Make a new redress claim

A new process is proposed for applications to financial redress from survivors with certain serious violent and/or sexual offences and who have been sentenced to five or more years in prison for that offence. This process would be overseen by an independent decision maker to determine that a redress payment would not bring the scheme into disrepute.

This approach requires legislation. A Redress System for Abuse in Care Bill has had its first reading and the Social Services and Community Select Committee is seeking submissions up to 26 November. While this legislation is being considered, an interim process is in place for new redress applications submitted from 9 May 2025.

Interim process in place

All survivors seeking financial redress from 9 May 2025 will be required to fill out a form giving consent for a criminal conviction history check to be made by an independent redress assessment unit. 

The form also provides consent for the Unit to request any sentencing information on their behalf from the relevant sentencing Court(s) if their criminal conviction history result shows they have been convicted of a serious violent and/or sexual offence.

Survivors who have been sentenced to five or more years in prison for a single serious violent and/or sexual offence will have their financial redress application put on hold. However, they may still receive an apology and access wellbeing support.

Examples of qualifying offences include but are not limited to the following offences:

• aggravated robbery
• murder
• manslaughter
• intent to injure or cause grievous bodily harm
• abduction
• kidnapping
• poisoning
• infecting with disease.

A survivor will also need to submit the form with a copy of their identification (ID) to the redress agency they have registered with.

If they do not have ID, the redress agency they have registered with will work with them to confirm their identity. 

If they do not complete and submit this form, their application for financial redress will not progress.

Survivors with a serious violent and/or sexual offence

Survivors who have been sentenced to five or more years in prison for a single serious violent and/or sexual offence will have their financial redress application put on hold. However, they may still receive an apology and access wellbeing support.

Survivors who are terminally ill 

Survivors who are terminally ill and who may not survive the legislation process can apply for an exemption to this checking process. This applies for the interim part of the process only.

The Lead Coordination Minister can exempt a survivor from the process, as long as there is information from an appropriate medical professional confirming a diagnosis and prognosis. 

Survivors with a redress claim with multiple agencies

A survivor only needs to complete the declaration form once and can either share that with all agencies they have a claim with or request it is shared with the other agencies on their behalf. 

Ministry of Social Development 

The Ministry of Social Development is responsible for resolving claims for abuse and neglect in State care relating to events that occurred before 1 April 2017, for people who were in care, custody, guardianship or came to the notice of: 

• the Child Welfare Division 

• the Department of Social Welfare 
• the New Zealand Children and Young Persons Service or Child, Youth and Family 

Contact: 

• 0800 631 127 to speak with a Historic Claims staff member 

• Email historicclaims@msd.govt.nz 

For more information, visit: Historic Claims | Ministry of Social Development

Oranga Tamariki 

Oranga Tamariki is responsible for resolving claims for abuse and neglect in state care relating to events from 1 April 2017. If you have a social worker, please let them know you would like to make a claim or contact: 

• email claims@ot.govt.nz 

• call 0508 326 459 

For more information, visit: Claims for abuse while in care | Oranga Tamariki — Ministry for Children 

Ministry of Health 

The Ministry of Health administers claims relating to allegations of abuse in state-run psychiatric facilities and psychopaedic hospitals before 1 July 1993. Such abuse includes allegations of physical abuse, sexual abuse or treatment used as punishment (such as ECT or solitary confinement) while in care. Contact the Ministry of Health: 

• email historicabuse@health.govt.nz 

• call (04) 4962000 

• write to the Historic Abuse Resolution Service, Postal - Health Legal, Ministry of Health, PO Box 5013, Wellington 6145 

For more information, visit: Historic abuse claims | Ministry of Health NZ 

Ministry of Education 

The Ministry of Education responds to claims where a person believes they were abused, mistreated or neglected and believe the experience has harmed them in some way when they attended:

• a specialist school before 1989 

• a primary school prior to 1989 

• any State school that is now closed (including specialist schools and health camp schools). 

To make a sensitive claim with the Ministry of Education or to enquire about the eligibility of your claim, contact: 

• call 0800 663 252 

• email sensitive.claims@education.govt.nz 

For more information, visit: Sensitive claims of abuse in state schools - Ministry of Education 

Te Puni Kōkiri and Corrections 

The Department of Corrections and Te Puni Kōkiri do not have agency-specific redress schemes and that is why work is underway to develop an approach to assess and respond to Te Puni Kōkiri and Corrections claims. 

The implementation of this work is aligned to the delivery of the integrated operating model initiatives due to be completed by June 2026.