Background: National Redress Scheme

The establishment of the National Redress Scheme was a major outcome of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. The final report of the Royal Commission was handed down in 2017. You can view the Final Report here

It is important to note that the definition of “Institutional” in the context of the Royal Commission and National Redress Scheme is much wider than the definition for the Forgotten Australian Support Service. In the case of the Royal Commission and National Redress Scheme, institutions are defined as schools, sports, recreation, arts, culture, community and hobby groups, religious institutions, contemporary detention environments, contemporary out-of-home care and “Historical residential institutions”.

The “Historical residential institutions” are the “institutions” defined in the context of the Forgotten Australian Support Service, that is, child-welfare institutions in which children were forced to reside, removed from their parents and placed under the responsibility of the government. 36% of witnesses to give evidence at the Royal Commission were in out-of-home care when the sexual abuse took place.

The National Redress Scheme began on 1 July 2018 and will be open for applications until 30 June 2027.

Redress is “a tangible recognition of the seriousness of the hurt and injury suffered by a survivor” [1], acknowledging the devastating and often life-long impacts of childhood sexual abuse.

As part of the National Redress Scheme, National Redress Support Services, such as the one at Wattle Place, were set up to support sexual abuse survivors navigate the National Redress Scheme, apply for Redress if they choose, and understand and deal with the result of their application.

References

[1] Commonwealth of Australia (2017) Final Report: Preface and Executive Summary – Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse p180 https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/sites/default/files/final_report_-_preface_and_executive_summary.pdf