Grants for Services Responding to Child Sexual Abuse and Children who have Displayed Harmful Sexual Behaviours

It is an Australian Government initiative running from 2025–26 to 2027–28. It aims to enhance specialist and community support services to provide trauma-informed, culturally safe, evidence-based care for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse, as well as children who have displayed concerning or harmful sexual behaviours.

Objectives:

• Expand capacity of services supporting victims and survivors of child sexual abuse.
• Expand capacity of services responding to children (up to age 18) displaying harmful sexual behaviours.
• Enhance service capability by aligning with best practice frameworks, standards, and knowledge.

Target Beneficiaries:

• Victims and survivors of child sexual abuse.
• Children up to 18 years who have displayed concerning or harmful sexual behaviours.
• Services delivering early intervention, response, healing, and recovery to break the intergenerational cycle of violence.

Eligibility:

• Applicants must be entities such as companies, cooperatives, incorporated associations, Indigenous corporations, sole traders, or statutory entities.
• Applicants must have delivered relevant services within 12 months prior to application.
• Consortia applications are allowed with a lead applicant accountable to the Commonwealth.

Application Process:

• Applications submitted online via GrantConnect.
• Must address eligibility and assessment criteria, provide requested information and attachments.
• Deadline: 9:00 pm AEST, 28 July 2025.
• Assessment within 6 weeks; notification within 14 weeks; grant agreements by 20 weeks post-deadline.
• Grant activity starts earliest December 2025 and ends by 30 June 2028.

Key Features:

• Restricted competitive grant process.
• Focus on trauma-informed, culturally safe, and evidence-based service delivery.
• Supports early intervention and recovery to prevent ongoing cycles of abuse.
• Encourages alignment with national frameworks and standards for better practice.