Support for survivors of child abuse

The Western Australian Government encourages survivors of child abuse and people impacted by child abuse to access support services.
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Call 000 immediately if you or someone you know is in a life-threatening emergency. 

Support for adults who were children in care

If you have transitioned from care to independence, you are eligible for after care assistance until you turn 25 years old.

Support is available for people who have experienced any form of abuse or neglect when they were a child in care. 

The National Redress Scheme provides support to people who experienced institutional child sexual abuse. The WA Government Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme enables victims of crime to apply for compensation for injury or loss as a result of an offence or alleged offence. 

If you are a child or adult who has been the victim of child abuse, or if you have information about someone else being abused, you should contact WA Police on 131 444. You can also report child abuse by calling Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or to your local police station who will advise the Child Abuse Squad. If you have life-threatening concern about a child, contact WA Police on 000 immediately.

If you have concerns for the wellbeing of a child and it does not require immediate police attention, or you want to report concerns about your experiences as a child in care, please contact the:

  • Central Intake Team on 1800 273 889; or 
  • Crisis Care on 13 11 14 or via text 0477 13 11 14 or free call 1800 199 008. 

Additional support services are also listed below on this page.

Telephone counselling and support

Access counselling and support services over the phone.

1800RESPECT

1800RESPECT provides telephone and online crisis support, information and immediate referral to specialist counselling for anyone in Australia who has experienced or been impacted by sexual assault, or domestic or family violence. The service is available 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Phone: 1800 737 732

Beyond Blue

Beyond Blue provides information and support to help everyone in Australia achieve their best possible mental health, whatever their age and wherever they live and will support people in the right direction to seek further help. The service is available 24 hours, 7 days a week. The online chat is available from 3pm to 12am (AEST) 7 days a week.

Phone: 1300 224 636

Blue Knot Foundation

The Blue Knot Foundation provides telephone counselling, information and support for adult survivors of child abuse and referral to professionals and agencies. Provides workshops for survivors, family members, partners and friends. Professional development for health professionals is also available. The service is available from 9am to 5pm (AEST) 7 days a week.

Phone: 1300 657 380

Bravehearts

The Bravehearts National Information and Support Line can be accessed by anyone wanting information or support relating to child sexual assault and exploitation. The service is available from 8.30am to 4.30pm (AEST), Monday to Friday.

Phone: 1800 272 831

Department of Communities Child Protection and Family Support Crisis Care Helpline

The Crisis Care Helpline is a telephone information and counselling service for people in crisis needing urgent help. Call the Crisis Care Helpline when:

  • you are concerned about the wellbeing of a child
  • you are escaping domestic violence and need help
  • arguments are causing unhappiness and problems in your family
  • you are alone or afraid and urgently need to talk to someone
  • you are homeless
  • you would like counselling, information or other support.

Phone: Free call 1800 199 008

Kids Helpline

Kids Helpline is free, private and confidential phone and online counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25. Kids Helpline helps kids and young people feel better, live happier and overcome challenges. The service is available 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Phone: 1800 55 1800

Lifeline

Lifeline WA provides all Western Australians experiencing a personal crisis or thinking about suicide with access to 24-hour crisis support. The online chat is available from 7pm to 4am (AEST) 7 days a week.

Phone: 13 11 14

MensLine Australia

MensLine Australia provides telephone and online support, information and referral service for men with family and relationships concerns. MensLine specialises in family and relationship issues, including relationship breakdown, separation and divorce, parenting, family violence, suicide prevention and emotional wellbeing. Online chat and video counselling is available.

Phone: 1300 789 978

Suicide Call Back Service

Suicide Call Back Service offers counselling for people 18 years and over who are suicidal, caring for someone who is suicidal or people bereaved by suicide. The service is available 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Phone: 1300 659 467

Youth Beyond Blue

Youth Beyond Blue provides general mental health support for young people aged 12 to 25 years old. The service is available 24 hours, 7 days a week. The online chat is available from 3pm to 12am (AEST), 7 days a week.

Phone: 1300 22 4636

Counselling and support services

Counselling and support services available in-person and online.

Care Leavers Australasia Network (CLAN)

Care Leavers Australasia Network provides support and advocacy for people who grew up in Australian orphanages, children’s homes and in foster care and their families.

Phone: 1800 008 774

Phoenix Support and Advocacy Service Inc.

Phoenix Support and Advocacy Service Inc. is a specialist support service for adult survivors of historical child sexual abuse. Support can also be provided to the survivor’s non-offending family members, partners, friends, and significant others impacted by a disclosure of child sexual abuse. 

Phone: (08) 9443 1910

Child Migrants Trust

Child Migrants Trust provide social work services including counselling and support for family reunions.

Phone: 1800 040 509

Child Protection Unit – Perth Children’s Hospital

The Child Protection Unit of the Perth Children’s Hospital provides specialised support for children and young people up to the age of 16 years who have experienced sexual abuse, and for children displaying harmful sexual behaviours. Hospital-based service providing medical, forensic, social work and therapeutic services for children and their families.

Child Sexual Abuse Therapeutic Services and Indigenous Healing Services

Provide responses to children, young people and their families affected by child sexual abuse, adults who have experienced historical child sexual abuse and children at risk of, or displaying, harmful sexual behaviours. Prevention education in schools/community settings and education sessions for parents/carers, tailored to local needs are also provided.

The Indigenous Healing Services take an Aboriginal perspective on health and wellbeing, encompassing physical, social, emotional, cultural and spiritual wellbeing to provide a holistic service response for vulnerable Aboriginal children and families.

View contact details and locations.

Find and Connect

Find and Connect offer support and counselling for Forgotten Australians and former child migrants, including family tracing and access to care records. The service is available 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Phone: 1800 161 109

headspace

headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation provides early intervention mental health services to 12 to 25 year olds. Services include:

  • headspace centres (located in metropolitan and regional areas across Australia)
  • eheadspace (online and phone counselling service)
  • headspace School Support (a suicide post-vention program for schools)
  • digital Work and Study Service
  • the National Telehealth Service.

Kimberley Sexual Abuse Prevention and Support Service

The Kimberley Sexual Abuse Prevention and Support Service provides counselling to child and adult victims of sexual abuse and assault and group work programs and community education initiatives to help recognise the symptoms and impacts of child sexual abuse.

Phone Broome: (08) 9194 2400
Phone Kununurra: (08) 9166 5000

Parkerville children and Youth Care Child Advocacy Centres

Community based, collaborative working model to support children, young people and their families who have experienced child sexual abuse. The team comprises an investigation team, child protection workers, specialist child interviewers, medical services, psychological therapeutic services and two Child and Family Advocate Centres. Find out more about the centres.

Phone Armadale: (08) 9391 1900
Phone Midland: (08) 9235 7000

Relationships Australia WA

Relationships Australia WA provide individual and family counselling.

Phone: 08 6164 0255

Sexual Assault Counselling Australia (SACA)

At Sexual Assault Counselling Australia (SACA), trauma specialist counsellors provide telephone counselling for people affected by the Royal Commission. A free telephone interpreting service is provided.

Phone: 1800 211 028

Sexual Assault Resource Centre (SARC)

The Sexual Assault Resource Centre (SARC) is an emergency sexual assault (rape crisis) service for Perth. SARC also provides advice, counselling and support for people who have been sexually assaulted in the past. The main office is located in Subiaco however counselling is also available from a number of locations in the Perth metropolitan area.

Phone: (08) 6458 1828 (24-hour helpline) or 1800 199 888

Sexual Assault Support Services (SASS)

There are five regional Sexual Assault Support Services that offer a range of different services and support for people ages 13 years old and over that have experienced sexual assault. Contact details and location of each service are listed below:

  • Peel region: Allambee Counselling Centre. Phone (08) 9535 8263
  • South West region: Waratah Support Centre. Phone (08) 9791 2884
  • Goldfields-Esperance region: Goldfields Sexual Assault Service. Phone (08) 9021 4732
  • Mid West region: Desert Blue Connect. Phone 1800 016 789
  • Pilbara region: Acacia Support Service Lotteries House. Phone (08) 9160 2900

Tuart Place

Tuart Place offers services for anyone who experienced out of home care in Western Australia, including Forgotten Australians and former child migrants. The service is available 9am to 4.30pm, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Phone: 1800 619 795

Victim Support Service and Child Witness Service

The Victim Support Service and Child Witness Service provides free, confidential counselling and support services for all victims of crime. These services are provided by professional counsellors and trained volunteers. Contact details for all victim support services including regional locations is available online.

Phone: 1800 818 988

Services for people with disability

In addition to accessing mainstream support services, people with disability can also access specialised disability support services.

Children and Young People with Disability Australia

Children and Young People with Disability Australia offers information, referral and systematic advocacy regarding the experiences of children with disability.

Phone: 1800 222 660
Email: info@cda.org.au

National Counselling and Referral Service (Disability)

The National Counselling and Referral Service (Disability) supports people with disability who have current or past experiences of abuse, neglect, violence and exploitation.  There are also support services and information available for family members, carers, support workers, advocates or persons providing legal or financial services. 

Phone: 1800 421 468

People 1st Programme

People 1st Programme specialise in working with individuals with disability requiring education and counselling in respectful relationships, protective education and sexuality.

Phone: (08) 9227 6414

People with Disability Australia

People with Disability Australia offers a national telephone line for advice, information, referrals and advocacy support, and training and individual advocacy support for people with disability.

Phone: 1800 422 015
TTY Counselling: 1800 422 016

Wayfinder Hub

People with Disability Australia commenced the Wayfinder Hub, a national disability information and referral service that will help to link people with disability and the specialist and mainstream services they need. The Wayfinder Hub’s phone line is currently operating on a call-back basis.

Phone: 1800 843 929
Email: info@wayfinderhub.com.au

SECCA

SECCA supports people with disabilities to learn about human relationships, sexuality and sexual health across the lifespan. SECCA provides specialist counselling and education in the area of human relationships and sexuality to people who have a disability, their family and significant carers.

Phone: (08) 9420 7226

WWILD Sexual Violence Prevention Association

WWILD Sexual Violence Prevention Association works with men and women aged 14 years and over who have an intellectual disability, and who are survivors of sexual assault or crime, or are at risk of becoming a victim of crime of exploitation.

Phone: (07) 3262 9877

Services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People

In addition to accessing mainstream support services, Aboriginal individuals, families and communities may also choose to access support services delivered by Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations.

The Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia provides legal representation and support services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Western Australia including advocacy. There are 17 regional offices operating throughout Western Australia.

Aboriginal Medical Services

Operated by Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations to provide a range of health services across Western Australia, including:

Visit the Better to Know website for a full list of Aboriginal Medical Services and contact details.

Kimberley Stolen Generation Aboriginal Corporation 

The Kimberley Stolen Generation Aboriginal Corporation provides counselling, healing and culturally appropriate support for Indigenous Australians.

Phone: 1800 830 338

Yorgum Aboriginal Corporation

Yorgum Aboriginal Corporation provides counselling, healing and culturally appropriate support for Indigenous Australians.

Phone: (08) 9218 9477 

National Redress Scheme support services

Free and confidential Redress Support Services are available to provide practical and emotional support, legal advice and financial counselling.

Details about the WA Redress Support Services is available on the National Redress Scheme website.