July update 2022

Fri, 2022-07-01 12:00

This newsletter provides an update on the National Redress Scheme (the Scheme). It includes details on the Scheme’s application processing, the new Direct Personal Response Information Service 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:

Application processing and recent institutions to join:

Application progress

As of 24 June 2022, the Scheme:

had received 16,859 applications.
made 9,923 decisions — including 8,621 payments, totalling over $748.9 million (m), with an average of $86,869.
had made 9,726 offers for redress. Applicants have six months to consider their offer of redress.
is currently progressing 6,623 applications.
had 785 applications that are on hold or paused, including 119 applications due to institution not participating (representing 1.6% of applications on hand).
had finalised 8,978 applications.
the total number of applications finalised and redress payments in Year 1 are 239 ($19.8m), 2,537 ($205.0m) in Year 2, 3,283 ($285.0m) in Year 3 of the Scheme and 2,919 ($239.1m) in Year 4 of the Scheme.
had 43 IDMs actively making decisions.

Participating institutions update

All institutions where child sexual abuse has occurred are encouraged to sign up to the Scheme as soon as possible.

As at Declaration 3, signed by the Minister on 30 March 2022:

all Commonwealth and State and Territory government institutions and 585 non government institutions are now participating in the Scheme.
approximately 70,200 sites across Australia are now covered by the Scheme.
there are 67 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

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

Delivering more support for applicants

Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth has announced grant funding of over $39 million to deliver support services to people applying for the National Redress Scheme from 1 July 2022.

The 43 specialist service providers selected as part of the open competitive grant round will continue to meet the needs of people applying for Redress.

The successful applicants include 28 organisations that are existing Redress Support Services who will continue or expand their good work.

Fifteen new organisations will commence delivering Redress Support Services from 1 July 2022, including at least one new provider in each state and territory.

They will provide free, confidential, practical and emotional support to people before, during and after they apply for redress. Free legal and financial counselling support is also offered by knowmore.

Further information about Redress Support Services is available on the website: www.nationalredress.gov.au/support.

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).