While redress cannot undo the harm done to former students who have been abused, the Board is committed to supporting them through an independent Redress Programme.
The Dilworth Redress Programme, which provides for a full redress response including financial redress, is available to any former Dilworth student subjected to sexual or serious physical abuse committed by a Dilworth representative, or a person who had access to the former student through a Dilworth Representative. It is also available to any former student who was sexually abused by another student where a Dilworth representative failed to take reasonable steps to protect against the potential for that abuse, or where the sexual abuse was encouraged or permitted by a Dilworth representative. The estate of a deceased former student who was abused can also apply for redress.
The independent Dilworth Redress Programme Panel has previously said that it would not make determinations of any applications for redress until sometime after publication of the Dilworth Independent Inquiry Report. In July 2023, the Panel confirmed it would not be able to start issuing determinations until the first quarter of 2024.
The Panellists are highly experienced people who are working diligently to ensure offers of redress are fair and equitable amongst all applicants and that applicants are supported in the process.
In the meantime, the Board encourages former students who were abused to register their interest in making applications for redress, if they have not already done so, by emailing [email protected] or calling 0800 888 744 (Monday-Friday 9am-5pm).
The Dilworth Redress Programme is managed independently of Dilworth, with determinations made by an independent panel of three experienced professional individuals of high standing, expertise and relevant experience. The independent Redress Panel has no direct involvement with the Dilworth Trust Board, and Dilworth has no control or influence over the Panel, how it carries out its important work, or its decisions about financial redress.
Dame Judith became the first female President of the New Zealand Law Society in 1991. She was appointed a Judge of the High Court in 1997 and served the judiciary for 15 years. Dame Judith continues to serve as a Judge of the Cook Islands High Court.
Professor Lambie is Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Auckland. He is a Fellow of the New Zealand Psychological Society and in 2020 he was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to Youth Justice and Clinical Psychology. His clinical work has been predominantly with male survivors of trauma, including sexual abuse.
Ms Schaafhausen practised law before assuming a number of challenging and high profile managerial and governance roles for Iwi, public and private entities in New Zealand. In 2022, Ms Schaafhausen, who is of Ngāti Haua descent, was awarded the Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori and the community.
The Dilworth Redress Programme launched on 29 August 2022, and former students who were abused can now register their interest in making an application for Redress on the Dilworth Redress Programme website.
The Dilworth Redress Programme website is fully independent of Dilworth and is managed by the Redress Programme’s secretariat.
The development of the Dilworth Redress Programme has been guided and informed by the interim recommendations from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.
From Redress to Puretumu Torowhānui/Holistic Redress.
In developing the proposed Dilworth Redress Programme Terms, the Board completed a comprehensive review of approaches to redress by governments and institutions internationally and consulted with legal and psychological experts in New Zealand as well as experts abroad who have experience in redress schemes.
Dilworth sought feedback on the proposed Dilworth Redress Programme Terms from former students who have been abused and their legal representatives, others affected by abuse and the wider Dilworth community. This feedback was used to inform the design and development of the Dilworth Redress Programme Terms, which have been finalised by the Redress Panel and will guide their work.
A full description of the Dilworth Redress Programme Terms can be found by clicking the link below.
The Dilworth Redress Programme represents a best practice approach covering four key elements: Acknowledgement, Apology, Counselling and Support, and Financial Redress.
Redress will be tailored to each Old Boy survivor as determined by the independent Redress Panel, and may include:
In the case of financial redress, there is a cap of $200,000 on the level of financial Redress that can be offered by the Panel. When making these determinations, the Redress Panel will consider the nature, extent and impact of the abuse, the individual vulnerability of the survivor, the degree of failure on the part of Dilworth and other aggravating factors. In cases that the Redress Panel believes are truly exceptional when compared to other cases, it is able to award a figure for financial Redress of up to $300,000.
Any engagement with the Dilworth Redress Programme will be confidential. Each redress applicant’s (and their family’s) privacy will be protected from the very start of the process and on an ongoing basis, unless the redress applicant wishes to make their award public.
There is no cost to applicants to register and make an application for redress.
Redress applicants (or the estates of deceased former students who were abused) can accept the offer of Redress or choose to not do so. They can also concurrently apply for a claim through the Government’s puretumu torowhānui redress scheme that may be introduced as recommended in the He Purapura Ora, he Māra Tipu report from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.
Current indications from Government are that its puretumu torowhānui redress scheme may be established in 2024. We encourage former students who were abused to participate in one or both redress programmes based on what feels most appropriate for them.
Date
Activity
15 March 2022 – 13 April 2022
Feedback sought from former students who have been abused, others affected by abuse and the wider Dilworth community on the proposed Redress Programme.
10 August 2022
Dilworth Trust Board announcement of independent Redress Panel and final Dilworth Redress Programme Terms
29 August 2022
Launch of the Dilworth Redress Programme website enabling former students who have been abused to register their interest in making an application for Redress.