The Hon. Justice Peter McClellan AM, Chair of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, delivered the opening address at the ANZATSA 7th Biennial International Research, Theory and Practice Conference last week.
The speech is available on the Royal Commission website.
Reminder: Submissions due for issues paper on advocacy and support and therapeutic services
The Royal Commission is seeking submissions on its issues paper relating to advocacy and support and therapeutic treatment services.Advocacy and support and therapeutic treatment encompass a range of services survivors need to address the impact of child sexual abuse and trauma and help them to heal and lead a fulfilling and meaningful life.
Submissions to Issues Paper 10 are due by 30 November 2015.
Royal Commission CEO Philip Reed said that the Royal Commission is required by its Terms of Reference to ensure justice for victims through the provision of support services.
“Through our case studies and private sessions we have heard about the lack of quality support services as well as a range of difficulties survivors face when seeking support and therapeutic treatment services,” Mr Reed said.
“We now seek submissions from all interested parties on their experiences of advocacy and support and therapeutic treatment services for survivors of child sexual abuse to further increase our understanding of these issues,” he said.
“Through the Royal Commission’s consultations on redress and civil litigation, it is clear that survivors have a range of needs beyond being able to access counselling and psychological care as part of a redress scheme. We noted in our final report on redress and civil litigation that a separate project would investigate the adequacy of advocacy and support services,” Mr Reed said.
Interested individuals and organisations wishing to respond to the issues paper have until 30 November 2015 to lodge a submission by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Alternatively comments can be made using the online feedback form on the Commission’s website http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/policy-and-research/issues-papers-submissions/have-your-say or writing to GPO Box 5283, Sydney, NSW, 2001.
For more information on the issues paper or to lodge a submission visit http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/research/issues-papers-submissions
