Personal acknowledgements and apologies for victim-survivors

Apology to victim-survivors

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About personal acknowledgements and apologies

For some victim-survivors, receiving an acknowledgement of their personal experience and an apology from the Department of Education can be an important part of healing. Some victim-survivors may also want to hear about what the department and schools are doing now, to keep children and young people safe.

The department offers a safe and supportive way to connect directly with a senior leader from the department, and to be heard, acknowledged and recognised.

What the process involves

Work with an experienced facilitator, who is independent of the department and understands restorative engagement principles, to figure out what’s important to you in receiving a personal acknowledgement.
Decide whether you would like to receive an apology and acknowledgment in person, in writing, or both.
Share your experiences with a senior leader from the department in a safe and structured environment. You can tell as much or as little as you would like.
Receive recognition, acknowledgement and an apology. Depending on your preferences, the department representative can acknowledge and apologise for the harm you experienced and the specific impact it has had on your life.
As part of the acknowledgement, you can learn and ask questions about steps being taken to protect children and young people today, if this is of interest to you.

Who can take part

This process is for adults who were sexually abused while they were a student at a Victorian government school, by an adult working at the school (such as a teacher, principal, other staff member, contractor, or volunteer).

Immediate family members of those students can also take part if the student has passed away.

How it works

1. Initial contact

You’ll first speak with someone from the Department of Education. We’ll explain how it works and what information we may need from you. You’ll always know what is being shared and have control over what happens next.

2. Independent facilitator

If you’re eligible, and want to continue, we’ll connect you with a trained, independent facilitator.

They’ll support you and make sure your voice is heard. They’ll help you prepare for and navigate the process with confidence. You can ask for a facilitator with particular experience or cultural/linguistic background. If you’re not comfortable with your assigned facilitator, we can arrange for a different one.

3. Planning what’s important to you

Your facilitator will help you work out what you want from an acknowledgement. This could include:

what you’d like to say or ask
what you would like to hear from the department leader
how you’d prefer to engage — in person, online, or in writing
if meeting in person, details like where, who attends, and how the meeting is run.

4. Choosing who you meet from the department

You can speak to your facilitator about any preferences for the senior department leader you’ll meet. For example, someone with experience in child safety or someone who works closely with schools. We’ll do our best to match that.

5. The meeting

When you’re ready, the department and your facilitator will finalise the meeting with the senior leader from the department.

If you choose to meet in person, you will be able to tell us your preference for where you would like the meeting to be held. For example, at your old school, at a department office, at a local community location or somewhere else that you would feel comfortable or that suits your needs.

The facilitator and the department would work with you to ensure that it is a safe space which can also accommodate any support people you’d like to bring and any accessibility needs.

6. After the meeting

Your facilitator will check in with you afterwards. If the department representative made any commitments during the meeting, the facilitator will help ensure that they’re followed through.

Your rights and protections

Flexibility. We’ll move at your pace. You can take breaks, reschedule meetings or pause the process at any time. You might end up deciding that this is not the right process for you.
Professional support. We offer up to five wellbeing sessions with a qualified practitioner of your choice so you can get the support you need. Your facilitator and department contact are also there to answer questions throughout the process.
Choice of support and location. You can have a loved one or other support person/s with you during any part of the process, and you can decide where/how the meeting will take place.
Legal rights. Receiving an acknowledgement or apology does not affect your right to bring a legal claim to the department for compensation or access the National Redress Scheme.
Confidentiality. If you choose an in-person meeting, your conversation with the department’s senior leader about the impacts of your experience will be confidential. We’ll explain to you how we’ll handle any information that you share with us.

Wellbeing support available

We understand that sharing your experiences can be incredibly difficult. Your safety and wellbeing are our priority.

We offer funding for up to five wellbeing sessions to support you through the personal acknowledgement. You can use these for counselling with a practitioner of your choice, or for complementary therapies, like art therapy or yoga with a qualified practitioner.

The five sessions are available to you, even if you have already received compensation through a legal claim.

Important to know: The department offers financial support to victim survivors who report child sexual abuse by an adult working in a Victorian government school. This is separate to any wellbeing support offered through the personal acknowledgement process.

For further information refer to Counselling support for victim-survivors.

Acknowledging your experience in other ways

For some victim-survivors, there are other meaningful ways for the department or school to acknowledge their experience of abuse, either instead of, or as part of receiving an apology and acknowledgement from the department.

This might include removal of a staff member’s name from a school honour board, or establishing a physical form of acknowledgement or memorial on school grounds (such as planting a tree, an installation, or artwork), agreed on between a victim-survivor and their former school.

For information on the department’s guidance for Victorian government schools on requests for memorials and other forms of physical acknowledgement, refer to the Policy and Advisory Library (PAL).

You are welcome to contact the department’s Restorative Engagement and Support team on 03 9057 4500, or email rest@education.vic.gov.au with any questions or for further information about memorials or other ways of acknowledging historical child sexual abuse in a Victorian government school.

Frequently asked questions

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Do I have to report to the police?

No. You do not need to make a police report to receive a personal acknowledgement and an apology from the department.

Will this affect a legal claim or compensation process?

If you’re considering legal action, it is best not to start a personal acknowledgement process until your claim is resolved. This is to avoid any conflicts between processes.

If you have decided not to seek compensation, then we can go ahead with the personal acknowledgement. This won’t prevent you from bringing a claim later on, if you change your mind.

If you do go ahead and make a claim afterwards, the information you have given to the department throughout your personal acknowledgement process will be shared with the department’s lawyers and may be provided to other parties in the legal process.

Is this part of the National Redress Scheme?

No, this is not part of the National Redress Scheme.

It is a separate restorative process run by the Department of Education and is available even if you’re not eligible for or haven’t applied to the National Redress Scheme. However, it is similar to the National Redress Scheme’s “direct personal response.”

How long does it take?

This can vary. It depends on what you want and who you choose to involve.

The facilitator will work with you to plan a timeframe that feels right for you.

Find out more and get started

Contact the department’s Restorative Engagement and Support team by calling 03 9057 4500, or emailing rest@education.vic.gov.au.

Updated 27 March 2026

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Personal acknowledgements and apologies for victim-survivors

Apology to victim-survivors

On this page

About personal acknowledgements and apologies

What the process involves

Who can take part

How it works

1. Initial contact

2. Independent facilitator

3. Planning what’s important to you

4. Choosing who you meet from the department

5. The meeting

6. After the meeting

Your rights and protections

Wellbeing support available

Acknowledging your experience in other ways

Frequently asked questions

Find out more and get started

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