As always, I want to start my update by thanking victims and survivors – individuals, survivor representative groups and their leaders – as well as the families of victims and survivors who have continued to engage with my Office over the past few months.
As we progress towards the end of the Historical Institutional Abuse Redress Scheme, which closes to all applications on 2 April 2025, I want to acknowledge the strength, courage and resilience of victims and survivors of non-recent/historical institutional child abuse. The work of my Office remains firmly focused on providing information, raising awareness of rights and entitlements and advocating for ongoing supports and services for victims and survivors.
In this update, I will provide an overview of the work of my Office over the past few months and highlight some important information for victims and survivors.
End of Historical Institutional Abuse Redress Scheme: 2 April 2025
The Historical Institutional Abuse Redress Scheme will close to all applications without exception on 2 April 2025.
The Redress Scheme was established to provide compensation to those who experienced abuse while residing in institutions in Northern Ireland between 1922 and 1995.
If you experienced abuse as a child under 18 years while resident in an institution in Northern Ireland (for example a children’s home, borstal or training school) between 1922 and 1995 inclusive and/or were sent to Australia under the Child Migrant Programme, then you may be eligible to apply for support services and/or compensation.
If you - or someone you know is eligible to apply – I would encourage you to do so before the deadline to ensure that your claim is considered.
Key Information
Application Deadline: 2 April 2025
How to Apply
I would like to encourage you to contact my Office if you need general advice and information about the application process.
You can contact us on:
Telephone: 028 9054 4985
Email: info@cosica-ni.org
Awareness raising initiative
Between January and March, my Office has been engaging in its third awareness raising initiative, focusing on Northern Ireland, Britain and Ireland, to try to reach as many victims and survivors as possible before the Redress Scheme ends on 2 April.
As Commissioner, I am very conscious that there is an increased risk of victims and survivors outside of Northern Ireland being unsure or unaware of their entitlements. I was pleased to engage again with victims and survivors directly as well as agencies during a recent visit to London to raise awareness of supports, services and entitlements.
As part of this awareness initiative, 770 information packs containing posters and leaflets were sent to a wide range of politicians, advice centres and agencies across various sectors in Northern Ireland, Britain and the Republic of Ireland.
I also conducted an interview with the Irish World, a community newspaper aimed at Irish people living outside Northern Ireland, alongside social media posts to help raise engagement and promote the awareness raising initiative. Our most recent Facebook post has had 14,269 actual views and 9,581 reach to date.
I am pleased to say that my Office has seen an increase in engagement from victims and survivors over this period and I hope that we can continue to reach as many victims and survivors as possible before the Redress Scheme closes to applications.
I would again encourage anyone who may be eligible to apply for financial redress compensation to do so and to contact my Office for general information and advice.
Advisory Panel
I am pleased to be able to give an important update on the Commissioner’s Advisory Panel. Recruitment has taken place, and a panel made up of victims and survivors of non-recent/historical institutional child abuse has been appointed. The Advisory Panel provides a further opportunity for me in my role as Commissioner to engage with victims and survivors. The work of the Advisory Panel will focus on the needs of victims and survivors in relation to services and supports – now and in the future. I am really looking forward to working with members of the Advisory Panel, whose insights and lived experiences will be invaluable as my Office continues its work on providing advice on services and supports for victims and survivors.
Consultation on services to victims and survivors of non-recent/historical institutional childhood abuse
In my last update I spoke about my Office’s consultation on services. This consultation has brought together the voices of victims and survivors who have told us about their experiences of supports and services and what they would like from services going forward. These valuable insights will be published in a report by my Office in the coming weeks, and my hope is that it will be helpful in continuing important conversations with service providers about current needs, future concerns and how victims and survivors can be best supported going forward. I look forward to sharing more information with you in my next update.
Seeking support
As we move towards the end of the Redress Scheme, I would like to encourage anyone who is eligible to apply to consider doing so as soon as possible. I would also like to reassure victims and survivors that even through the Redress Scheme is closing on 2 April, specialist services are continuing. I want victims and survivors to know that services and supports are available to them. My Office would be delighted to hear from you.
You can contact us on:
Telephone: 028 9054 4985
Email: info@cosica-ni.org
Fiona Ryan
Commissioner for Survivors of Institutional Childhood Abuse