Nova Scotia’s new government is moving forward on an election promise to launch a public inquiry into allegations of abuse at the former Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children.

Former residents of the home allege they suffered sexual, physical and psychological abuse by staff at the facility over a 50-year period up until the 1980s.

Premier Stephen McNeil says he expects terms of reference for the probe will be in place before the end of the year, and the inquiry itself possibly beginning in the spring.

“It’s encouraging news. We’re looking forward to being part of that,” says former orphanage resident Tony Smith. “To do this in such a short time, knowing how long we’ve been fighting, really is, to us, showing us respect.”

McNeil made the comment after his first cabinet meeting Thursday morning.

First, he plans to hear from Robert Wright, the social worker appointed by the Dexter government earlier this year, to help form an independent panel to address the allegations.

“The department, along with Robert Wright, have been out trying to set terms of reference,” says McNeil. “I think they will be releasing the findings of that committee, I think are going to be released sometime next week.”

McNeil says he hopes to have the terms of reference for the inquiry set by the start of 2014.

A proposed class-action lawsuit is also before the courts, between former residents and the province. A decision on whether the class-action will go forward is expected to come down soon.

More than 130 former residents are part of the proposed suit – one the previous government has fought to prevent from going forward.

McNeil says, as of Thursday, he hasn’t instructed the Department of Justice to drop their objections to the lawsuit, but he has asked to be briefed on the matter.

“I’m certainly wanting to hear from the department. This is a file that obviously I’m going to be taking a great deal of personal interest in,” says McNeil. “I’ve been very clear on the direction I want to go, but I think in fairness to the department, I need to hear from them first.”

McNeil also says the former orphanage residents will notice a different tone from his government.

Mike Dull, the lawyer representing the residents, says that leaves them optimistic.

“Many experts say that the approach taken by the past government, by Darrell Dexter, was not constructive and in fact harmful to victims of abuse at the Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children,” says Dull. “We’re optimistic that Stephen McNeil and his team understands that and has listened to the experts and is going to take a different approach.”

With files from CTV Atlantic's Jacqueline Foster