Child sexual abuse

Providing counselling for Redress for Historical Institutional Abuse

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Information for providers offering the counselling service for Redress for Historical Institutional Abuse.

Redress for Historical Institutional Abuse counselling service is available for people who have:

  • accepted an offer of redress
  • indicated that they would like to access counselling services.

Qualified practitioners are eligible to provider counselling services.

Invoices are paid by the service following a provider and care plan approval process.

Service offered

A full range of counselling and psychological care options are offered, including:

  • counselling support
  • supportive group work
  • Aboriginal Cultural Healing
  • cognitive behavioural therapy
  • cognitive analytic therapy
  • eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing
  • family and relationship therapy
  • therapeutic group work
  • psychoanalysis
  • mental-health focused psychological therapy
  • alternative therapies.

The department will support traditional and cultural healing practices for First Peoples on a case-by-case basis with their consent.

Types of service providers

The list of professionals that may be eligible to offer counselling services are:

  • psychologist
  • mental health practitioner
  • social workers
  • mental health nurses
  • psychiatrists
  • psychotherapists
  • counsellors.

Noting that all practitioners must be registered with a professional association, for example, AHPRA, APS and AASW.

The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (the department) will need to approve service providers before they can offer services to eligible Redress applicants and their families.

Apply to provide counselling services

To apply to be a provider, you need to:

  1. Read the service requirements document which outlines the requirements to be listed to provide Redress services in Victoria.
  2. If you meet these requirements, complete and return all sections of the application form and attach a copy of the following:
  • insurance (public liability up to $10 million and professional indemnity up to $5 million) with a reputable insurer
  • relevant professional qualifications
  • current registration with relevant professional association
  • use trauma-informed and person-centred approaches
  • have worked with adults affected by complex trauma and child abuse.

The department will review your application and may contact you to request further information about the application.

The department will advise you in writing as to whether the application is successful or not. If you are approved and before you start offering counselling services, you will need to:

  • Request permission and verify that the person accessing support has an eligible unique redress identification number.
  • Contact the Redress team by phone on 1800 716 870 or email victorianredress@dffh.vic.gov.au to confirm the service session details and submit a proposed client plan.
  • Provide your standard rate of payment and agree on the number of sessions to be delivered.

Invoices

Make invoices out to the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, Redress for Historical Institutional Abuse and send them by email to victorianredress@dffh.vic.gov.au.

Application form and other documents

Contact 

If you have questions, or need further information, contact the Redress team via phone 1800 716 870 or email at victorianredress@dffh.vic.gov.au.