Jewish Care Victoria joins the National Redress Scheme
Jewish Care Victoria has become the first major provider of services to the Victorian Jewish community to join the National Redress Scheme.
Mike Debinski
The Scheme, which began on 1 July 2018, is designed to provide support to people who experienced sexual abuse in an institutional setting as a child and acknowledge the harm they have experienced.
The Scheme provides three components of redress, including:
- Access to counselling,
- A Redress payment, and
- A direct personal response, such as an apology, from the responsible institution.
Jewish Care was one of the first organisations in Victoria to launch its own scheme in 2013, The Children in Residential Care Support Scheme,and the organisation has committed to participating in the National Redress Scheme for its ten-year duration.
Participation in the Scheme is voluntary for non-Government organisations such as Jewish Care.
“Supporting the welfare of all members of our community is paramount in building a healthy, resilient and inclusive Jewish community,” said Jewish Care CEO Bill Appleby. “Supporting people who experienced childhood sexual abuse at one of our predecessor organisations to access redress is important in acknowledging the harm caused and to help with healing.”
“Jewish Care is committed to supporting members of our community who were victims of sexual abuse,” said Mike Debinski, President of Jewish Care. “We encourage all members of our community who experienced institutional sexual abuse as a child to find out more about the Scheme in order to seek the support they need and deserve.”
Federal Minister for Families and Social Services, Paul Fletcher MP also said, “As the National Redress Scheme grows and additional institutions join, more applications can be processed and more survivors of institutional child sexual abuse can access support and acknowledgement.”
Redress Support Services provides free and confidential emotional, legal and financial counselling to people who are thinking about applying to the Scheme. People who have experienced institutional child sexual abuse are encouraged to find out more about the Scheme, participating organisations, and how to apply by visiting www.nationalredress.gov.auor calling 1800 737 377.
