Nominations open for historic opportunity to help survivors of abuse in care

Nominations are being sought for a new group to design the proposed key features of a new, independent redress system for survivors of abuse in care.
 
Nominations are also sought for an Advisory Group that will support the Redress Design Group. 
 
The new redress system, puretumu torowhānui, will focus on healing from trauma and abuse.
 
Survivors of abuse in State or faith-based care are encouraged to submit a nomination to join either the Redress Design Group or the Advisory Group.
 
You can nominate yourself or someone else (with their agreement) to either group. It is intended that the Redress Design Group and Advisory Group be made up mainly of survivors of abuse in care, because it is essential that survivors are at the centre of this process.
 
The Design Group will develop the main features of the new system for survivors. It will test key elements of their high-level design proposals with the Advisory Group.
 
The Design Group will have up to 10 members, plus a Chair. We expect that this group will include survivors and/or their advocates, along with experts in subjects like trauma-informed service design. It will have a strong Māori voice, because Māori make up a high proportion of people in care, and because we want to ensure equity is met.
 
In addition, these groups will need to represent the diversity of survivors. People from all survivor communities are encouraged to nominate themselves or someone else to either group.
 
The Advisory Group will have up to 20 members, drawn from specific survivor communities including Māori, Pacific, Deaf and disabled, rangatahi (youth), LGBTQI, and people who were in State care and in faith-based care. The Advisory Group may choose to work together or in smaller groups.
 
We welcome interest from people who have worked with the Royal Commission, whether directly or in advisory roles, and from those who have not been part of the Inquiry. Past criminal convictions or links to gangs will not necessarily disqualify nominees from being appointed.
 
The group should be ready to start work in February 2023. The Design Group will make its recommendations to Ministers by June 2023. Subject to Cabinet decisions, further detailed design and implementation work will continue after that, with ongoing survivor involvement.
 
A new, independent, trauma-informed redress system was the central recommendation of the Abuse in Care Royal Commission’s interim report on redress. We acknowledge that the delay since the report release has concerned some survivors; however there has been considerable “behind the scenes” work preparing for this announcement, with input from survivors. We intend to make regular announcements in future on progress with this work.

Nominations for the Design and/ or Advisory Group must be submitted by 5pm on Tuesday 13 December, to this address: contact@abuseinquiryresponse.govt.nz

Please go to www.abuseinquiryresponse.govt.nz/redress-design for:

• The nomination form

• More detailed information on what the Design Group and Advisory Group will do, how it will work, and the skills and experience required of appointees

• Translations (te reo Māori, Samoan, Tongan) and accessible versions (Easy Read, Braille, audio, large print, NZ Sign Language) of the nomination information.

Register for news: If you would like updates from the Crown Response Unit on progress with developing the new system, including the priority projects, please register with contact@abuseinquiryresponse.govt.nz

Crown Response Unit
www.abuseinquiryresponse.govt.nz

How to get in touch with us

Call us in New Zealand on 0800 222 727 or text 8185 between 8.30am and 4.30pm Monday to Friday.

Call us from Australia on free phone 1800 875 745.

Email us at contact@abuseincare.org.nz.

Write to us at PO Box 10071, Wellington 6140.

Visit our website www.abuseincare.org.nz.
 

Help and support services

• Alcohol and Drug Helpline 0800 787 797 or online chat for people dealing with an alcohol or other drug problem; 10 am to 10 pm)

• Anxiety phone line 0800 269 4389 (0800 ANXIETY)

• Depression Helpline 0800 111 757 or free text 4202 (to talk to a trained counsellor about how you are feeling or to ask any questions)

• Family Services 211 Helpline 0800 211 211 for help finding (and direct transfer to) community based health and social support services in your area.

• Lifeline 0800 543 354 (0800 LIFELINE) or free text 4357 (HELP)

• Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse Aotearoa New Zealand Support services for male survivors of sexual abuse. Refer to website for the support organisation nearest to you.

• Need to talk? Free call or text 1737 any time for support from a trained counsellor

• OUTline NZ 0800 688 5463 (OUTLINE) provides confidential telephone support for sexuality or gender identity issues; 9 am to 9 pm weekdays, and 6 pm to 8 pm weekends)

• Rape Crisis 0800 883 300 (for support after rape or sexual assault)

• Safe to talk (Available 24/7) 0800 044 334, free txt 4334, email support@safetotalk.nz, live webchat on www.safetotalk.nz. Free and confidential information and support from trained counsellors for people affected by sexual harm in any way.

• Samaritans 0800 726 666

  Skylight, 0800 299 100 for trauma, loss and grief; 9am–5pm weekdays

• SNAP - Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests Providing peer support for women and men wounded by religious and institutional authorities

• Suicide Crisis Helpline 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)

• Supporting Families in Mental Illness For families and whānau supporting a loved one who has a mental illness. Auckland 0800 732 825. 

• Victim Support This free service provides emotional and practical support, information, financial assistance, referral to other support services and advocacy for the rights of victims.

• Youthline 0800 376 633, free text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat