Details

This Inquiry was established to examine the historical abuse of children, young persons, and vulnerable adults who were in the care of the State between 1950 and 1999. The scope of the Inquiry was extended in November 2018 to include historical abuse that occurred in faith-based institutions, and to acknowledge the Treaty of Waitangi and the disproportionate extent of abuse in care for whānau Māori. The scope was further extended in August 2021 to allow the Inquiry to hear from people who were in care at any point before 1950 or after 1999, whose experiences may be taken into account in developing recommendations.

The Royal Commission has taken a broad view of abuse and considers physical, sexual and emotional abuse and neglect.

The Process

In 2018, the Inquiry invited submissions from the public on the draft terms of reference for the inquiry and received 400 written submissions.

After commencing in 2019, information was collected from survivors at private sessions and by the Inquiry's research team. This information was anonymised and used in reports and to plan themes of investigations.

There were ten investigations into abuse and neglect that occurred in State and faith-based care settings, and into themes and issues. Public hearings were an integral part of the investigations process.

Seven of the investigations examined abuse in specific settings: psychiatric institutions, State-run children's residential care, foster care, disability and mental health care, youth justice care, the Catholic church, and Protestant and other faiths. Two examined Māori and Pacific people experiences. The tenth looked at redress processes available to those abused and neglected while in State or faith-based care.

Responses of faith-based institutions and State agencies were also examined in public hearings conducted in 2022

The Crown has moved to lift confidentiality obligations on survivors of abuse in State care arising from settlement agreements with the Crown.

Governing Legislation
The Inquiry was constituted by the Inquiries Act 2013.

Governing Authority
Department of Internal Affairs is the 'relevant Department' for the purposes of the Act.

Inquiry Locations
Private sessions were held across New Zealand. To December 2020 private sessions had been held in 27 towns and cities and 7 prisons.

Public Hearings
There were 133 days of public hearings.

Private Sessions
Expected to eventually hold about 2700 private sessions.

Research
The Royal Commission carried out and commissioned research to help with its investigation work. To August 2023, it had carried out analysis of more than one million documents.

Roundtable Discussions
Roundtables were held as part of the Investigations hearings; also roundtables held in local communities for sharing experiences

Witnesses
To August 2023, nearly 3,000 experiences were heard in private sessions, written submissions and witness statements.

Institutions
Case study investigations were conducted on Lake Alice Child and Adolescent Unit, and the Marylands School, St Joseph's Orphanage and Hebron Trust.

Recommendations
The final report with recommendations is set to be completed by 28 March 2024.

Cost
The first stage of the Inquiry (to July 2021) cost $86.84 million. In The Interim Administrative Report (November 2020), a further $344.5 million was sought by the Commissioners to cover workload and costs from 1 July 2021 to 31 December 2025. This was allocated by the Government in its Budget 2021.

Inquiry Panel

• Alofivae, Ali'imuamua Sandra
• Erueti, Andrew
• Gibson, Paul
• Steenson, Julia Anne (June 2020 – 2023)