National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse
The National Redress provides acknowledgement and support to people who have experienced institutional child sexual abuse. It was created in response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual .
The Scheme is available to people who experienced sexual abuse as a child (under 18 years of age and prior to 1 July 2018) and where an institution was responsible for bringing the person into contact with the abuser.
The Scheme can provide:
- A monetary payment (up to $150,000)
- Access to counselling and psychological care
- A direct personal response (DPR) which provides a meaningful apology and acknowledgement from the responsible institution.
Applicants may accept one, two or all three components of the Scheme.
The Scheme started on 1 July 2018 and will run for 10 years.
For more information, see the National Redress Scheme or contact the National Redress Scheme information line - Ph: 1800 737 377.
Restore – Victorian Redress Counselling Service
Restore is the counselling service for people who have accepted an offer of counselling from the Scheme, and lived in Victoria when they applied to the Scheme. Restore is made up of 18 specialist counselling organisations with 90 locations across Victoria.
For more information, see the Restore - Victorian Redress Counselling Service or free call 1800 RESTORE (1800 737 8673).
Victorian Government Direct Personal Response (DPR) Program
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has established a DPR Program for people seeking a DPR from a responsible Victorian Government institution. The DPR Program has been developed in accordance with the National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Abuse Act 2018 and the National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse Direct Personal Response Framework 2018.
A DPR can include one or more of the following:
- an apology or statement of acknowledgement or regret
- an acknowledgement of the impact of the abuse on the person
- an assurance as to the steps the institution has taken, or will take, to prevent abuse occurring again
- an opportunity for the person the meet with a senior official of the institution.
The DPR Program is available for people who have accepted an offer for a DPR and the Victorian Government is the responsible institution.
For more information and/or to request a DPR from a Victorian Government institution, please email the DPR Liaison Officer at DHHS or phone 03 9096 5663.
More information about the National Redress Scheme in Victoria can be found on the Department of Health and Human Services .
Reviewed 21 November 2022