Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse - fact sheet for mental health service providers

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse was established in January 2013 to inquire into how institutions with a responsibility for children have managed and responded to allegations and instances of child sexual abuse. Mental Health Australia has been working with the Royal Commission to develop a fact sheet for mental health service providers that features straightforward advice on how to help people to engage with the Royal Commission and tell their story, along with information on the importance of ensuring they are informed about complex trauma and its impacts.

Many people with mental health issues have an underlying lived experience of childhood trauma. The existence of the Royal Commission and stories in the media may cause survivors of all forms of trauma to seek help and it is critical that service providers are equipped to listen, hear and respond empathetically to those who disclose. To this end, several organisations have been funded independently of the Royal Commission to deliver training in trauma informed care.

In addition to providing information about the Royal Commission processes and professional development opportunities, the fact sheet also encourages service providers to actively contribute to issues papers and submissions and follow the extensive research program that has been set up to support the Commission’s work, to help drive recommendations that will make our community safer for children.