ACT Police Appeal for Victims of Abuse at the Ted Noffs Foundation in Watson, ACT

ACT Policing has recently issued a public appeal seeking witnesses or information in relation to alleged historical sexual offending by a youth support worker between 2002 and 2003.

Police have advised that they have received information alleging that a man employed as a community service worker at the Ted Noffs Foundation in Watson (the Foundation) committed sexual offences against a teenager during that period. ACT Policing has urged anyone with relevant information to come forward.

About the Ted Noffs Foundation

The Foundation is a long-established Australian non-profit that has provided youth support services, including drug and alcohol treatment and related programmes, for decades. The organisation traces its origins to “The Wayside Foundation”, founded by Reverend Ted Noffs in the early 1970s to support socially disadvantaged young people and those affected by drug and alcohol issues. In 1992, the organisation was renamed the “Ted Noffs Foundation” in recognition of his legacy and expanded into a range of youth health, treatment, and support services.

In Canberra’s Watson suburb, the Foundation has operated residential and outreach youth services for over 20 years, including detoxification, rehabilitation, counselling, and continuing care programmes for young people aged roughly 12–25, alongside other community support initiatives.

Often, children who were struggling with substance abuse were sent to the Foundation for rehabilitation, frequently while under the care and supervision of child welfare services within the Australian Capital Territory (the ACT).

If you have been affected

Public appeals of this nature can be distressing, particularly for survivors of historical abuse. They may also prompt individuals to reflect on experiences that occurred many years ago and were never previously disclosed.

Reporting is always a personal choice. Many survivors come forward years or decades after the abuse, and there is no requirement to report to police in order to seek support or legal advice.

Civil claims for historical abuse

Separate from any criminal investigation, survivors of historical sexual abuse may be entitled to pursue a civil compensation claim. Civil claims focus on acknowledging the harm suffered and seeking compensation for the long-term physical, psychological, and emotional impacts of abuse.

In matters involving the Foundation’s services, civil claims may be brought against:

• The individual alleged to have perpetrated the abuse
• The entity responsible for the Foundation’s programmes and services at the time of the alleged abuse
• Potentially the ACT, where it is alleged that systemic failures to protect children or young people under the relevant policies, contracts, or oversight contributed to the harm

These claims are distinct from any criminal proceedings and do not require a criminal conviction in order to proceed. They focus on whether a duty of care existed, whether it was breached, and whether that breach caused harm.

In the ACT and across Australia, limitation periods for child sexual abuse claims have been removed. This means that survivors may be able to bring a civil claim regardless of how long ago the abuse occurred, including abuse alleged to have taken place many years earlier.

Civil claims can provide survivors with an opportunity to seek financial compensation, institutional accountability, and, in some cases, a formal response or acknowledgement of harm. Importantly, pursuing a civil claim does not require a survivor to have reported the abuse to police or to participate in any criminal investigation.

What compensation may be available

If you have been impacted by abuse, you may be entitled to take action and seek compensation. Depending on your circumstances, you may be able to claim compensation for:

• Pain and suffering
• Past loss of earnings and future loss of earning capacity, including superannuation
• Past and future medical treatment expenses
• Past and future gratuitous care, such as care provided by family or friends
• Aggravated or exemplary damages, which may be awarded to punish the individual perpetrator or an institution that failed to protect you

In some cases, survivors may also seek a personal response or apology.

Getting support

The impacts of sexual abuse can be lifelong. Seeking legal advice does not require you to have reported to police, to have decided to take legal action, or to have all the details of your experience immediately available.

If you or a family member have experienced abuse, we encourage you to speak with a lawyer as soon as possible. At MEJ, our experienced team is available to speak with you confidentially about your options and possible next steps.

You can contact MEJ for a free, confidential, and no-obligation enquiry.