State Redress NZ provides one place to go for survivors
The Government is continuing its work to improve State redress for survivors of abuse and neglect in State care.
One of the key objectives of the redress improvement programme is to make State redress easier to access, easier to understand, and more consistent across agencies.
In this pānui, we provide an update on the launch of the State redress service.
State redress service now available
The Government has launched the State redress service as one place to go for information about State redress, making a new claim, and understanding what happens next.
The State redress service can:
- answer questions about State redress
- help people make a new claim
- explain what happens next in the redress process
- connect people with the appropriate agency or agencies
- provide updates about a claim, where available
- help people access information about care records and wellbeing support.
For too long, survivors have had to contact multiple agencies to understand where to go for information, support, or redress. The State redress service makes the process simpler, particularly for survivors whose experiences involve more than one care setting or government agency.
The State redress service is based within the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) and operates on behalf of all State redress agencies. It is designed to support agencies to work together and provide a more joined-up experience for survivors.
Setting up this new central service is part of the Government’s suite of changes in response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.
The introduction of the State redress service does not affect existing claims. Survivors who already have a redress claim do not need to start the process again. If a survivor is already working with a contact person at a redress agency, they will continue to work with that person.
Survivors seeking information about State redress, wanting to make a new claim, or wanting to understand what happens next can contact the State redress service through the following.
Phone: 0800 110 886
Phone from overseas: +64 4 910 9886
Email: contact@info.redress.govt.nz
Post: State redress service
State Redress NZ
PO Box 1556
Wellington 6140
Read more about the State redress service at: www.redress.govt.nz(external link)