National Redress Scheme

Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse

The establishment of a National Redress Scheme was a recommendation of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

The Royal Commission listened to thousands of people who shared their stories of the abuse they experienced as children. The abuse happened in orphanages, children’s homes, schools, churches and other religious organisations, sports clubs, hospitals, foster care and other institutions.

The Royal Commission investigated:

• how institutions and governments can better protect children
• best practice in reporting and responding to incidents
• how to address the impact of child sexual abuse

About the National Redress Scheme

The National Redress Scheme started on 1 July 2018 and will run through to 30 June 2028.

The scheme is designed so that relevant institutions take responsibility for making amends for sexual abuse that happened to children in their care.

The scheme:

• acknowledges that many children were sexually abused in Australian institutions
• recognises the harm caused by this abuse
• holds institutions accountable for this abuse
• helps people who have experienced institutional child sexual abuse gain access to counselling and psychological services, a direct personal response, and a monetary payment

The Australian Government wants as many people as possible to have access to the scheme.

Institutions must join the scheme

Institutions must agree to join the scheme to provide redress to people who experienced child sexual abuse while in the care of their institution.

Many institutions have already agreed to join the scheme. This includes the Commonwealth, and all state and territory governments and many major churches and charities. There are still institutions who have yet to join.

Institutions failing to join the scheme have restricted access to government grants. Learn more about National Redress Scheme: Grant Connected Policy.