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The Archdiocese acknowledges the risks of abuse occurring in its activities, ministries and services and will fulfil its duty of care by taking all reasonable measures to safeguard all who come into contact with the Archdiocese from abuse, but especially children and vulnerable adults.

Safeguarding Commitment

The Archdiocese’s commitment to safeguarding is captured in the 3Ps:

• Safe People – Archdiocesan personnel, especially those who work with children and vulnerable adults, will be properly selected, recruited, screened, trained and they accept their safeguarding obligations.
• Safe Practices – All Archdiocesan activities, ministries and services, especially those involving children and vulnerable adults, will be assessed for risks of abuse and appropriate safeguards will be applied.
• Safe Places – All locations in which Archdiocesan activities, ministries and services are undertaken, especially those involving children and vulnerable adults, will be assessed for risks of abuse and appropriate safeguards will be applied.

Safeguarding Principles

The following principles guide how safeguarding is undertaken in the Archdiocese:

• Safeguarding is a shared responsibility for all personnel – the protection of children and vulnerable adults is everyone’s responsibility.
• The Archdiocese will prioritise the wellbeing and best interests of children and vulnerable adults who come into contact with its activities, ministries and services.
• The Archdiocese has a zero tolerance approach to abuse and will respond promptly and effectively to all abuse concerns, allegations and incidents.
• The Archdiocese will comply with the National Catholic Safeguarding Standards and relevant statutory obligations related to the protection of children and vulnerable adults.

The Archdiocese provides the following documents to assist parishes & faith communities in implementing the safeguarding policy:

• Safeguarding Policy
• Safeguarding Policy Support Document
• Safeguarding Policy Implementation & Accountability Strategies
• Safeguarding Strategy 2018 – 2020

All Archdiocesan church workers and the wider faith community are strongly encouraged to seek the advice and assistance of the Office for Safeguarding Services, particularly where safeguarding related disclosures, suspicions and allegations arise. The Office for Safeguarding Services strongly encourages all who engage with Archdiocese to report any criminal allegations immediately to the authorities.

• Video transcript

  Video transcript

  Author: Archdiocese of Brisbane

  
  Pope Francis has laid out a clear message for the Church when it comes to the crucial question of safeguarding.

  He puts it this way: “The Church loves all her children like a loving mother, but she protects with a special affection those who are smallest and defenceless. Now the duty that Christ himself entrusted to the Church is exactly this, the Church is especially vigilant in protecting children and vulnerable adults.”

  These words drive our Safeguarding Strategy in the Archdiocese of Brisbane. This strategy sets our approach and our priorities around safeguarding until 2020. The strategy applies to all church personnel including bishops, clergy, religious, employees, contractors and volunteers across all the parishes, ministries, agencies and services. It’s for everyone.

  Our safeguarding commitment is this:

  • The Archdiocese of Brisbane holds that children and vulnerable adults are a gift from God with an intrinsic right to dignity of life, respect and protection from harm.
  • The Archdiocese doesn’t tolerate abuse by Church personnel or others involved in its ministries and services.

  Therefore, the Archdiocese of Brisbane is committed to:

  • Protecting all involved in our ministries and services from abuse;
  • Promoting the wellbeing and best interests of children and vulnerable adults in the delivery of all ministries and services;
  • And responding effectively where disclosure, suspicion or allegations of abuse arise.

  The safeguarding commitment is underpinned by our three Ps of safeguarding. We want safe PEOPLE, safe PRACTICES, safe PLACES.

  Having safe people means that Church personnel are appropriately selected, recruited and trained in safeguarding and that they accept their safeguarding obligations.

  Having safe practices means applying safeguards to all Archdiocesan activities, ministries and services in order to prevent abuse.

  And, having safe places involves applying safeguards to all properties and locations in which Archdiocesan activities, ministries and services are conducted to minimise the risks of abuse occurring.

  This Archdiocese has established an Office of Safeguarding Services.

  And the Archdiocese works with the Australian Catholic Church’s new Catholic Professional Standards body. This body, set up following the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, has established National Catholic Safeguarding Standards.

  These standards take into account the guidance of the Royal Commission and the Australian Human Rights Commission. They provide an important basis for how our Archdiocese approaches safeguarding.

  Our Safeguarding Strategy has a foundation principle – ‘safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility’. This principle serves as the foundation for safeguarding functions within the Archdiocese. It calls all Archdiocesan church personnel, regardless of their position, to embrace safeguarding and their duty to care for and protect others from abuse, but especially children and vulnerable adults.

  Pope Francis has called for zero tolerance when it comes to sexual abuse. He’s right.

  We have to do all we can to safeguard our smallest and our most defenceless. Our Archdiocesan Safeguarding Strategy aims to do just that. Now with your help, we can achieve this.

  Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.
  

• Office for Safeguarding Services Role

  Office for Safeguarding Services Role

  Author: Archdiocese of Brisbane

  
  The role of the Safeguarding Office is to support the Archdiocese to safeguard those who engage in Archdiocesan ministries and services.

  The functions of the Office are to:

  • develop and implement safeguarding standard, policies and procedures;
  • enhance capacity to achieve compliance with safeguarding standards, policies and procedures; and
  • support Archdiocesan church personnel in managing safeguarding disclosures, suspicions and allegations.
• Integrity in Ministry – Clergy & Religious Code of Conduct

  Integrity in Ministry – Clergy & Religious Code of Conduct

  Author: Archdiocese of Brisbane

  
  View Integrity in Ministry

  Integrity in Ministry is a code of conduct for clergy, religious engaged in formal ministries and lay people carrying out formal ministries on behalf of the Catholic Church in Australia.

  This code of conduct includes:

  • Expected behaviour standards
  • Safeguards that apply
  • Complaints of non-compliance management

  This code of conduct is the work of the National Committee for Professional Standards, made up of a committee of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and the Australian Conference of Leaders of Religious Institutes.
  

• Integrity in the Service of the Church – Lay Church Worker Behaviour Standards

  Integrity in the Service of the Church – Lay Church Worker Behaviour Standards

  Author: Archdiocese of Brisbane

  
  View Integrity in the Service of the Church

  Integrity in the Service of the Church is a document of principles and behavioural standards that serves as a resource for Lay Church Workers, both employees and volunteers.

  This document is the work of the National Committee for Professional Standards, made up of a committee of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and the Australian Conference of Leaders of Religious Institutes.