On 11 January 2013, the Prime Minister, the Hon Julia Gillard MP, announced the appointment of a six-member Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and the release of the Terms of Reference that will guide the inquiry.
The Royal Commission will inquire into how institutions with a responsibility for children have managed and responded to allegations and instances of child sexual abuse and related matters. It will investigate where systems have failed to protect children, and make recommendations on how to improve laws, policies and practices to prevent and better respond to child sexual abuse in institutions.
The Commissioners can look at any private, public or non-government organisation that is, or was in the past, involved with children, including government agencies, schools, sporting clubs, orphanages, foster care, and religious organisations. This includes where they consider an organisation caring for a child is responsible for the abuse or for not responding appropriately, regardless of where or when the abuse took place.
The Australian Government is seeking applications from eligible organisations to apply for funding to deliver services such as counselling, support and case management to individuals and affected family members before, during and after their engagement with the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Apply for Royal Commission support services funding
The following links / documents provide further information about the Royal Commission and how it will work and how organisations can apply for Royal Commission support services funding:
Fact Sheets
- Explaining the Letters Patent and Terms of Reference
- Support services
- Royal Commissions
- An Easy Read Guide to Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
Frequently asked questions
Media releases
- Media Release 13 April 2013: More support for survivors of child sexual abuse
- Media release 13 February 2013: Royal Commission into Royal institutional Responses into Child Sexual Abuse
- Media release 11 January 2013: Government formally establishes Royal Commission
- Media release 29 November 2012: 720 Public Consultation Contributions Received
- Media release 19 November 2012: Release of Consultation Paper on the Royal Commission into Child Abuse