Support and services
The Department of Communities funds a number of community based support services specially targeting the needs of former residents. These support services are listed below and operate from Lotus Place:
- Address:
- 26 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
- Postal address:
- PO Box 3449, South Brisbane QLD 4101
- Telephone:
- 1800 035 588 (toll-free within Australia), or (07) 3844 0966
or +61 7 3844 0966 (international) - Email:
- redress@merivale.org.au.
Operating hours
- Monday
- 9 am to 3 pm
- Tuesday
- 9 am to 5 pm
- Wednesday
- 12 am to 3 pm
- Thursday
- 9 am to 5 pm
- Friday
- 9 am to 5 pm
Historical Abuse Network
is auspiced by Micah Projects Inc to provide formal and informal peer support opportunities for people who identify as having experienced abuse in institutions, detention centres or foster care. The network aims to:
- maintain a voice and continue dialogue with the government and the churches
- share and disseminate information
- reconnect and provide opportunities for engagement
- participate in reconciliation events and children's homes reunions
- promote affirmative action and ensure recognition of the lifelong impact and disadvantage of institutional care.
- Address:
- 26 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
- Postal address:
- PO Box 3449, South Brisbane QLD 4101
- Telephone:
- 1800 035 588 (toll-free within Australia)
- (07) 3844 0966
- Email:
- han@merivale.org.au
- Website:
- www.han.merivale.org.au
Esther Centre
Esther Centre (auspiced by Micah Projects Inc) provides:
- support and advocacy for individual former residents and their families experiencing crisis
- advocacy and support for people processing complaints of historic abuse through internal church protocols, professional bodies or organisations and criminal justice processes
- facilitation and resourcing of the Historical Abuse Network.
- Address:
- 26 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
- Postal Address:
- PO Box 3449, South Brisbane QLD 4101
- Telephone:
- 1800 035 588 (toll-free within Australia)
(07) 3844 0966 - Email:
- esther@merivale.org.au
- Website:
- www.esther.merivale.org.au
Aftercare Resource Centre
Aftercare Resource Centre (ARC), a program of Relationships Australia (Qld) provides:
- face-to-face counselling at the ARC office at South Brisbane, Relationships Australia branch offices and approved private practitioners in Queensland and interstate
- telephone counselling via a 1800 telephone number
- limited financial assistance for education expenses or vocational training opportunities, medical and psychological reports, personal development programs, records searches, family reunification and victim impact statements.
- Address:
- 26 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
- Postal Address:
- PO Box 3449, South Brisbane QLD 4101
- Telephone:
- 1800 501 560 (toll-free within Australia)
- Email:
- aftercare@relateqld.com.au
- Website:
- www.aftercareresourcecentre.org.au
The Forde Foundation
The Forde Foundation was established by the Queensland Government in 2000 as a charitable trust to assist former residents of children's institutions in Queensland and some foster care residents. The fund is administered by the Public Trustee of Queensland who is guided by the recommendations of a Board of Advice.
The Foundation assists former residents to create opportunities to rebuild their lives by accessing services or items which help with:
- family reunification
- education, training and personal development
- health and dental care
- other items or services to facilitate improve their quality of life.
- Telephone:
- 1800 035 588 (toll-free within Australia)
- (07) 3844 8804
- Email:
- forde@merivale.org.au
Website:www.fordefoundation.org.au
Useful contacts
Department of Communities
Forde Policy Officer, Strategic Policy and Evaluation Directorate
- Postal address:
- GPO Box 806, Brisbane QLD 4001
- Telephone:
- 1800 674 256 (toll-free within Australia)
- (07) 3224 8862
National services:
Alliance for Forgotten Australians
(AFA) is an alliance of existing groups and individuals supporting people who were raised in institutional or other out-of-home care in Australia in the 20th century. It is an umbrella or peak organisation and does not deliver services directly to Forgotten Australians. Its aim is to promote the needs of Forgotten Australians through cooperative advocacy and projects. The alliance has produced an information booklet about the experiences and current needs of the Forgotten Australians, available by contacting the alliance.
- Website:
- www.forgottenaustralians.org.au
Care Leavers of Australia Network
Care Leavers of Australia Network (CLAN) is a support and advocacy group for people brought up in care away from their family as state wards or children raised in children's homes, orphanages or other institutions, or in foster care. The network is also for anyone who has a close family member who was placed in 'care'.
- Telephone:
- (02) 9709 4520
- Email:
- support@clan.org.au
- Website:
- www.clan.org.au
Child Migrants Trust
- Address:
- 228 Canning Street, North Carlton, Melbourne VIC 3054
- Telephone:
- (03) 9347 7403
Australian Taxation Office
CR 2008/8 - Income tax: assessable income: payments received under the Redress Scheme
Centrelink
Social Security Exempt Lump Sum (Queensland Government Redress Scheme) (FaCSIA) Determination 2007
Social Security Exempt Lump Sum (Queensland Government Redress Scheme) (DEWR) Determination 2007
Social Security Exempt Lump Sum (Queensland Government Redress Scheme) (DEST) Determination 2007
New South Wales
Department of Community Services
- Unit:
- Freedom of Information Unit
- Telephone:
- (02) 9716 2662
The NSW Aftercare Resource Centre Support Service
- Telephone:
- 1800 656 884 (toll-free within Australia)
Victoria
Department of Human Services (DHS)
- Unit:
- Adoption and Family Records Service
- Telephone:
- 1300 769 926 (toll-free within Australia)
- (03) 8608 5700
DHS has advertised for submissions to provide a broad range of services to care leavers/Forgotten Australian and it is anticipated that the new service will commence around September 2009.
Interim Services for Forgotten Australians will operate from the Centre of Excellence in Child and family Welfare from 1 July 2009 until the new service is established.
Services offered by the Interim Service for Forgotten Australians will include:
- brokered counselling
- support groups
- life skills program
- access to records.
Telephone: (03) 9614 1577 or 1800 509 203 (toll-free within Australia)
South Australia
Post Care Services - Families SA, Department of Families and Communities
- Telephone:
- (08) 8207 2653
- Freecall:
- 1800188 118 (toll-free within Australia)
- Email:
- postcare@dfc.sa.gov.au
- Website:
- www.familiesandcommunities.sa.gov.au
Western Australia
Redress WA
This scheme seeks to address historical child abuse claims for those who suffered abuse while in state care, both institutional and non-institutional (including child migrants and Stolen Generation children) prior to 1 March 2006. Applications for the scheme opened on 1 May 2008 and closed on 30 April 2009.
- Telephone:
- (02) 9709 4520
- Free call:
- 1800 617 233(toll-free within Australia)
- Email:
- info@redress.wa.gov.au
- Website:
- www.redress.wa.gov.au
Tasmania
Abuse of Children in State Care Information Line
- Telephone:
- 1300 654 583
- Calls from mobile phones are charged at applicable rates.
Last reviewed: 13 July 2009