Finding Help

National Redress Scheme

The National Redress Scheme is in response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

Applications can be made any time before 30 June 2027.

The National Redress Scheme provides support to people who experienced institutional child sexual abuse. The Scheme:

• acknowledges that many children were sexually abused in Australian institutions;
• holds institutions accountable for this abuse; and
• helps people who have experienced institutional child sexual abuse gain access to counselling, a direct personal response, and a Redress payment.

Call 1800 737 377 (Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm AET) or visit www.nationalredress.gov.au

Advocacy for Forgotten Australians and Care Leavers

AFA aims to promote the needs of Forgotten Australians through cooperative advocacy and projects. AFA does not provide a direct support service to Forgotten Australians.

A number of support groups assist Forgotten Australians as a specific and identified part (or whole) of their work, these include:

Nation Advocacy Groups

Alliance for Forgotten Australians
The Alliance includes groups and selected individuals promoting the interests of Forgotten Australians through advocacy and projects. (www.forgottenaustralians.org.au)

Care Leavers of Australasia Network A support and advocacy network for people brought up in care away from their family as state wards or children raised in orphanages, other institutions, or in foster care. (www.clan.org.au)

Child Migrants Trust
A registered charity that provides a service to help re-unite families of Former Child Migrants. (www.childmigrantstrust.com)

National Support Services

Find and Connect Support Services
Phone: 1800 16 11 09 (freecall)
The Find & Connect support service will help you:

• access personalised support and counselling
• where possible, obtain your personal records, trace your history and understand why you were placed into care
• connect with other services and support networks that may assist you at this time in your life
• reconnect with family, where possible

The Find & Connect web resource is at www.findandconnect.gov.au

Support Services for the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse - a list of services in each state or territory can be accessed at the Royal Commission website.

State- and territory-based support services

Australian Capital Territory

Find & Connect Support Service provided by Relationships Australia
Phone: 1800 16 11 09 or (02) 6122 7100

New South Wales

Wattle Place
(Find & Connect support service)
Wattle Place is a service to support those people who grew up in orphanages, Children’s Homes, institutions and foster homes in NSW from the 1920s to the 1990s, no matter where they live. Call Wattle Place on Freecall 1800 663 844 or visit: 67 High Street, Harris Park in Western Sydney.

The Aftercare Resource Centre Support Service
Telephone and face to face services for people who were in care in NSW.
Phone: 1800 656 884
www.relationships.com.au

Department of Community Services
Phone: 02 9716 2222

Now-Remembered Australians
A peer support organisation in the Northern Rivers area of NSW.
Phone: 02 6622 1670

Origins Inc NSW Adoption Support
Origins Inc supports Forgotten Australians through its HARP project.
Phone: 02 8786 1035 to find out more.

Parragirls
Parragirls is a contact register and support network for the Forgotten Australians of the Parramatta Girls Home and other State controlled institutions in NSW. Their activities specifically address Recognition of Careleavers in the areas of historical research, memorials and reunions.

Survivors & Mates Support Network

Survivors & Mates Support Network (SAMSN) is a not-for-profit organisation working to increase public awareness of the effects that childhood sexual abuse can have on men in their adult lives. SAMSN employs psychologists and social workers who have experience working with male survivors to facilitate support groups for men and their families and supporters.

Website https://www.samsn.org.au/ Helpline 1800 4 SAMSN (72676)

Northern Territory

Brolga Place (Find & Connect support service run by Relationships Australia)
We provide counselling and other support and referral services, assistance with locating records and searching for family, and events and social groups.
Please contact our Find & Connect Coordinator on (08) 8923 4999 or 1800 16 11 09.

Queensland

Lotus Place
(Find & Connect support service)
We provide a dedicated support service and resource centre for Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants: www.lotusplace.org.au Ph: 07 3347 8500

Forgotten Australian Support Services
Provide information and referral, personal and peer support through a drop in program which includes health and wellbeing activities, citizen advocacy and participation and promoting learning.

The Forde Foundation
Ph: 1800 674 256
The Forde Foundation aims to help former residents rebuild their lives while providing some redress for the harm and disadvantage that occurred (it is not a compensation scheme). It provides assistance with education, training and personal development in order to facilitate opportunities and improve quality of life, as well as health and dental care.

South Australia

Elm Place
at Relationships Australia SA operates the Find and Connect and Post Care Support Services for Forgotten Australians, Former Child Migrants and Care Leavers. It provides counselling and other support services, assistance with locating records and searching for family, and support and social groups.
Contact via the Find and Connect National Number 1800 161 09, or the Post Care number on 1800 188 11.

Tasmania

Find & Connect Support Services
Relationships Australia Tasmania
Phone: 1800 16 11 09 (free call)

Victoria

Open Place
Find & Connect support service
Phone: 1800 779 379

Adoption and Family Records Services
Phone: 1300 769 926

Broken Rites
Broken Rites is a non-denominational support group for people who have been abused sexually, physically or emotionally in religious institutions.
Phone: 03 9457 4999

Western Australia

Lanterns
Find & Connect Support Service WA
Phone: 1800 16 11 09 (national free call) or 08 6164 0240

Tuart Place: Support Service for Western Australia’s Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants
Tuart Place is a Resource Service for people who experienced out-of-home care during childhood, including Former Child Migrants from the UK and Malta, members of the Stolen Generations, and the group known as ‘Forgotten Australians’. It provides counselling, advocacy, support groups, and life-skills classes such as computer literacy. The service also assists people to locate personal and family history documents and where possible, locate family members.
Telephone: 1800 619 795
Website: www.tuartplace.org

Other programs offering nation-wide support or counselling

These are not dedicated services for Forgotten Australians, however, you may find they are able to assist.

CREATE
CREATE Foundation connects and empowers children and young people in care and improves the care system through activities, programs, training and policy advice.
Phone: 1800 655 105

Lifeline
Lifeline operates a 24-hour telephone counselling service
Phone: 131114

Mensline Australia
Mensline Australia is the 24-hour national telephone support, information and referral service for men with family and relationship concerns.
Phone: 1300 789 978

The Personal Helpers and Mentors (PHaMS)
Program aims to provide increased opportunities for recovery for people who have a severe functional limitation resulting from a severe mental illness.

Information on Post Traumatic Stress is available from the Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health here.