National Redress Scheme – Update

This is the first National Redress Scheme (the Scheme) update of 2024. It includes the Scheme’s data regarding application processing and an update on participating institutions.

This 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:

Scheme data

As at 19 January 2024, there have been 35,928 applications to the Scheme. We have contacted 16,141 applicants to advise them of the outcome of their application.

Of all applications:

  • 14,996 have been finalised (determined as either eligible or ineligible, with offers of Redress either accepted or declined)
  • 14,125 payments have been made totalling approximately $1.258 billion dollars
  • 1,390 have been withdrawn by the applicant
  • 19,542 applications are on hand with the Scheme, of which:
    • 1,023 are with applicants, awaiting a decision on their offer of Redress
    • 1,048 are with institutions, awaiting a response to a Request for Information
    • 5,355 are on hold (for different reasons, such as at the request of the applicant, where further information has been requested from the applicant, where there is difficulty contacting the applicant or due to a non-participating institution)
    • 12,116 are in progress with the Scheme, of which:
      • 9,814 are being actioned
      • 2,302 are temporarily unable to be actioned (for reasons such as awaiting contact from the applicant, or awaiting extra information).

Participating institutions

The Australian Government encourages all institutions who have a history of interacting with children to sign up to the Scheme as soon as possible.

When a new institution joins the Scheme or the status of a participating institution changes, the Minister signs a Declaration – an official list of all participating institutions.

As of Declaration 7 of 2023 (signed by the Minister on 14 December 2023):

  • all Australian Government institutions, state and territory government institutions and 522 non-government institutions are now participating in the Scheme.
  • approximately 70,000 sites across Australia are now covered by the Scheme.
  • approximately 110 unique institutions have been declared under the Funder of Last Resort (FOLR) arrangements.
    • These institutions are defunct and the Australian Government and/or relevant state or territory governments are the FOLR.

The Declarations are available on the Federal Register of Legislation:

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

Find out more

For further information about the Scheme, go to www.nationalredress.gov.au or call 1800 737 377 Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm AET from Australia. If you are overseas, please call +61 2 6222 3455 and then press 7 to be transferred to the National Redress Scheme.

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/.