Get support
If you, or someone you know, has been impacted by or is concerned about a child's safety, there are services and resources available to help.
If you need information or resources for reporting child safety concerns, please visit our dedicated Make a report page.
Get support
The National Office for Child Safety (the National Office) provides national leadership to develop and deliver national policies and strategies to increase children's safety and prevent harm to them, with a particular focus on child sexual abuse.
The National Office does not investigate criminal matters, deliver child protection services or provide direct support services. However, help is available - contact details for support services are listed below, and you can find out how to report child sexual abuse on our Make a report page.
Non-English speakers can access these services through the Translating and Interpreting Services (TIS) by calling 131 450. TIS is available 24/7.
If you are deaf and/or find it hard hearing or speaking with people who use a phone, the National Relay Service (NRS) can help you. The NRS is available 24/7.
Information relating to child safety and protection may bring up strong feelings for some people. Remember, you are not alone. If you need assistance or support, contact details for dedicated support services are below.
1800RESPECT provides support for all people experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, sexual assault, domestic or family violence, their friends and family, and workers and professionals supporting them. This includes providing support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) people, people with disability, and those that identify as LGBTQIA+.
24/7 support
Bravehearts Information & Support Line is a toll-free phone service for those seeking advice or help related to child sexual abuse, including what to do if your child or someone you know has disclosed child sexual abuse.
Specially trained Information & Support Line operators can also provide information about engaging with Bravehearts and other support services.
8:30am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday (hours may vary on public holidays)
Blue Knot Foundation (1300 657 380)
Blue Knot Foundation provides short-term counselling, support, information, and referrals to adult survivors of childhood trauma including child sexual abuse, parents, partners, family and friends, as well as the professionals who work with them.
9am-5pm, Monday-Sunday
Survivors & Mates Support Network (SAMSN) (1800 472 676)
Survivors & Mates Support Network (SAMSN) employs qualified staff who have experience working with male survivors of child sexual abuse to provide on-going support services, and facilitates support groups and workshops for men, their families, and supporters.
9am-5pm, Monday-Friday
PartnerSPEAK provides advocacy and support for non-offending partners, family members, friends or anyone else who is affected by a person's involvement in child sexual abuse and child exploitation material.
Tuesday 10am-1pm
Wednesday 6pm-9pm
Thursday 3pm-7pm
knowmore provides free legal advice and support to survivors of child sexual abuse. This includes people who have experienced child sexual abuse in non institutional settings, and people who were sexually abused in an institution or any organisation that was involved with children. knowmore also works with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people including Stolen Generation survivors, and with young people who are leaving care. knowmore’s services include legal advice and assistance, support services, financial counselling, and culturally safe supports for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
9am-5pm, Monday-Friday
Youth Law Australia (1900 950 570)
Youth Law Australia provides FREE, confidential and trauma-informed legal and practical information, advice, help and referrals to young people under 25, their advocates, and supporters.
24/7 Webform: You can submit a confidential form on Youth Law Australia’s website https://yla.org.au/get-help/ or email advice@lawmail.org.au.
Live chat: If you have been impacted by sexual or other violence, abuse or harassment, or have a question, you can chat confidentially with Youth Law Australia’s lawyers online, Monday to Friday via their website.
Phone: You can call Youth Law Australia 10:00 am-4:00 pm, Tuesday-Thursday.
The eSafety website provides information and advice for kids, young people and parents about how to keep safe online, what to do if something goes wrong and how to complain about online bullying or abuse.
Kids Helpline is Australia’s only free 24/7 nation-wide support service specifically for children and young people aged 5 to 25 years, offering peer to peer support, self-help resources and phone and online counselling.
Telephone counselling: 1800 55 1800
Self-help resources, peer to peer support, online counselling - www.kidshelpline.com.au
24/7 support
13YARN is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander crisis support line offering confidential one-on-one yarning with a Lifeline-trained Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter who can provide a culturally safe space to speak about needs, worries or concerns.
24/7 support
MensLine Australia is a telephone and online counselling service for people (15 years and older) with emotional health and relationship concerns.
24/7 support
National Counselling and Referral Service - Disability (1800 421 468)
Blue Knot Foundation provides information, emotional support and referrals for people with disability who have experiences of violence, abuse, neglect or exploitation, their families and carers, and anyone affected by the Disability Royal Commission.
9am-6pm Monday-Friday and 9am-5pm on weekends
National Redress Scheme (1800 737 377)
The National Redress Scheme helps people who have experienced institutional child sexual abuse gain access to counselling, a direct personal response, and a Redress payment.
8am-5pm, Monday-Friday
Care Leavers Australasia Network (1800 008 774)
Care Leavers Australasia Network offers support to people who have grown up in orphanages, children’s homes, missions and foster care in Australia and New Zealand, or whose parents or other family members had this experience.
9:30am-5pm, Monday-Friday (by appointment only)
In Good Faith Foundation (1300 12 44 33)
In Good Faith Foundation is a national charity and Redress Support Service working with and on behalf of institutional abuse survivors, their families and communities. Case management and advocacy services provide wrap around support to individuals, assisting them to voice their concerns and sustaining them as they navigate justice, redress and recovery pathways.
9am-5pm, Monday-Friday
Alliance for Forgotten Australians (0488 460 646)
Alliance for Forgotten Australians promotes the interests of the people known as Forgotten Australians, who experienced abuse during their institutional or other out-of-home care as children and young people in the last century in Australia.
Find and Connect Support Services (1800 16 11 09)
Find and Connect Support Services provide specialist trauma informed counselling, referral services, peer support, education and social support programs.
Services also provide assistance to locate and access records and reconnect with family members (where possible) for Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants.
9am-5pm in all states and territories, Monday-Friday
Beyond Blue provides phone or online support to equip people of all ages in Australia with the skills they need to look after their own mental health and wellbeing, and to create confidence in their ability to support those around them.
24/7 support
Headspace provides mental health support to 12–25 year olds through over 110 national headspace centres, over the phone or online.
With a focus on early intervention, Headspace works with young people to provide support at a crucial time in their lives – to help get them back on track and strengthen their ability to manage their mental health in the future.
9am – 1am, 7 days a week
ReachOut offers a range of online supports for young people aged 12–25, with a focus on supporting their mental health and wellbeing through everyday issues and tough times services to children and families who have experienced or are at risk of harm.
QLife provides Australia-wide anonymous, LGBTI peer support and referral for people wanting to talk about a range of issues including sexuality, identity, gender, bodies, feelings or relationships.
3pm-midnight local time everyday
The Disability Advocacy Finder (the finder) at the Ask Izzy website is a web-based application that has been developed to assist people with disabilities, carers and their families to search for Commonwealth and state and territory government funded disability advocacy agencies. The finder can connect people in need with services across Australia providing housing, family violence support, counselling and much more. When using the finder, describe the service you are looking for, such as ‘disability advocacy’, then you can filter by postcode, town or suburb to find your nearest provider.
Australian Sexual Assault Services Directory
The Australian Sexual Assault Services Directory, hosted by the National Association of Services Against Sexual Violence, provides access to a diverse range of specialist organisations who provide prevention and response services to people who are at risk or experience sexual violence in each state and territory.
Related links
- Australian Government Response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
- Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
- National Redress Scheme
- Safe and Supported: The National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2021 - 2031 | Department of Social Services, Australian Government
- Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation
- Australian Human Rights Commission – Child Safe Organisations
- Australian Human Rights Commission – UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
- National Principles | Child Safe Organisations
- eSafety Commissioner
- ThinkuKnow