National Redress Scheme – Update

This newsletter covers an update on the National Redress Scheme (the Scheme). It provides an update on institutions and recent Scheme data.

The update contains material that could be confronting or distressing. Sometimes words or images can cause sadness or distress or trigger traumatic memories, particularly for people who have experienced past abuse or childhood trauma.

Support is available to help you if you need it. To find out more, go to www.nationalredress.gov.au/support.

If you need immediate support, 24-hour telephone assistance is available through:

Institutions

The Scheme is continuously working with institutions that have been named in applications, or identified by other means, to encourage them to join and participate in the Scheme. To date the Commonwealth, all state and territory governments and 459 non-government institutions covering around 63,000 sites such as churches, schools, homes, charities and community groups across Australia are participating.

The latest National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse Amendment (2021 Measures No. 2) Declaration 2021 is available on the Australian Government’s Federal Register of Legislation: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2021N00048

For the latest information about institutions, visit our website: https://www.nationalredress.gov.au/institutions

Application progress as at 26 March 2021

Application progress as at 26 March 2021 - see below

$439.5 million in total payments

As at 26 March 2021, the Scheme:

  • had received 10,005 applications.
  • had made 6,135 decisions.
  • issued 6,030 outcomes.
  • finalised 5,266 applications, including 5,218 payments totaling approximately $439.5 million.
  • had made 709 offers of redress, which are currently with applicants to consider.
  • was processing 3,627 applications.
  • 765 applications on hold1.

Find out more

To find out more about the Scheme, go to www.nationalredress.gov.au or call 1800 737 377 from Australia or +61 3 6222 3455 from overseas.

For regular updates about the Department of Social Services and the Scheme, you can ‘like’ or ‘follow’ the Australian Families Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FamiliesInAustralia/ .

1Applications are on hold because the applicant or their nominee has requested it be placed on hold; the Institution is not in the Scheme; or no further progress can be made at this time by the Scheme.