The National Redress Scheme is coming to an end. Applications will be accepted until 30 June 2027. Accessible information on how to apply and how to access support services is available on our website or by calling 1800 737 377.
Please be aware 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, visit the Redress Support Services page on our website.
If you need immediate support, 24-hour telephone assistance is available.
Ministers’ Redress Scheme Governance Board Communique
On Tuesday 28 July 2026, the Ministers’ Redress Scheme Governance Board (Board) met to discuss the governance of the Scheme. The Board has decision-making powers regarding proposed amendments to primary legislation, rules, policy guidelines and the intergovernmental agreement. The Board consists of Ministers or their representatives responsible for the National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse in each state and territory. The Federal Minister for Social Services, the Hon Tanya Plibersek MP chaired the meeting.
The Board discussed the Scheme’s performance, maintaining institution participation, the Eighth Anniversary Review and Scheme closure. You can read a summary of the discussion in the Ministers’ Redress Scheme Governance Board Communique(Opens in a new tab/window) on the Department of Social Services website.
The Board will meet regularly to support the effective closure of the Scheme. The next meeting will be held with the Standing Council of Attorneys-General in November 2026.
Redress Support Service Spotlight: The Woman’s Cottage
Are you considering applying to the Scheme or supporting someone on their redress journey?
The Women's Cottage provides free and confidential support to women throughout all stages of the Scheme process. The service can help women understand the Scheme, explore their options, prepare an application and access the support they may need when considering redress. This includes while waiting for a response.
The Women's Cottage aims to tailor support to best meet individual needs. This could include meeting in person, over the phone, online or at a location that is familiar and comfortable for the individual.
The Women's Cottage can help clients access support services in their local area to expand their support network. The Women’s Cottage team of Specialist Redress Support Workers aim to support as many women as they can especially with completing their application.
The Women's Cottage is based in Richmond, New South Wales. Their Redress Support Services covers the broad region from Parramatta to Lithgow, including the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury. Support can be provided to women outside these areas through telephone or online and, if needed, in-person to help complete an application.
The Women's Cottage contact details:
- for direct contact to Redress Support Team: 0492 432 954 or 0448 054 931
- for general enquiries: (02) 4578 4190
- email: redressteam@womenscottage.org.au
- website: The Women's Cottage(Opens in a new tab/window)
- operating hours: 9.30am to 4.00pm, Monday to Friday.
Survivors can choose a Redress Support Service that best suits their needs. If The Women's Cottage is not the right fit, a list of Redress Support Services is available on our website.
Scheme data
As at 31 July 2026 there have been 84,299 applications to the Scheme:
- 30,252 applicants have had their outcomes advised. Of these, 23,705 payments have been made totalling approximately $2.1 billion dollars
- 5,837 have been withdrawn or closed
- 48,210 applications are yet to have their outcome advised. Of which:
- 31,803 applications are actionable by the Scheme
- 8,416 applications are being validated with the initial contact being made
- 16,052 applications are in the information gathering stage
- 6,898 applications are with an Independent Decision Maker for determination
- 437 applications are being prepared for delivery of the outcome
- 9,909 applications are unable to be actioned by the Scheme. Of these:
- 7,588 are awaiting the applicant to provide additional information
- 2,321 are undergoing special assessment for serious criminal conviction
- 31,803 applications are actionable by the Scheme
- 6,498 applications are on hold
- over the last 6 months the Scheme has received an average of 1,687 applications per month
- over the last 6 months 352 reviews have been requested and 179 have been completed. Of those completed, 38.5% resulted in an increase in redress payment.
| Financial year | 18-19 | 19-20 | 20-21 | 21-22 | 22-23 | 23-24 | 24-25 | 25-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average applications received per month | 357 | 262 | 316 | 499 | 894 | 1,360 | 1,644 | 1,534 |
For the month of July:
- 966 applications have been resolved
- 32.8% of survivors have identified as a First Nations person
- 31.7% of survivors have indicated they are living with a disability
- 32.8% of survivors are Care Leavers*
- 60.5% of survivors accepted a Direct Personal Response (DPR) as part of their redress offer
- 9 survivors completed a DPR with 12 institutions
- 8 survivors made contact with 8 institutions to begin the DPR process.
*Care leavers are defined as applicants who indicated any of the following on their application: they were a foster child, in relative kinship, court-ordered care or a child migrant.
Please note the counts provided will slightly differ from previous versions as closed cases are now included. Closed cases include applications that are not eligible to apply to the Scheme.
Participating institutions update
The National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse Declaration 2018 (the Declaration) is an official list of all participating institutions. It is updated when new institutions join the Scheme as either fully-participating, partly-participating or defunct institutions, or the status of a participating institution changes. The Declaration is available on the Federal Register of Legislation(Opens in a new tab/window).
No updates were made to the Declaration in the month of July 2026. As at 31 July 2026, there are 718 fully-participating institutions, 185 defunct institutions and 35 partly-participating institutions declared as participating in the Scheme.
For the latest information about institutions, visit the Institutions page on our website. If you have concerns about an institution’s participation status with the National Redress Scheme, please contact the National Redress Scheme on 1800 737 377 to speak to someone about your application.