One place to start
A claim is about seeking recognition, support, or redress for abuse that happened in care. Making a redress claim used to mean working out which agency to contact - MSD, Oranga Tamariki, or somewhere else. That's changed. There is now one place to start for all State redress claims: State Redress NZ.
The right process from there depends on when the abuse or neglect happened:
- Before April 2017 → MSD Historic Claims
- April 2017 onwards → Oranga Tamariki (OT) Claims
You no longer need to know which agency was responsible for your care, or which time period your experience falls in, before you get in touch. State Redress NZ will work that out with you and make sure your claim goes to the right place - even if your experience involves more than one agency or spans different time periods.
Who can make a claim?
You may be able to apply for redress if you experienced abuse or neglect while in State care - including foster care, residential care, youth justice institutions, and some State schools or health settings. This includes:
- Being in the care of Oranga Tamariki (on or after 1 April 2017)
- Being in the care of the Child Welfare Division, Department of Social Welfare, or Child, Youth and Family (before 1 April 2017)
- Some State schools, youth justice institutions, and mental health or psychopaedic facilities
If you're not sure whether your experience fits, you don't need to figure that out alone - get in touch and talk it through. Anyone can make a claim, including if you're currently under 18 or currently in care.
What redress can include
Depending on your circumstances, redress may include:
- A personalised apology
- Financial payment
- Counselling or other wellbeing support
- Help accessing your care records
GETTING STARTED
Accessing your records and starting a claim
STEP BY STEP
What happens when you make a claim
You only need to start the process once. If your experience involves more than one care setting or agency, State Redress NZ and the relevant agencies will work together behind the scenes to respond to your full experience - you won't need to make separate claims or work out where a boundary sits.
- You contact State Redress NZ. You don't need dates, documents, or every detail ready. They'll ask general questions about where and roughly when your experience happened, so they can work out which agency should respond.
- Your claim is recorded and next steps are explained to you. A Kaiwhakamana can support you with this bit, to help you articulate your story in a way that feels right for you.
- The right agency (or agencies) is identified. If your experience involves more than one care setting, agencies should work together so you only have to tell your story once.
- Your eligibility is confirmed by the relevant agency. State Redress NZ stays your main point of contact during this stage, and can give you updates along the way.
- An agency lead is assigned once your claim moves to assessment - they become your main contact from here, walk you through your options, and answer your questions.
- Your claim is assessed. Depending on your situation, this may be a faster rapid payment process or a more detailed individual assessment - your agency lead will explain what's available to you.
- Outcome and resolution. This may include an apology, a payment offer, or other support. You can take your time deciding whether to accept an offer, and you're welcome to get legal advice first.
What to expect
- You won't be asked for every detail upfront - many people don't remember exact dates or names, and that's normal, the team will work with what you have.
- You only have to tell your story once - having to repeat what happened to you, again and again, to different people and agencies, can be exhausting. Because agencies now work together through State Redress NZ, you shouldn't need to repeat your full story to each one separately.
- Timeframes vary depending on the agency involved, the type of claim, and how many other claims are being processed, but State Redress NZ and your agency lead will keep you updated on progress.
- You can pause at any time if you need a break, and pick things back up when you're ready. Support is available throughout the process, not just at the end.
How VOYCE can support you through this
You don't have to go through this alone. VOYCE can:
- Help you understand the process and your options
- Support you to make first contact with State Redress NZ, or be with you for that conversation
- If you'd like extra support putting your experience into words in your own way - sometimes called a "My Voice" document - VOYCE can help you prepare this
- Help you read and understand letters or information you receive
- Advocate alongside you and make sure your voice is heard
- Connect you with wellbeing and counselling support along the way
Other support
You can choose to have a lawyer, advocate, whānau member, or another support person involved at any stage - including someone acting on your behalf if that's what you need. State Redress NZ can talk you through what this looks like, including an Authority to Act if you want someone to engage with the process for you.