The national redress scheme for child sexual abuse victims should be extended to cover physical violence, a support group for people who grew up in state care and orphanages says.
The Care Leavers Australasia Network on Friday welcomed both NSW and Victoria signing on to the $3.8 billion federal scheme.
The network supported the royal commission into institutional child sexual abuse and has long advocated for a national redress scheme.
But compensation should be extended to victims of non-sexual abuse, CLAN vice president Frank Golding told AAP at the prime minister's redress announcement at Kirribilli House on Friday.
"It's the beginning rather than the closing of opportunities," he said on Friday.
"There are still lots and lots of questions that aren't yet answered including the fact that it's for sexual abuse victims only.
"Thousands were brutally assaulted and physically and diabolically hardened and we hope the scheme will extend to them."
Abuse advocacy group Blue Knot Foundation hoped NSW and Victoria's leadership would encourage others to join the redress scheme.
"It's really about being accountable and doing what is appropriate for the people who were harmed under everyone's watch," foundation president Dr Cathy Kezelman said.
"It's time for everyone to step up."
Dr Kezelman also hoped the government would reconsider its $150,000 compensation cap and the exclusion of sex offenders and anyone jailed for five years or more for serious crimes.
"It shows a real lack of understanding of the potential impacts of child sexual abuse. Some do go on to commit crimes related to what happened to them," she said.
The child abuse activist noted no scheme would "ever go far enough for a child who had their childhood and future decimated".
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