Consider Applying

The Dilworth Redress Programme encourages you to apply for redress if you are eligible.  Check your eligibility here

There is a two step process to apply:  first, you register;  then you apply.  You can follow the step by step guide, download the form to register, or fill it in online to register

Independent facilitators will lead you through the process to help you if you wish.  Register, and they will be in contact.  Or you can simply phone 0800 888 744 to ask for help or register by phone.  

Your privacy is important. You can read about the care the Dilworth Redress Programme takes over your privacy here


Register Now

A

If you are a former student of Dilworth school who is eligible, register by:

Completing the registration form online via a secure website, please fill in the form

OR
Downloading the registration form

THEN

  1. Email or Post: send the filled in form to a Programme Administrator at; administrator@dwredress.org.nz or PO Box 90899 Victoria Street West, Auckland, New Zealand, 1142

OR
To register by phone, or to have a registration form posted to you, please contact an Administrator on: 0800 888 744 (Monday-Friday 9am-5pm New Zealand time)

B

If you are representing the estate of a deceased former student who would have been eligible to apply, please:

Download this form
Complete and post or email it to administrator@dwredress.org.nz or PO Box 90899 Victoria Street West, Auckland, New Zealand, 1142.

C

If you are family of a former student who is eligible, contact a Programme Administrator to inquire: administrator@dwredress.org.nz or 0800 888 744 Mon-Fri 9am – 5pm New Zealand time.

In registering for the Dilworth Redress Programme, you will be asked to acknowledge that the programme will need to collect personal information about you and your attendance at Dilworth School, contained in your school file. This information will confirm the years of your attendance, and may also include other information about your experiences at Dilworth School. This information will be used solely to inform your application for redress.

After registering, you will be contacted by the Lead Facilitator who, after taking into account your preferences, will offer a Redress Facilitator to guide you through the application process (below chart). Redress Facilitators ensure that you have the access to support and counselling before, during and after your participation in the Dilworth Redress Programme if you need it.

In addition, if you need it, financial assistance will be provided to cover travel costs associated with applying for redress including meeting your facilitator (allowance is made for a support person travelling with you).


Who is Eligible?

Eligibility is governed by the Terms of the Dilworth Redress Programme. Read them here

In essence, you are eligible for redress under these Terms if you have been a student of Dilworth School, and while you were a student, you suffered: 

  1. Sexual abuse or serious physical abuse by a representative of Dilworth, or (by) a person who had access to the ‘survivor’ through a representative of Dilworth; or
  2. Sexual abuse by another student. 

Estate of deceased former student survivor may apply for redress

If you are the legal representative of the estate of a deceased former student of Dilworth School who suffered abuse while at School, you may apply for redress, including financial redress, on behalf of his estate. To apply, please contact the Programme Administrator at [email protected]

You do not have to live in New Zealand to register and apply for redress. Whether you are in Australia or Europe or USA, if you are eligible, you should consider registering and applying for redress.


What Is Available?

The elements of redress available to you in the Dilworth Redress Programme may include: 

  • Financial payment  
  • Therapeutic support or counselling funded or an upfront payment for future therapy 
  • An apology from the school taking into account your wishes 
  • Any other form of personalised response designed to recognise the abuse and its impact.

A level of payment for legal advice specific to your application may be made available to you. 

Alternative support pathways are available for former students who are not eligible for the Terms of Reference criteria:

  • Speak with a trained specialist in survivor experiences
  • Be supported in accessing support services that contribute to progression towards closure and healing
  • Receive an acknowledgement from Dilworth School of the abuse suffered and its impact, together with any other personalised support; and
  • Have an opportunity to engage directly with Dilworth School in a personalised way 

Email: [email protected].

Former students who were abused are encouraged to follow the work of the Royal Commission of Inquiry Into Abuse in Care in State and Faith based Institutions and consider making a claim under any resulting government scheme.


Process to Seek Redress – a step by step guide

After you have determined you are eligible to seek redress (read eligibility), there are two initial steps:

Application Process

*Timeframe: Generally a fortnight

1

Registrant has completed on-line registration Form; consented to Redress Programme gathering information (compiling Redress Report); OR has emailed/posted/filled in the form; OR registrant has phoned 0800 888 744 for help.

2

Lead Facilitator contacts Registrant to confirm eligibility, then allocates a Redress Facilitator.

3

Redress Facilitator arranges to meet registrant. Discusses Compilation of Report.

*Timeframe: Generally 3-4 months depending upon complexity and availability of reports

4

Redress Facilitator summarises Registrant’s application abuse experiences into a draft redress report for review and approval by the Registrant.

5

The Registrant completes formal Application for Redress form and Statutory Declaration. (Registrant becomes ‘the Applicant’)

6

The redress report, Formal Application and Statutory Declaration (which together form the Full Redress Report) are lodged with the Dilworth Independent Redress Panel for consideration.

*Timeframes are approximate and subject to change. They are dependent upon the volume and timeliness of relevant documents and reports.

After you complete the online registration form, the Lead Facilitator will contact you to confirm your eligibility for redress under the Terms. The Lead Facilitator will then allocate a Redress Facilitator (after taking into account your preferences). 

Your Redress Facilitator will arrange to meet you early in the process, at a time and place convenient to you (at no cost to you). If you live outside Aotearoa -New Zealand, Redress Facilitators will talk to you via zoom or phone to help you. 

The role of the Redress Facilitator is there to work with you to complete your Application. He or she will help you complete your Application form, and ensure all information, documents, or statements are presented to the Dilworth Independent Redress Panel as part of your personal application. The information you present will support your application for redress, providing important background.

Your Redress Facilitator is committed to working empathetically and respectfully with you  in completing your Application for consideration by the Redress Panel. He or she will do their best to ensure you feel appropriately supported through this process.

Your Redress Facilitator can also ensure you have an active support network in place if needed and may refer you to the Listening Service or other, community-based services if needed.


Information that May be Gathered 

The Redress Facilitator’s role is to gather information which you have agreed, through the process of registering, can be provided to form part of your personal application for redress.  This may include information about:  

  • your time at Dilworth School (school file) and after Dilworth, including the impact of abuse on you and your family/whānau
  • current circumstances that may impact on your ability to participate in the redress process  
  • reports relating to your abuse and its impacts  
  • the person who harmed you and others who were made aware of the abuse or have otherwise been involved with you
  • you (where you consent) from healthcare providers  
  • you from anyone else or any entity you wish your Redress Facilitator to contact 

The Redress Facilitator will ask Dilworth School for all information it has relating to your time at the School.  This information includes any privileged information predating 1 January 2018, and Dilworth School and Trust Board will waive privilege in that information for the sole purpose of the Dilworth Independent Panel’s consideration of your Application (but for no other purpose). 

As part of your Application, the Facilitator will review statements that you have already made to other entities, such as to the Dilworth Independent Inquiry, the Police, or Royal Commission of Inquiry. This means you will not need to retell, in full, your experiences again.

The Redress Facilitator will work with you should you wish to make a new statement, or if this is your first statement.

 

The information gathered on your behalf will only be used to:

  • assist you to make an Application for Redress;
  • determine the amount you may be offered and other elements of redress; 
  • provide an Offer of Settlement in redress, or to implement that offer. 
    See the Dilworth Redress Programme’s Privacy Statement

A key part of the Redress Facilitator’s role is to compile a report which goes to the Dilworth Independent Redress Panel, based on this information. The sole purpose of the report is to provide a record of facts relevant to your application, supported by the gathered information.  

As an Applicant, you see, correct and approve the content of the report before it is finalised and you agree to the report being sent to the Dilworth Independent Redress Panel.

The report makes no recommendations about the quantum of financial payment to you - that is for the Dilworth Independent Redress Panel to determine.  

You are able to withdraw your application at any stage if you wish. 


Information that May be Disclosed

Personal information gathered about you may also need to be disclosed to other parties by the Redress Facilitator.  For instance, it may need to be disclosed to:

  • The Dilworth Independent Redress Panel members 
  • Your name and age will need to be disclosed to Dilworth School (in order to request information from the School related to the application)
  • The Dilworth Trust Board by way of their lawyers and Dilworth Response team, but only insofar as is needed to facilitate settlement, apology and a financial payment. The Dilworth Trust Board will not be provided with your Redress Report.
  • Other organisations (with your consent) for example, for the purposes of requesting information from those organisations;  or if you have requested third party support services 
  • Emergency Services including New Zealand Police if there is a serious threat to the life, health, or safety of an individual or to assist with any relevant cases of abuse 

At any time you have the right to access the information held about you and request a copy of it from the Dilworth Redress Programme.

Privacy and confidentiality of your information are vital to the integrity of the Dilworth Redress Programme.  To read a fuller outline, see the Dilworth Redress Programme’s Privacy Statement 

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