Other redress and reparations schemes for Victorian Stolen Generations members to consider

The National Redress Scheme is for people who have experienced institutional child sexual abuse. The Scheme helps people access redress and can connect them to free confidential Redress Support Services. Applications to the Scheme are now open and close on 30 June 2027.

You can apply if:

• you experienced institutional sexual abuse before turning 18
• the abuse occurred before 1 July 2018
• you were born before 30 June 2010
• you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident when you apply, unless an exception applies to you as a former child migrant who:
  • was sent to Australia from the United Kingdom or Malta prior to 1984
  • arrived in Australia without a parent or guardian, and were made a ward of the State.

For more information visit the Commonwealth National Redress Scheme website or please call 1800 737 377 from Australia (call charges may apply), Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm. If you are overseas, call +61 3 6222 3455 and press 7 to be transferred to the National Redress Scheme.

The Victorian Government has established the scheme to acknowledge the impact of historical forced adoption practices. The scheme provides financial redress and support to the many mothers who continue to live with the serious, complex and ongoing effects of their experience of forced separation. Applications to the scheme opened in February 2024.

The scheme is open to mothers who gave birth in Victoria, or were a Victorian resident but gave birth interstate, and who were forcibly separated from their newborn babies prior to 1990.

For more information visit the Victorian Historical Forced Adoptions Redress Scheme website or contact:

Phone: 1300 217 425 from 9 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays)

Email: forcedadoptions.redress@justice.vic.gov.au

People who experienced abuse and neglect as children in institutional settings in Victoria before 1990, can receive support. The Victorian Government acknowledges that there are multiple ways individuals and groups identify themselves including but not limited to care leavers and Forgotten Australians. This redress scheme is anticipated to open for applications in December 2024 and run for 18 months to June 2027.

The Victorian Government will offer redress to people who were physically, emotional or psychologically abused and neglected as children in institutional settings in Victoria before 1990.

For more information email the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing at VictorianGovernmentRedressScheme@dffh.vic.gov.au or visit the Victorian Redress for Historical Institutional Abuse website.

The Territories scheme seeks to recognise the harm and trauma experienced by Stolen Generations survivors and is open for applications from 1 March 2022 to 28 February 2026.

The Scheme provides financial and wellbeing support to Stolen Generations survivors who were removed from their families or communities, and whose removal took place in the:

• Northern Territory, before 1 July 1978 or
• Australian Capital Territory, before 11 May 1989 or
• Jervis Bay Territory.

For more information visit the Territories Stolen Generations Reparations Scheme website or contact:

Phone: 1800 566 111
Email: help@territoriesredress.gov.au

The NSW Stolen Generations scheme closed for new applications in June 2023. Late applications closed in March 2024.

For more information visit the NSW Stolen Generations Reparations Scheme website.

The Funeral Fund is provided alongside the Victorian Stolen Generations Reparations Package and is administered by Connecting Home.

The fund provides financial support to the families of deceased Stolen Generations Members in Victoria, who have passed away on or after January 1, 2021. Eligible applicants are provided up to $10,000 to cover the costs of a funeral, headstone or plaque and/or repatriation of their Stolen Generation family member.

For more information visit the Connecting Home's Stolen Generations Funeral Fund website or call (03) 8679 0777.