The Approved Counselling Scheme provides free face to face counselling to victims of violent crimes that have occurred in New South Wales. The counsellors with the Scheme are social workers, psychologists or psychiatrists who have proven experience of working with victims of crime.
Counsellors are available in most rural and regional areas in New South Wales. For people who live interstate who have been a victim of a violent crime in NSW, counselling may be organised in the state where they are now living. To arrange this please contact the Victims of Crime Bureau.

To read more about the Approved Counselling Scheme you can choose a link that interests you from the following list or begin at the first link and read through all the headings:

Forms
Who can apply
How to apply
How it works
Choosing a suitable approved counsellor
Further Information

Forms

The initial 2 hour counselling form is designed to be easily filled out and can be completed online or faxed or posted to us. Once it is received by the VCT, approval is given within 2 working days. There is a separate counselling form for family members of a homicide victim for 20 hours of counselling. If the victim of crime was under 18 years of age when the crime occurred, counselling may also be available to the parents or guardians.

Who can apply

You are eligible to claim counselling from an Approved Counsellor if:

• you are the victim of an act of violence and are injured as a result (primary victim); or
• you are injured as a result of witnessing an act of violence (secondary victim); or
• you are the parent or guardian of a victim of an act of violence (and the victim was under 18 at that time) and you are injured as a result of learning of the act of violence (secondary victim); or
• you are a relative of a homicide victim (family victim); or
• you are injured while trying to:
  • prevent someone from committing an act of violence (primary victim), or
  • arrest someone who is committing, or has just committed an act of violence (primary victim), or
  • help or rescue someone against whom an act of violence is being committed, or has just been committed (primary victim).

• the act of violence did not occur in NSW;
• it cannot be proved that an act of violence occurred;
• the application arises from a crime against property;
• the application arises from injuries caused by a motor vehicle, except in the following circumstances:

The Victims Legislation Amendment Act 2003 has amended the Victims Support and Rehabilitation Act 1996 to enable the immediate family of a person who is killed where the use of a motor vehicle is involved to apply for 20 hours of approved counselling services under the Act if the person’s death apparently occurred in the course of the commission of an offence of murder or manslaughter.

For more information on other rights available to road trauma victims please refer to the Victims of Crime website.

For more information on other rights available to victims of acts of violence in other states please refer to the Outside NSW page on the Victims of Crime website.

Initial 2 hours counselling

You need to complete an Application for 2 hours of Counselling form. The two page form requires basic information about yourself and the act of violence to enable Victims Services to assess your claim.

Counselling for relatives of homicide victims

If you are a relative of a homicide victim you may be eligible to apply for 20 hours of counselling except:

• where the homicide did not occur in NSW;
• it cannot be proved that it was homicide.

Victims Services will endeavour to make a decision regarding your application for counselling within 2 working days of receipt of your completed application. Make sure the form has a telephone number where you can be contacted during that time.

Who can help me fill out the form?

If you have any difficulty you can contact Victims Services for assistance. Alternatively, Victims groups are available to help you to fill out the application form. Your solicitor can also help you fill out the form. Please note that your solicitor is not entitled to costs from Victims Services for helping you to fill out an application form for Approved Counselling only and they may charge you for this service.

The initial 2 hours of counselling must be provided by an Approved Counsellor. Approved Counsellors are located throughout NSW and even if you live outside NSW, Victims Services may be able to arrange an interstate Approved Counsellor. Remember that you need Victims Services' prior approval before organising an appointment with the Approved Counsellor.

What happens after the initial 2 hours?

During the initial 2 hours, you and your counsellor will decide whether or not you will benefit from further counselling. If you decide that you will not benefit from further counselling, the counsellor will provide a brief report to Victims Services. If you decide that you will benefit from further counselling, then your counsellor will submit a recommendation for further counselling in a report to Victims Services setting out a brief history of the act of violence and the assistance that counselling will provide.

You will need to provide a written request for counselling and this can be done by completing the one page form, Request for Further Hours of Approved Counselling. This form can be obtained from Victims Services or from your counsellor or you can download one from this website.

How is my application for further counselling processed?

Once Victims Services has received all the information necessary to process your application, the matter will be given to an Assessor for consideration. You or your solicitor will then be sent a letter telling you the result of your application. If your application for counselling has been approved, you may contact your Approved Counsellor to arrange an appointment.

Victims Services has a list of counsellors who are currently Approved Counsellors under the Scheme. All of the Approved Counsellors on the list are qualified, private practitioners who provide counselling approved by Victims Services.

In order to become an Approved Counsellor, the practitioner must meet a number of criteria including a minimum of two years experience working with victims of crime as a registered provider. On a 3 yearly basis, to maintain their Approved Counsellor status, the practitioners must meet additional criteria, including demonstrated ongoing professional development.

In finding the right counsellor for you, please note that Approved Counsellors are required provide Victims Services with information about any specialist training and clinical experience they have in working with different client groups or types of crime. This means that Approved Counsellors may have identified counselling specialties. Victims Services staff will take these into account when advising you about counsellors or when allocating counsellors on your behalf.

If you have any special requirements, for example you have a disability or the counselling is required for a young child, you can contact the Victims Support Line on 1800 633 063 or 8688 5400 to discuss your requirements further.

Further Information

To assist you further, pamphlets on the Approved Counselling Scheme are available to view on-line in our Forms and Publications section.