The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse is calling for submissions from interested parties on issues relating to advocacy and support and therapeutic treatment services.

Advocacy and support and therapeutic treatment encompass a range of services survivors need to address the impact of child sexual abuse and trauma and help them to heal and lead a fulfilling and meaningful life.

Royal Commission CEO Philip Reed said that the Royal Commission is required by its Terms of Reference to ensure justice for victims through the provision of support services.

“Through our case studies and private sessions we have heard about the lack of quality support services as well as a range of difficulties survivors face when seeking support and therapeutic treatment services,” Mr Reed said.

“We now seek submissions from all interested parties on their experiences of advocacy and support and therapeutic treatment services for survivors of child sexual abuse to further increase our understanding of these issues,” he said.

“Through the Royal Commission’s consultations on redress and civil litigation, it is clear that survivors have a range of needs beyond being able to access counselling and psychological care as part of a redress scheme. We noted in our final report on redress and civil litigation that a separate project would investigate the adequacy of advocacy and support services,” Mr Reed said.

It is anticipated that following a review of the submissions a consultation paper will be published, which will call for public submissions. Final recommendations on advocacy and support and therapeutic services will be contained in the Royal Commission’s final report in 2017.

Interested individuals and organisations wishing to respond to the issues paper have until 13 November 2015 to lodge a submission by email to: contact@childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au.

Read more information on Issues Paper 10 or lodge a submission.

Media enquiries: (02) 8282 3966 or media@childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au.

*Closing date for responses to issues paper extended until 30 November.