The backlog of redress claims from child abuse survivors seeking compensation has more than doubled in two years, prompting concerns for those who “simply cannot wait”, including the ill, elderly and dying.
The national redress scheme has been operating since 2018, one year after the royal commission’s damning final report, offering capped compensation and apologies to survivors of abuse in churches, orphanages, children’s homes, schools, sports clubs and other institutions.
Last year, an independent review of the scheme warned it needed a “significant and urgent reset” to ensure it was a “survivor-centred, humane, and less onerous option than civil action”, as intended by the royal commission.
Survivors and advocacy groups have repeatedly warned delays in processing redress claims were causing further harm, particularly to those who are seriously ill or dying, and leading survivors to pursue civil action instead.
But a Guardian analysis of monthly redress scheme data shows the backlog in claims is growing considerably.
The most recent data shows 8,443 claims were still being processed in late August.
That is a roughly 265% increase on the 3,187 claims that were being processed in September 2020.
The data shows a considerable spike in the volume of claims being made in 2022.
The incomplete monthly data published on the scheme’s website suggested it was receiving 710 applications on average each month in 2022. That is well above the levels recorded for 2020 and 2021.
At the same time, the data shows the rate at which decisions and payments are being made has not changed dramatically since 2020 and 2021.
The Department of Social Services annual report shows a decrease in the number of claims being finalised. In the last financial year, the number of claims finalised dropped to 2,970 in 2021-22 from 3,283 in 2020-21. The report attributed the slowdown to a new step in the claims process introduced in 2021-22, which provides greater detail to survivors when they are advised of the outcome of their claim.
“This resulted in lower numbers of applications being finalised in that introductory period and reduced the number of survivors receiving redress this year, compared to the previous year,” the report said.
The Guardian’s analysis showed the number of claims on hold or paused had also ballooned this year, up to 1,778 in August from 702 in March. Claims can be put on hold or paused at the request of the survivor.
The Blue Knot Foundation also said it was good to see more people coming forward to lodge applications with the scheme.
However, the foundation’s president, Cathy Kezelman, said it was important for the scheme to be responsive to meet increased demand and plan for increased applications.
“The reality is that many survivors have waited decades for redress,” she said. “Many are elderly. Some are terminally ill. They simply cannot wait. Their health continues to deteriorate. They continue to struggle to be heard, believed and have often even the simplest of needs met.”
The government is yet to formally respond to the independent review published last year. The 38 final recommendations of the review included changes designed to build trust with sceptical survivors, streamline the application process, and ensure elderly and terminally ill survivors received advance payments.
Despite a plea for urgency, the former government did not give a final response to the review before leaving office. It had pledged to do so.
An interim response was provided and some reforms have been instituted – including the use of advance payments for elderly and terminally ill survivors.
Kezelman said she was aware that the new government was intending to respond to the final recommendations of the review.
She said it was time for the system to ramp up, streamline its processes while maintaining sensitivity, and potentially appoint additional independent decision makers to help ease the backlog.
