Until the results of the federal election are clear, caretaker conventions are in effect. This means updates from the National Redress Scheme will only have National Redress Scheme data and participating institutions updates.

Scheme data

As at 4 April 2025, there have been 59,343 applications to the Scheme.

• 21,671 applicants have had their outcomes advised. Of these 18,287 payments have been made totalling approximately $1.63 billion dollars
• 2,683 have been withdrawn
• 34,989 applications are yet to have their outcome advised. Of which:
  • 23,231 applications are actionable by the Scheme.
    • 5,271 applications are being validated with the initial contact being made
    • 13,026 applications are in the information gathering stage
    • 4,558 applications are at the Decision Management stage
    • 376 applications are being prepared for delivery of the outcome
• o    4,973 applications are unable to be actioned by the Scheme. Of these:
  • 3,292 are awaiting the applicant to provide additional information
  • 1,681 are undergoing a special assessment for serious criminal conviction/applying from gaol
• o    6,785 applications are on hold.

Participating institutions update

The Minister's Declaration is an official list of all participating institutions. It is updated when a new institution joins the Scheme or the status of a participating institution changes.

As at 8 April 2025, data regarding participating institutions remains the same as included in the March update.

The Declarations are available on the Federal Register of Legislation(Opens in a new tab/window). For the latest information about institutions, visit the Institutions page on our website.
 

Redress Scheme visits Albury-Wodonga, NSW/Victoria:

A free half-day community organisation workshop about the National Redress Scheme will be held in Albury, NSW on Thursday 27 March 2025. The workshop will be held at the Atura Hotel, Albury from 9:30am - 1:30pm AEDT.

The workshop will provide community organisation attendees with information about the National Redress Scheme and other similar schemes that are currently active for people in NSW and Victoria. The workshop will have a focus on people who come from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

The session will discuss the different purposes and functions of the schemes, as well as how to engage with these services, and access free confidential and culturally safe support.

Government representatives will be participating to share information and answer questions, and there will be presentations from various Redress Support Services and Knowmore(Opens in a new tab/window) Legal Service.

Please note, attendance at these workshops is limited to staff in community groups, organisations, and services. There is limited capacity for each event, please register your organisation’s attendance below.

Register your organisation’s attendance through the online registration form(Opens in a new tab/window).

These are part of a series of Redress Support Service-led workshops to raise awareness of the Scheme. To register your interest in future workshops, email DSSRedressEngagement@dss.gov.au.

Victorian Redress Scheme and the National Redress Scheme:

The Victorian Redress Scheme for Historical Institutional Abuse (Victorian Redress) began accepting applications on 10 December 2024 and will operate for 18 months.

• The Victorian Redress Scheme is open to people who:
  • lived as a child (before the age of 18) in a Victorian institution for at least 6 months (in total) before 1 January 1990
  • experienced physical, psychological, or emotional abuse or neglect in the Victorian institution.
• Under the Victorian Redress Scheme, people found eligible will be offered:
  • a payment up to $20,000
  • a personal apology – in person or in writing, 
  • up to 20 funded counselling sessions.

If you are an applicant to the National Redress Scheme and receive a payment from the Victorian Redress Scheme, you should let the National Redress Scheme know.

A payment from the Victorian Redress Scheme can be considered a ‘relevant prior payment’ by the National Redress Scheme and may reduce your National Redress Scheme payment in some circumstances. You will still be able to apply to the National Redress Scheme if you have received Victorian Redress.

If you would like to discuss how a Victorian Redress Scheme payment can impact a National Redress Scheme payment you can contact the National Redress Scheme on 1800 737 377. 

If you would like further information about the Victorian Redress Scheme, you can:

• visit their website Redress for Historical Institutional Abuse - DFFH Services(Opens in a new tab/window)
• contact the Victorian Redress Scheme in between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday on 1800 716 870 (free call)
• contact the Victorian Redress Scheme via email at victorianredress@dffh.vic.gov.au
• contact these free and confidential support services to help you apply to the Victorian Redress Scheme:
  • Care Leavers Australasia Network (CLAN) – 1800 008 774
  • Child Migrants Trust - 1800 04 05 09
  • Connecting Home – 8679 0777
  • Drummond Street Services – 9663 6733
  • IGFF (In Good Faith Foundation) – 1300 124 433
  • Open Place (Relationships Australia Victoria) – 1800 779 379
  • Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency (VACCA) – 9287 8800

What happens when the Federal Election is announced

Once the government announces the federal election the National Redress Scheme will go into a caretaker period. This means routine and administrative operations of departments and agencies will continue as usual, however major policy decisions that may commit the incoming government will be put on hold.

What does this mean for the National Redress Scheme: During the caretaker period, National Redress Scheme operations will continue as normal, including calls to and from the National Redress Scheme, submission and processing of applications, contact with institutions and working with Redress Support Services. However, you may see less updates to the National Redress Scheme website, a pause on the National Redress Scheme’s monthly newsletter and other external facing communications.

If you would like more information, it can be found by looking at the Guidance on Caretaker Conventions(Opens in a new tab/window) provided by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Scheme data

As at 31 January 2025, there have been 55,740 applications to the Scheme.

• 21,071 applicants have had their outcomes advised. Of these 17,810 payments have been made totalling approximately $1.59 billion dollars
• 2,516 have been withdrawn by the applicant
• 32,153 applications are yet to receive an outcome. Of which:
  • 20,673 applications are actionable by the Scheme.
    • 4,152 applications are being validated with the initial contact being made
    • 12,207 applications are in the information gathering stage
    • 3,807 applications are with an IDM for a determination
    • 507 applications are being prepared for delivery of the outcome
  • 4,580 applications are unable to be actioned by the Scheme. Of these:
    • 3,012 are awaiting the applicant to provide additional information
    • 1,568 are undergoing a special assessment for serious criminal conviction/applying from gaol
  • 6,900 applications are on hold.

Participating institutions update

The Minister's Declaration is an official list of all participating institutions. It is updated when a new institution joins the Scheme or the status of a participating institution changes.

As at 13 March 2025:

• 3 Declarations have been signed, bringing new participating and partly-participating institutions into the Scheme.
• 18 lone institutions and 4 participating groups have been declared as participating non-government institutions.
• 3 institutions have been declared as partly-participating non-government institutions.

The Declarations are available on the Federal Register of Legislation(Opens in a new tab/window).

The National Redress Scheme is aware of messages being sent via social media containing misleading and inaccurate information about the Scheme. Information about the Scheme should only be obtained from trusted sources. You should not provide personal information that may put you at risk. 

Further information about safeguarding yourself and your application can be found on our website. Government funded Redress Support Services are available to provide free localised practical and emotional support throughout your application process. 

If you are concerned about any information you have received about the Scheme, call the National Redress Scheme on 1800 737 377 for confirmation.

Redress Scheme visits Fairfield, Sydney NSW

A free half-day community organisation workshop about the National Redress Scheme will be held in Fairfield, Sydney NSW on Thursday 20 February 2025. The workshop will be held at Settlement Services International.

The workshop will provide community organisation attendees with information about the National Redress Scheme and other similar schemes that are currently active for people in NSW. The workshop will have a focus on people who come from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

The session will discuss the different purposes and functions of the schemes, as well as how to engage with these services, and access free confidential and culturally safe support.

Government representatives will be participating to share information and answer questions, and there will be presentations from various Redress Support Services and Knowmore(Opens in a new tab/window) Legal Service.

Please note, attendance at these workshops is limited to staff in community groups, organisations, and services. There is limited capacity for each event, please register your organisation’s attendance below.

Register your organisation’s attendance through the online registration form.(Opens in a new tab/window)

Redress Scheme visits Albury-Wodonga, NSW/Victoria

Planning is underway for a free half-day community workshop about the National Redress Scheme, to be held in the Albury-Wodonga region at the Atura Hotel, Albury, Thursday 27 March 2025 from 9.30am – 1.00pm AEDT. More information about this event will be shared closer to the date.

These are part of a series of Redress Support Service-led workshops to raise awareness of the Scheme. To register your interest in future workshops, email DSSRedressEngagement@dss.gov.au.

Please note, attendance at these workshops is limited to staff in community groups, organisations, and services. There is limited capacity for each event, please register your organisation’s attendance below.

Register your organisation’s attendance through the online registration form.(Opens in a new tab/window)

Protected Information reminder

The protection of applicants’ deeply personal information and institutions’ sensitive information is paramount to the National Redress Scheme. The Scheme takes its responsibility for protected information seriously to reduce the risk of re-traumatisation for survivors and maintain the integrity of, and trust in, Scheme processes and decision making.

Media outlets, applicants, government and non-government institutions, and other relevant stakeholders are reminded that information about a person or an institution that is held by the National Redress Scheme is protected information and cannot be disclosed unless authorised in accordance with the National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse Act 2018.

Penalties apply to the unauthorised disclosure of protected information in certain circumstances.

Please refer to the protected information factsheet or contact the Scheme on 1800 737 377 for more information or to report suspected unauthorised disclosure of protected information.

Scheme data 

As at 31 January 2025, there have been 55,740 applications to the Scheme.

• 21,071 applicants have had their outcomes advised. Of these 17,810 payments have been made totalling approximately $1.59 billion dollars
• 2,516 have been withdrawn by the applicant
• 32,153 applications are yet to receive an outcome. Of which: 
  • 20,673 applications are actionable by the Scheme.
    • 4,152 applications are being validated with the initial contact being made
    • 12,207 applications are in the information gathering stage
    • 3,807 applications are with an IDM for a determination
    • 507 applications are being prepared for delivery of the outcome
  • 4,580 applications are unable to be actioned by the Scheme. Of these:
    • 3,012 are awaiting the applicant to provide additional information
    • 1,568 are undergoing a special assessment for serious criminal conviction/applying from gaol
  • 6,900 applications are on hold.

Participating institutions update

The Minister's Declaration is an official list of all participating institutions. It is updated when a new institution joins the Scheme or the status of a participating institution changes.

As at 30 January 2025, data regarding participating institutions remains the same as included in the September update.

The Declarations are available on the Federal Register of Legislation(Opens in a new tab/window). For the latest information about institutions, visit the Institutions page on our website.

The end of the year can be a difficult time for many people. 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 through:

• Full Stop Australia: 1800 385 578 or Full Stop Australia(Opens in a new tab/window)
• Beyondblue: 1300 224 636 or beyondblue(Opens in a new tab/window)
• 1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732 or 1800RESPECT(Opens in a new tab/window)
• MensLine Australia: 1300 789 978 or MensLine Australia(Opens in a new tab/window)
• Lifeline: 13 11 14 or Lifeline(Opens in a new tab/window)
• Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 or Suicide Call Back Service(Opens in a new tab/window)
• 13YARN: 139 276 or 13YARN(Opens in a new tab/window)
• Triple Zero: 000(Opens in a new tab/window) or Triple Zero(Opens in a new tab/window)

Please note: The National Redress Scheme’s 1800 737 377 phone number and main Prison line will be closed on Wednesday 25 December 2024, Thursday 26 December 2023 and Wednesday 1 January 2025

Incarcerated applicants will be able to reach out to their prison Social Worker should they require any immediate assistance. 

Institutions declining to participate in the Scheme

After a survivor names an institution in an application, that institution has 6 months from the Scheme’s first formal contact with them to join the Scheme.

The Government has introduced consequences, with the aim at encouraging institutions to join the Scheme.

From 4 December 2024, the following 6 institutions have been added to the list of institution that have not joined:

• Darwin Cycling Club – Northern Territory
• Townsville Indoor Sports (Wildcatz Indoor Sports) – Reby Enterprises Pty Ltd - Queensland
• New Norfolk District Football Club – Tasmania
• Knox Basketball Incorporated – Victoria
• Crown Coaches – Victoria
• Christian Youth Camps – Western Australia

In addition to being named as declining to participate in the Scheme, these institutions are now ineligible to access future Australian Government grant funding until they choose to participate. Affected applicants have been notified, and the Scheme will continue to encourage these institutions to join.

December 2024 communique from the Ministers Board Meeting

The Ministers responsible for the National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse (the Scheme) met via video conference on 4 December 2024.

Ministers confirmed their resolute and ongoing commitment to working collaboratively on improving the Scheme for the benefit of survivors. Ministers agreed to form a steering committee of State and Territory officials to progress work in preparation for the eighth anniversary review, and also agreed to amendments to the Direct Personal Response Framework.

The full communique can be read on the Ministers for the Department of Social Services webpage(Opens in a new tab/window). The next Ministers’ Redress Scheme Governance Board meeting is scheduled for mid-2025.

myGovID is now myID

The next time you log into the Australian Government's Digital ID app, you'll notice the new name and look, but how you use it does not change.

With this change there is nothing you need to do, you still have:

• your same details: you don't need to set up a new myID, your login details (including email address) and identity strength are the same
• continued use: your app should have automatically updated to myID. If not, you can now manually update it from your App Store or Google Play
• access to services: you can still use the app to securely access a range of government online services.

Beware of any myGovID and myID scams trying to steal your personal information by asking you to confirm your details or set up a Digital ID. Don't click on any links that ask you to do this - remember, your myID is unique to you and should not be shared.

For the most up-to-date information on myID visit the myID website at https://www.myid.gov.au/(Opens in a new tab/window).

Scheme data 

As at 29 November 2024, there have been 52,684 applications to the Scheme. 

• 20,454 applicants have had their outcomes advised. Of these 17,313 payments have been made totalling approximately $1.55 billion dollars
• 2,335 have been withdrawn by the applicant
• 29,895 applications are yet to receive an outcome. Of which: 
  • 18,887 applications are actionable by the Scheme.
    • 2,817 applications are being validated with the initial contact being made
    • 11,601 applications are in the information gathering stage
    • 3,687 applications are with an IDM for a determination
    • 782 applications are being prepared for delivery of the outcome
  • 4,034 applications are unable to be actioned by the Scheme. Of these:
    • 2,587 are awaiting the applicant to provide additional information
    • 1,447 are undergoing a special assessment for serious criminal conviction/applying from gaol
  • 6,974 applications are on hold.

Participating institutions update

The Minister's Declaration is an official list of all participating institutions. It is updated when a new institution joins the Scheme or the status of a participating institution changes.

As at 3 December 2024, data regarding participating institutions remains the same as included in the September update.

The Declarations are available on the Federal Register of Legislation(Opens in a new tab/window). For the latest information about institutions, visit the Institutions page on our website.

The Redress Assessment Framework has changed

In response to a recommendation of the Second Anniversary Review of the National Redress Scheme, the Government agreed to change the National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse Assessment Framework 2018 (Assessment Framework).

The Assessment Framework has been changed to combine the payments relating to the recognition of sexual abuse and the impact of sexual abuse into one combined amount, which is now titled recognition and impact of abuse. There is no change to the amount of redress payment amount.

The Scheme’s Independent Decision Makers (IDMs) will now assess applications using the new, updated Assessment Framework.

All new applications received by the Scheme will be assessed against the new Assessment Framework. If you are offered a redress payment, it will recognise the sexual abuse you experienced and its impact, even if you chose not to tell the Scheme about the impact in your application.

If you would like to speak to a Scheme Officer about this change, you can call us on 1800 737 377 Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm.

Sixth anniversary of the National Apology to Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse

October 22 marked the sixth anniversary of the National Apology to Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse. The National Apology was delivered in response to the five-year Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

The National Apology acknowledged and apologised for the abuse inflicted by institutions on vulnerable children. In a media release issued, Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth highlighted the courage of survivors and advocates who spoke out to expose the abuse in institutions.

“I recognise on this anniversary that no apology could ever change the immense trauma and pain caused by the abuse faced by many Australians,” Minister Rishworth said.

“Today is an opportunity to reaffirm the Government’s commitment to survivors of institutional child sexual abuse through the National Redress Scheme and its continuous improvement to make it more trauma-informed, efficient, and survivor-focussed.”

You can read the full media release and acknowledgement of the anniversary on the Minister’s website(Opens in a new tab/window).

New Strategic Success Measures report

The June 2024 Strategic Success Measures report is now available on the Scheme website.

This report provides an indication of how the National Redress Scheme is performing across three priority areas:

• survivor experience
• health of the National Redress Scheme
• equity of access

The Strategic Success Measures report is one way the National Redress Scheme showcases our commitment to transparency and providing publicly available data about our performance. Visit our website, for the June 2024 and previous Strategic Success Measures reports.

Redress Scheme visits Dandenong, Victoria

A free half-day community workshop about the National Redress Scheme will be held in Dandenong, Victoria on Thursday 5 December 2024.

The workshop will provide community organisation attendees with information about the National Redress Scheme and other similar schemes that are currently active for people in Victoria. The session will discuss the different purposes and functions of the schemes, as well as how to engage with them and access free, confidential and culturally safe support.
Government representatives will be participating to share information and answer questions; plus presentations from various Redress Support Services and from knowmore Legal Service.

Please note, attendance at these workshops is limited to staff in community groups, organisations and services. There is limited capacity for each event, please register your organisation’s attendance below.

The Dandenong workshop will be held at the Holiday Inn Dandenong, from 1.00pm – 4.30pm AEDT, Thursday 5 December 2024. Register your organisation’s attendance through the online registration form(Opens in a new tab/window).

Redress Scheme visits Hurstville, NSW

As announced in the September update 2024, a free half-day community workshop about the National Redress Scheme will be held in Hurstville, NSW at the Southern Sydney Event Centre, on Wednesday 27 November from 9.30am – 1.00pm AEDT. Register your organisation’s attendance through the online registration form(Opens in a new tab/window).

These are part of a series of Redress Support Service-led workshops to raise awareness of the Scheme. To register your interest in future workshops, email mailto:DSSRedressEngagement@dss.gov.au.

Scheme data

As at 27 September 2024, there have been 48,953 applications to the Scheme. Of these:

• 19,680 applicants have had their outcomes advised. Of these:
  • 16,665 payments have been made totalling approximately $1.49 billion dollars
• 2,064 have been withdrawn by the applicant
• 27,209 applications are yet to receive an outcome. Of these:
  • 16,916 applications are actionable by the Scheme.
    • 2,628 applications are being validated with the initial contact being made
    • 10,309 applications are in the information gathering stage
    • 3,249 applications are with an IDM for a determination
    • 730 applications are being prepared for delivery of the outcome
  • 3,343 applications are unable to be actioned by the Scheme. Of these:
    • 2,097 are awaiting the applicant to provide additional information
    • 1,246 are undergoing a special assessment for serious criminal conviction/applying from gaol
  • o    6,950 applications are on hold.

Participating institutions update

The Minister's Declaration is an official list of all participating institutions. It is updated when a new institution joins the Scheme or the status of a participating institution changes.

As at 28 October 2024, data regarding participating institutions remains the same as included in the September update.

The Declarations are available on the Federal Register of Legislation(Opens in a new tab/window). For the latest information about institutions, visit the Institutions page on our website.