What is an institution?

An institution can be described as (but is not limited to):

• churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, and missions
• hospitals and welfare services
• foster care, children’s homes, and orphanages
• detention centres
• schools, clubs, youth centres and training facilities.

The National Redress Scheme is designed so that institutions take responsibility for child sexual abuse.

Joining the Scheme is voluntary for all institutions, however there are financial consequences for institutions that have been named in an application who choose not to join.

The Scheme works with institutions in providing information about the Scheme, answering questions and queries, and actively encouraging them to join as soon as possible.

Why does the institution need to participate in the Scheme?

If an institution has been named in an application, the National Redress Scheme will reach out to that institution to notify they have been named and encourage them to join. To participate in the Scheme the institution needs to meet certain legislative requirements. These include:

• demonstrating they can pay the monetary component of redress for current and possible future applications over the life of the Scheme
• demonstrating how they will provide a meaningful Direct Personal Response, provide information requested by the Scheme, details of current and past physical locations and complete relevant onboarding training
• having a structure as such that they can enter into a legally binding agreement with the Scheme.

It is important to note if an institution is not participating in the Scheme this does not prevent a person from applying to the Scheme. You can make an application for redress at any time.

Participating institutions

A participating institution is an institution that has joined the scheme.

This means that an institution has completed the necessary steps to join the Scheme, so they can provide redress to people who experienced child sexual abuse in relation to their institution. These participating institutions were either named in an application or voluntarily chose to join the Scheme.

It is important to know that not all institutions that intend to participate can join the Scheme. This might be because the institution does not meet the legal requirements to become a participating institution. 

The institution is unable to join the scheme

This means that the Scheme has been working closely with the institution so that they can join the Scheme, but they don’t meet the requirements of the National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse Act 2018. This includes:

• they have demonstrated they cannot pay redress and deliver direct personal responses
• they do not qualify to receive cost of redress assistance from their jurisdiction and the Commonwealth Government. This is because sporting clubs are relying on the state or national organisation for that sport to assist them in joining the Scheme, but they will not do so
• The institution no longer exists, and no other institution has agreed to represent them so they can join.

The Scheme will pursue options to progress support for these institutions to participate in the Scheme.

The institution has declined to join the scheme

This means that the institution has been named in an application for redress, is able to join the Scheme and either declines to join or is unresponsive to the Scheme’s requests to join. There are consequences for these institutions, which includes:

• being publicly named on the National Redress Scheme website
• being restricted from accessing future Commonwealth Government grant funding, and
• risk losing their charitable status and associated tax concessions and benefits if applicable.