Abuse commissioners 'deserve a medal'

Six royal commissioners. Eight thousand direct stories of childhoods lost to sexual abuse. Five years investigating a national tragedy that has claimed tens of thousands of victims.

The people who led the royal commission into the sexual abuse of children in Australian institutions cannot be thanked enough, according to survivors' advocates.

"The commissioners and the commission staff, everyone involved deserves a medal," child protection advocate Bravehearts founder Hetty Johnston said.

"They've dealt with incredibly traumatic work. To hear people's stories day after day after day is incredibly difficult.

"I don't think anyone can thank them enough."

Victims' advocate Wayne Chamley also believes there needs to be a tribute to the commission and its work, particularly after 8013 child abuse survivors shared their stories directly with a commissioner in a private session.

"They've had these 8000 private conversations. That's really heavy going, day after day, listening to these shocking portrayals of childhood experience," he said.

Dr Chamley, who has worked with hundreds of survivors during his 20 years with advocacy group Broken Rites, said it takes time to build up trust with victims.

"The commissioners didn't have the luxury of being able to build that relationship so they had to engender trust just by the way they went about it and the openness and thoroughness."

Care Leavers Australasia Network chief executive Leonie Sheedy said the people who grew up in children's homes, orphanages or foster care will be forever grateful to the commissioners and staff for their tireless pursuit of the truth.

She said the significance of care leavers and victims trusting their abuse story to the royal commission and being believed and validated could not be overstated.

"A lot of these people have hidden these stories at the bottom of their heart and haven't even told their family what happened to them and yet they went forward to the royal commission," Ms Sheedy said.

"It shows a huge respect for the royal commission."

The royal commission will hold a short sitting in Sydney on Thursday to mark the end of the five-year inquiry before handing its final report to the governor-general on Friday.