Safeguarding Children

Creating safe environments for children and families

Creating child safe organisations is a key part of the Victorian Government’s response to the report of the Parliamentary Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and other Non-Government Organisations (Betrayal of Trust Inquiry) and the NSW Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

This work aims to strengthen organisations’ approaches to preventing and responding to child abuse.

We are committed to being a Child Safe Organisation and strive to identify, reduce or remove the risks of child abuse.

We do this through:

• Listening to children and young people in ways that are meaningful to them and amplify their voices.
• Ensuring that children from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds as well as CALD and those with other diverse needs are seen and heard.
• Having robust recruitment processes as policies, procedures and training in place to ensure our systems are sound and our staff and volunteers remain active supporters of child wellbeing.

Child wellbeing and safety is led by our Board, CEO and Executive Team supported by a Child Safety and Professional Standards Officer.

To learn more, read our Child Safe policy and our Working with Children Young People and Families policy.

You can also read our Statement of Commitment to Safeguarding of Children, which is part of the Safeguarding Children Program of the Australian Jesuit Province.

Responding to allegations and disclosures of criminal abuse

We welcome the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse.

We recognise the importance of a transparent, confidential, just and timely response to disclosure of criminal abuse, including sexual abuse.

We acknowledge our moral and legal obligation to report to the Police criminal abuse (disclosed or suspected), including sexual abuse by staff, volunteers or contractors.

If you wish to bring a complaint of abuse against any member of staff or volunteer – present or past – of a Jesuit Ministry, including Jesuit Social Services, you may do so in any of the following ways:

1. If you believe a crime has been committed, you can contact the police (dial 000)
2. Contact Julie Edwards, Jesuit Social Services CEO or Sally Parnell, Executive Director Programs on (03) 9421 7600. Read our policy for Responding appropriately to suspected and disclosed sexual and other criminal abuse.
3. Contact the Office of Towards Healing
   Victoria – 1800 816 830
   New South Wales – 1300 369 977
   Northern Territory – 0418 736 890
4. Contact the Jesuit Provincial’s Director of Professional Standards– (03) 9810 7300

Jesuit Province

Further information on the Jesuit Province’s policies for safeguarding children can be found at:

• Jesuit Province website for professional standards
• Policy for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults

The Catholic Church in Australia

More information on the Catholic Church in Australia’s policies for safeguarding children can be found at:

• National Committee for Professional Standards
• Truth, Justice and Healing Council
• Integrity in the Service of the Church

General Feedback and Complaints

For general feedback and complaints, please visit our Feedback and Complaints page, or call the Complaints Officer on (03) 9421 7600.