Australian Travel Fund Funding Criteria Announced

The Federal Government has moved quickly to begin the implementation of its response to the report of the Community Affairs References Committee on Child Migration with the announcement of criteria for funding former child migrants wishing to visit their country of origin.

The new Child Migrant’s Travel Fund will enable former child migrants (who have not previously been funded through the British Child Migrant Fund, including those from Malta) to visit members of their immediate and extended family in their country of origin, and for other family purposes, such as visits to family grave sites.
In exceptional circumstances and subject to a medical certificate, funding may also be available for a partner, child or carer to accompany the former child migrant on their travels.
The Department of Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) has advised that more restrictive criteria will apply in the first year of operation to ensure that funding is initially made available to former child migrants for whom time may be running out to visit a parent or parents, and for older child migrants who may be nearing the latter years of their own lives. Priority will also be given to people on low incomes and those who have never before been back to their home country.

Once the level of demand from priority applicants has been assessed, it will be possible to determine how far the $1-million a year Federal funding will go towards supporting the travel requirements of other groups of former child migrants.
Further details on how to access the Child Migrant’s Travel Fund will be made available when the Fund Administrator has been appointed, expected to be within the next few weeks or so. In the meantime, former child migrants who would like to receive a detailed application package when it is available can

EITHER
Send contact details to the Director, Settlement Planning and Support Section, Department of Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, PO Box 25, Belconnen, ACT, 2616

OR
Contact C-BERS or your C-BERS Counsellor who will follow up with the Child Migrant’s Travel Fund on your behalf .

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