National Redress Scheme overview 003-18050700

The National Redress Scheme (the Scheme) was established in response to the recommendations from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

The Scheme is an Australian Government program that provides support to people who were sexually abused as children while in the care of an institution. The Scheme will run for 10 years until 30 June 2028.

The Department of Social Services (DSS) administers the National Redress Scheme with support from Services Australia.

An institution is considered an entity that provides, or has at any time provided, activities, facilities, programs or services of any kind that provide the means through which adults have contact with children.

It is one way the government is working to acknowledge and help people who experienced institutional child sexual abuse.

A dedicated phone information service exists. Applications can be lodged online via myGov, by post or in person with Services Australia.

A person can apply to the National Redress Scheme if:

• they experienced sexual abuse when they were a child (under 18 years of age), and
• the abuse happened before 1 July 2018, and
• an institution was responsible for bringing them into contact with the person who abused them, and
• they were born before 30 June 2010, and
• they are an Australian citizen or permanent resident at the time of application

The National Redress Scheme can help eligible people to access:

• counselling and psychological services,
• a redress payment, and
• a direct personal response from an institution (for example, an apology)

If an offer of redress is made, a person can accept any or all of the 3 redress components listed above.

Redress is not compensation. It is about acknowledging the harm done and supporting people to move forward positively in the way that is best for them.

Redress payments are non-taxable and protected from Commonwealth debt recovery processes:

• payments are exempt from the Social Security income test, but
• any ongoing income generated by the lump sum and any asset produced from the lump sum are assessable under the social security income and assets tests

All state and territory governments, as well as the Commonwealth, have joined the Scheme. Legislation is in place in all states and territories to enable non-government institutions to join the Scheme.

Many non-government institutions have joined or have committed to joining the Scheme. See the National Redress Scheme website for all institutions that have joined the Scheme. The website also lists institutions who have not yet joined the Scheme but are taking steps to do so. Institutions that have refused to join the Scheme are also identified.

For non-government institutions, the process of joining the Scheme includes several steps. This means that there may be a delay between the time that an institution announces it will join the Scheme and the time that applications relating to those institutions can be processed. The Scheme is working very closely with institutions to help this process happen as quickly as possible.

The Department of Social Services (DSS) is responsible for legislation and policy relating to the Scheme, selection of the Independent Decision Makers (IDM) and all decisions relating to applications to the Scheme.

Since February 2020, DSS holds responsibility for undertaking service delivery for the Scheme with support from Services Australia.

The primary roles in the service delivery, administration and decision making processes are:

• Service Officers in Centrelink Service Centres:
• provide general information on the Scheme, and
• assistance with Identity Confirmation and document lodgement
• DSS Redress Officers:
• the telephony contact point for people making enquiries and applicants during the application process. This team supports applicants in the application process by answering questions relating to applications and accessing further assistance from specialist areas of Redress to support applicants
• validate applications and collate information (including information from institutions) to forward to an IDM. DSS Redress Officers notify applicants of the final outcome when it is returned from the IDM
• Independent Decision Maker (IDM) - appointed by DSS. IDMs:
• consider all information and make a final decision about the application
• refer the decision back to the DSS Redress Officer

Note: DSS Redress Officers notify the applicant, process the outcome, including letters and payments

A person can apply for Redress:

• online, via myGov, or
• using the Application for Redress form

See the Resources page for a link to the National Redress Scheme website, where people can access the Application for Redress.

Assistance completing the form can be provided by the Scheme, Redress Support Services and/or appointed nominees.

A DSS Redress Officer will:

• acknowledge receipt of an Application for Redress, and
• advise the applicant of the next steps in the process

The application is assessed and, once a determination is reached, the applicant and responsible participating institutions are notified of the outcome.

Applicants have a 6 month period to accept the offer of Redress from the date of the offer (an extension can be requested to the acceptance period in exceptional circumstances).

If the applicant does not accept the offer within 6 months, the offer of Redress is taken to be declined. The applicant cannot apply to the Scheme again.

If an applicant received an advance payment of Redress from the Scheme, and then declines their final offer, they must pay back the advanced amount to the Commonwealth.

Applicants can request, in writing, an internal review of the original decision within 6 months from the date of the letter of offer. A different Independent Decision Maker (IDM) conducts the internal review on the basis that:

• an IDM cannot review their own decision
• no additional information will be considered as part of the review, and
• the review of the original decision can result in the outcome being affirmed or varied

After a review decision has been made, the applicant cannot request another review. It is up to the applicant to accept or decline the review decision, noting there are no further options for review.

Note: if a person's acceptance period is extended, the review period is also extended.

If the Scheme receives information about an application after it has been determined but prior to acceptance occurring, a request for revocation may be made. If a revocation is to occur it is a matter for the Independent Decision Maker (IDM) to make a finding on. Once a revocation occurs, the original decision is replaced.

The Scheme has a different nominee process to other Services Australia master programs as it is administered under separate legislation.

See Nominees for the National Redress Scheme.

Identity Confirmation and Alternative Identity processes for applicants and their nominees are not the same as for customers of Services Australia. See Identity Confirmation and Alternative Identity for the National Redress Scheme.