The National Redress Scheme can offer eligible survivors:
- a redress payment (also referred to as a monetary payment)
- access to counselling and psychological care
- a direct personal response from the responsible institution/s such as an apology.
If you receive an offer of redress, you can accept or decline any of all of these redress components. This is your choice.
This page provides information about each these components of redress.
A Redress Support Service can discuss your options with you. You can also call us on 1800 737 377 Mon to Fri 8am to 5pm.
Redress payment
Payments will be determined on an individual basis. They range from less than $10,000 through to $150,000.
Redress payments are:
- non-taxable
- exempt from Commonwealth debt recovery
- exempt from income tests relevant to Commonwealth Government payments (Disability Support Pension, Aged Pension, etc)
- exempt from creditors where a person is bankrupt.
Any prior payments you received, that were related to the child sexual abuse you detailed in your redress application will be deducted from your final redress payment. You are required to tell us about any prior payments you receive from an institution before you accept your redress offer.
A redress payment can be included as part of the assets test for Commonwealth Government payments.
Learn more about receiving a redress payment
Counselling and Psychological care
Counselling is part of an offer of redress that you can choose to accept.
How you access counselling will depend on where you live.
In some states, you will be connected to a free, local service as part of your offer. These services will have expertise in supporting people who have experienced child sexual abuse. You will be able to access a minimum of 20 hours of counselling over your lifetime.
If you live in South Australia or overseas you may receive a lump sum payment of up to $5,000 as part of your offer. This can be used to pay for services in your local area.
When the National Redress Scheme writes to offer you redress, the letter will explain how you can access this free counselling.
Learn more about receiving counselling through the Scheme
Direct personal response
A direct personal response is an opportunity for you to receive an apology from the institution/s found responsible for the sexual abuse you experienced as a child. A direct personal response can take many forms and many survivors have found this to be a very important aspect of their healing journey and to feel like something is being done to prevent such traumas happening to future generations.
To ensure the direct personal response is meaningful, it is individualised to the survivor. It could include:
- an apology from the institution/s which acknowledges your personal experience, and the impact the abuse has had on you
- the institution/s taking responsibility for what happened
- an explanation from the institution/s on what they have done, or will do, to stop abuse from happening again.
A direct personal response will usually involve some form of contact with the institution/s. You do not have to do this on your own. A nominee can support you in arranging your direct personal response.
You can also get more information about your direct personal response and help organising it, by calling us on 1800 737 377 Mon to Fri 8am to 5pm, and asking to talk to the DPR Information and Support service.