools.

Victims have been campaigning for an investigation into how decades of sexual and physical abuse were never discovered.

Overturned Last week, a judge overturned three vital Scots test cases.

Lord Drummond Young ruled that the £50,000 claims, raised many years beyond normal time limits, should not be allowed to continue.

The judgment could end around 1000 civil actions by alleged abuse victims from Nazareth House, De La Salle schools and Quarriers.

And there were fears last night that the Executive's support might come too late to help many of the adults abused as children in Scotland's care homes and residential schools.

Campaigners claimed that some of the money would be spent on the rehabilitation of jailed abusers.

Last night, Peter Reid, of Men Against Sexual Abuse, said: 'The Scottish Executive made a lot of promises to abuse victims, giving them hope of justice, but so far they've done nothing to address the real issues.

'Last week, a judge threw out test cases on the basis that the organisations involved were doing good works today, and shouldn't be held accountable for what happened 40 years ago.

'Many haven't been given access to their files, as promised, and the organisations that do work with survivors are struggling to find resources.

'These are the areas that need to be tackled first and foremost.'

Frank Doherty, of In Care Abuse Survivors, said: 'The £2million is a drop in the ocean compared to the amounts needed to address the scourge of abuse.'

Sandra Brown, of the Moira Anderson Foundation, which deals with abused families, said: 'I'm stunned that any survivors' money could be used for paedophile programmes.

'A recent survey found that 80 per cent of the women in Cornton Vale prison had been victims of abuse.

'I'd be happy if cash was used to help them, but not if this much needed funding was used to help sex offenders.'

MSP Rosie Kane, who has campaigned on behalf of abuse victims, said: 'The £2million wouldn't even fund a proper helpline.

'I'm concerned the calls for a public inquiry have been turned down, test cases have been thrown out of court, and the fact sex offenders are even discussed in the same breath as the abused shows a complete lack of understanding or sympathy.

'When First Minister Jack McConnell apologised to the abused last year, there was real hope for justice and action.

'But they've all been let down and are further back now than when we started...

IT IS NOW MARCH 15TH 2007 AND TO DATE WE HAVE YET TO STILL HEAR AN APOLOGY BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FROM THE NAZARETH HOUSE ORPHANAGES & THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AROUND THE WORLD FOR THE ABUSE WE WERE FORCED TO EDURE WHILE WE WERE INCARCERATED IN THOSE AWFUL NAZARETH HOUSE HOMES WHY? WHY?

JUST WHY

ARE WE STILL WAITING???? 

JUST WHY

ARE WE STILL WAITING???? 

FOR OUR LONG OVERDUE APOLOGY WHY?