December update 2022

Thu, 2022-12-01 12:00

This newsletter provides an update on the National Redress Scheme (the Scheme). It includes details on changes to the way people living in Western Australia can get Counselling and Psychological Care, application processing and participating institutions.

The 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, go to
www.nationalredress.gov.au/help-support/get-free-help-apply/redress-support-services.

If you need immediate support, 24-hour telephone assistance is available through:

Christmas period phone line closures

The National Redress Scheme 1800 phone line will be closed on the National Public Holidays of 26 and 27 December 2022.

The phone line will also close 2 January 2023, and re-open on 8am Wednesday 3 January 2023.

If you need immediate support, 24-hour telephone assistance is available through:

Changes to Western Australia's Counselling and Psychological Care (CPC) arrangements

From 1 January 2023, the Western Australia government will be changing the way Counselling and Psychological Care (CPC) is administered in Western Australia.

Applicants who receive an offer after 1 January 2023 will now be offered access to counselling and psychological care services through a qualified practitioner.

Click here for more information

Application progress

As of 9 December 2022, the Scheme:

had received 21,197 applications.
made 11,750 decisions (through the Scheme’s Independent Decision Makers (IDMs)) — including 10,750 payments, totalling approximately $908 million, with an average of $87,955.
made 1,234 advance payments since their introduction in September 2021.
issued 11,548 outcomes, of which 11,217 applicants (representing 97% of all outcomes issued) are eligible for redress and 331 (representing 3% of all outcomes issued) are ineligible.
was progressing 9,793 applications.
had 2,215 applications that are on hold or paused, including 2,053 where further information is required, at the request of the applicant or nominee, or where there are difficulties in contacting the applicant, and 162 due to an institution not yet participating in the scheme.
had finalised 10,750 applications.
had 45 IDMs actively making decisions.

Participating institutions update

The government encourages all institutions who have a history of interacting with children to sign up to the Scheme as soon as possible.

As at amendment Declaration No. 6 of 2022 and Funder of Last Resort Declaration No. 7, signed by the Minister on 28 November 2022

all Commonwealth and State and Territory government institutions and 616 non-government institutions are now participating in the Scheme.
approximately 71,000 sites across Australia are now covered by the Scheme.
86 unique institutions have been declared under the Funder of Last Resort (FOLR) arrangements.
- These institutions are defunct and the Commonwealth and/or relevant state governments are the FOLR.

A number of institutions were recently added to the Scheme legislation. This declaration is available via the Federal Register of Legislation: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2022C00727(Opens in a new tab/window).

For the latest information about institutions, visit our website:
www.nationalredress.gov.au/institutions.

Find out more

For further information about the Scheme, go to www.nationalredress.gov.au or call 1800 737 377 Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm AET from Australia or +61 2 6222 3455 from overseas.

For regular updates about the Department of Social Services and the Scheme, you can ‘like’ or ‘follow’ the Australian Families Facebook page: facebook.com/FamiliesInAustralia(Opens in a new tab/window).