The issue

The Royal Commission found an inconsistent approach to redress offerings for survivors. For example there was: 

  • Insufficient financial redress 
  • Inconsistent experiences of redress - survivors with similar experiences of abuse and/or neglect received different settlement offers 
  • Inconsistent offering of support - survivors received different levels of support depending on which redress agency they engaged with 
  • Apologies that failed to meaningfully acknowledge and apologise for the abuse, harm/trauma inflicted and suffered 
  • Apologies were seen as hollow without simultaneous system reform.

The improvements

The following five initiatives improve redress offerings to ensure survivors have a consistent experience irrespective of which State agency was responsible for their claim. These initiatives recognise the importance of financial settlements, wellbeing support, records access and apologies to survivors, and focus on enhancements to address the concerns raised by survivors: 

Improve personal apologies

Work is underway to improve personal apologies for abuse and neglect in care. 

Survivors say the limitation on what apologies can say, particularly around explicitly acknowledging the harm the individual survivor experienced, impacts their experience of redress, and is not genuine to them. 

The ability for redress agencies to improve their apologies would significantly improve redress for some survivors. 

Work is currently underway on legislation to improve personal apologies and is expected to be completed in June 2026. An apologies policy is due to be completed by September 2026. 

This page will be updated as decisions are made or you can sign up to receive updates by  emailing contact@abuseinquiryresponse.govt.nz with 'newsletter panui' in the subject line. 

Increase settlement payments

State redress includes a financial payment that recognises and acknowledges the harm of abuse and neglect in State care. It is not compensation. 

From 9 May 2025 an increase has been applied in the average redress payment for survivors of abuse in State care from $19,180 to $30,000. 

This is an interim approach until a common payment framework has been developed. 

This page will be updated as decisions are made or you can sign up to receive updates by  emailing contact@abuseinquiryresponse.govt.nz with 'newsletter panui' in the subject line. 

Develop a common payment framework

A transparent framework is being developed to guide decision making on the amount for individual financial offers. 

This work will be completed by December 2025 and the framework will be published on this website when it has been developed.

Deliver top-up payments for survivors with closed claims

Survivors who have a closed claim and received a settlement payment for abuse in State care before 9 May 2025 may be eligible for a top-up payment from: 

  • The Ministry of Social Development 
  • The Ministry of Education 
  • Oranga Tamariki 
  • The Ministry of Health. 

Find out how to register for a top-up payment 

Consistent support offerings 

A consistent approach to support offer will be available to survivors engaging in the redress process. 

This work is underway and will be completed by June 2026.