Foster Care Abuse
Shine Lawyers' trauma-informed foster care abuse lawyers are compassionate and can be trusted with your foster care abuse claim. Our mental health support team and No Win No Fee* foster care abuse lawyers are ready to help you access justice and right wrong.
Abuse in foster care in Australia
Abuse in foster care is a devastating reality for too many. Thousands of Australian children are placed in out of home care every year, including in foster care.
Every Australian who grew up in foster care has their own set of circumstances for being there. Many share complex family situations involving trauma, neglect and abuse. It’s inexcusable that any vulnerable Australian was abused in foster care homes by people who should have cared for them.
Am I eligible for compensation?
Compensation for abuse in foster care is a legal claim for survivors of foster care abuse that occurred because of negligence or failures in the foster care system in your state of territory. This negligence or failure resulted in, e.g.:
Sexual abuse in foster care
Physical abuse
Psychological or emotional abuse
Neglect
Making a claim won’t erase what happened to you, but it may be an opportunity:
To hold someone (or an institution) to account
For acknowledgement of what happened to you
For an apology
Compensation for abuse in foster care may help with the impact that abuse has had on your life.
Why choose Shine's foster care abuse lawyers?
Compassionate foster care abuse lawyers
Shine Lawyers has one of Australia’s largest dedicated Abuse Law teams. We have decades of experience in helping thousands of adult survivors of child abuse and foster care abuse seek justice. Our foster care abuse lawyers passionately advocate for our clients and are driven to stand up to individuals and powerful institutions to secure successful outcomes.
No Win No Fee* Lawyers
Our dedicated abuse lawyers can provide expert legal advice, tailored to your situation, on a No Win No Fee* basis. We’ll work with you to build your claim for compensation for abuse in foster care and explain each step of the legal process.
*Conditions apply
Trauma-informed support
We recognise your courage in speaking up. Wherever possible, we’ll work with you to minimise the stress and inconvenience of the legal process.
Our foster care abuse lawyers are trained to work in a trauma-informed way. Our mental health support team can also help reduce the trauma of the legal process for both our lawyers and clients. We’ll be with you, every step of the way.
Review your claim with our simple and free online tool.
What we will ask:
Questions to help us understand your experience and how your life has been impacted. Your responses will help us define the best course of action for your claim.
What happens next:
Book a confidential, obligation-free appointment with an expert foster care abuse lawyer, or
Speak with our team about your options to claim compensation for abuse in foster care
What a foster care abuse claim can involve
Talking about foster care abuse that happened many years ago can be overwhelming. You may have been abused in a foster care home, a group home or in a foster care institutional setting. You may never have shared your story with anyone before. Shine’s mental health support team members work with our expert foster care abuse lawyers and help our clients through the compensation claim process.
You’ll find information here about the five main phases of an institutional abuse claim (such as against a government agency or care organisation responsible for your foster care placement. Your claim may also be against your foster care parents).
A guide on supporting your loved one
We've created a conversation guide, to help you support your loved one through their foster care abuse claim. The guide can help you understand the emotional impact of making a claim, a little about the legal process and where you can both find support.
Access justice with Shine Lawyers
Whether your foster care abuse claim settles before a court hearing or proceeds to court, your expert, compassionate foster care abuse lawyers and mental health support team will guide you through the process. We’ll explain what’s happening and help you anticipate what comes next.
Compensation can’t change the past, but it may help you to move forward.
Foster care abuse FAQs
What is the time limit to claim compensation for abuse in foster care?
What is the time limit to claim compensation for abuse in foster care?
If you’re a survivor of childhood sexual foster care abuse, there is no time limit for your legal claim. Get in touch with our compassionate foster care abuse lawyers for advice specific to your unique circumstances.
What about a National Redress Scheme payment for foster care abuse?
What about a National Redress Scheme payment for foster care abuse?
Other than a civil foster care abuse compensation claim, you may be eligible to claim a National Redress Scheme payment. If you have accepted a Redress payment already, note that you can’t then make a civil abuse claim.
The National Redress Scheme is available if you were:
Abused as a child
Involved with an institution taking part in the National Redress Scheme
Understanding your legal options before applying for the National Redress Scheme is important. This advice can be provided for free by contacting Knowmore, an independent legal service provider.
Additional support for survivors of foster care abuse in Australia
Additional support for survivors of foster care abuse in Australia
In an emergency, please call 000. For ongoing professional support for you or your loved one, we suggest contacting any of the following organisations:
1800 RESPECT 1800 737 732 (sexual assault, domestic and family violence)
13 YARN 13 92 76 (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander crisis support)
Blue Knot 1300 657 380 (complex trauma due to abuse, neglect or violence)
Bravehearts free call 1800 272 831 (sexual abuse as a child)
Lifeline Australia 13 11 14 (24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention)
