THE AGE – 30.08.2004
Melbourne . Victoria . Australia

Apologise to children abused in care: Senate Report recommends

By Misha Schubert
Political correspondent
Canberra
August 30, 2004

Children who were abused or neglected in institutions and foster homes should get an official apology, reparation and a royal commission, a Senate report is tipped to recommend today.

The Inquiry into Children in Institutional Care report, to be tabled in the Senate at lunchtime, may also call for an ombudsman to monitor future abuse allegations.

And the report is likely to urge the states to amend laws so victims can sue their abusers outside the current statute of limitations. It may also recommend memorials to victims of abuse in state care.

Calls for the raft of reparation measures were made by former wards of the state during emotion-charged hearings of the Senate committee this year.

Many gave evidence suggesting that physical, verbal and sexual abuse was widespread in Australia's institutional care system.

Victims urged the inquiry committee to consider measures including a royal commission, a national reparation fund and official apologies.

Members of the body representing victims, the Care Leavers of Australia Network, will be in Canberra today to hear the committee's findings. They have been invited to a special session with senators after the report is tabled to respond to the recommendations.

CLAN spokeswoman Leonie Sheedy said it was impossible to know how many adult Australians had been neglected or abused in care.

"We are the forgotten generation," she said. "This report is so significant - at long last our stories will be on the public record and our fellow Australians can no longer say they didn't know this happened to children in homes."

Copyright © 2004. The Age Company Ltd.

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[ Date of first publication on this Website: 30 August 2004 ]