Child Safety Policy

All Saints Catholic Parish, Fitzroy
CHILD SAFETY POLICY
May 2018
Parish Priest
Fr Max Vodola
Date of policy: May 2018
Date of last major review: N/A
Date of next major review: May 2019

1. Introduction
At All Saints Catholic Parish we hold the care, safety and wellbeing of children and young people as a central and
fundamental responsibility of our parish. Our commitment is drawn from and inherent in the teaching and mission of Jesus
Christ, with love, justice and the sanctity of each human person at the heart of the gospel (Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne:
Commitment Statement to Child Safety).

The Church’s social doctrine constantly points out the need to respect the dignity of children. ‘In the family, which is a
community of persons, special attention must be devoted to the children by developing a profound esteem for their personal
dignity, and a great respect and generous concern for their rights. Indeed it was Jesus who, when his disciples were arguing
among themselves about who was the greatest, directed his attention to a little child and said to his disciples, ‘Whoever
welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me’ (Mark
9.37).

2. Purpose of the Policy
The purpose of this policy is to create the strongest possible environment for the care, safety and wellbeing of all children in All
Saints Catholic Parish. It provides an outline of the policies, procedures and strategies developed to keep children safe from harm, including all forms of abuse in our parish environment, on site, online and in other locations used by the parish.

This policy applies to all parish personnel, including parish employees, volunteers, contractors and clergy. Sacred Heart School has its own policies and procudures for use of the parish facilities during school activities.

3. Principles
The Catholic Church has a moral, legal and mission­-driven responsibility to create nurturing environments where children and
young people are respected, their voices are heard and they are safe and feel safe (CAM Commitment Statement to Child Safety).

The following principles underpin our commitment to child
safety at All Saints Catholic Parish:

  • Our parish has zero tolerance of child abuse.
  • All children are entitled to, as a fundamental right, safety and protection from all forms of abuse and neglect.
  • Our parish works in partnership with families and the community to ensure that they are engaged in decision­making processes, particularly those that have an impact on child safety and protection.
  • All adults in our parish, including staff, clergy, volunteers, parishioners and contractors have a responsibility to care for children and young people, to positively promote their wellbeing and to protect them from any kind of harm or abuse.
  • The policies, guidelines and codes of conduct for the care, wellbeing and protection of children are based on honest, respectful and trusting relationships between adults and children and young people.
  • All persons involved in situations where harm is suspected or disclosed must be treated with sensitivity, dignity and respect.
  • Staff, clergy, volunteers, parents, parishioners including children and contractors should be free to raise concerns about child safety, knowing these will be taken seriously by the parish leadership.
  • Appropriate confidentiality will be maintained, with information being provided to those who have a right or a need to be informed, either legally or pastorally.

4. Definitions
Child: A person below the age of 18 years unless, under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier.
Child abuse includes:
(a)  any act committed against a child involving:
(i) a sexual offence
(ii) an offence under section 49B(2) of the Crimes Act 1958 (grooming)
(b)  the infliction, on a child, of:
(i) physical violence
(ii) serious emotional or psychological harm
(c)  serious neglect of a child.

Child safety encompasses matters related to protecting all children from child abuse, managing the risk of child abuse, providing support to a child at risk of child abuse, and responding to incidents or allegations of child abuse.
Child neglect: The failure by a parent or caregiver to provide a child (where they are in a position to do so) with the conditions that are culturally accepted as being essential for their physical and emotional development and wellbeing.
Child physical abuse: Generally, child physical abuse refers to the non­accidental use of physical force against a child that results in harm to the child. Physically abusive behaviours including shoving, hitting, slapping, shaking, throwing, punching, kicking, biting, burning, strangling and poisoning. The fabrication or induction of an illness by a parent or carer (previously known as Munchausen syndrome by proxy) is also included in this definition of “Child physical abuse”.
Child protection: Statutory services designed to protect children who are at risk of serious harm.

Child sexual abuse: Any sexual activity between a child under
the age of consent (16) and an adult or older person (i.e. a person
five or more years older than the victim) is child sexual abuse.

Child sexual abuse can also be:

  • any sexual behaviour between a child and an adult in a position of power or authority over them; the age of consent laws do not apply in such instances due to the strong imbalance of power that exists between young people and authority figures, as well as the breaching of both personal and public trust that occurs when professional boundaries are violated;
  • any sexual behaviour between a child and an adult family member, regardless of issues of consent, equality or coercion;
  • sexual activity between peers that is non­consensual or involves the use of power or coercion;
  • Non­consensual sexual activity between minors (e.g. a 14­year old and an 11­year old), or any sexual behaviour between a child and another child or adolescent who, due to their age or stage of development, is in a position of power, trust or responsibility over the victim. Sexual activity between adolescents at a similar developmental level is not intended to be included in this definition of “Child sexual abuse”.

Mandatory Reporting: The legal requirement to report suspected cases of child abuse and neglect is known as mandatory reporting.
Mandatory persons include teachers, nurses, police, psychologists, psychiatrists and medical practitioners.
Reasonable Belief: When an adult is concerned about the safety and wellbeing of a child or young person, they must assess that concern to determine if a report should be made to the relevant agency. This process of considering all relevant information and observations is known as forming a ‘reasonable belief’. A ‘reasonable belief’ or a ‘belief on reasonable grounds’ is not the same as having proof but is more than mere rumour or speculation. A ‘reasonable belief’ is formed if a reasonable person in the same position would have formed the belief on the same grounds.

5. Policy Commitments
All children at All Saints Catholic Parish have the right to feel safe and be safe. The wellbeing of children in our care will always be our first priority and we do not and will not tolerate child abuse. We aim to create a child­safe and child­friendly environment where children are free to enjoy life to the full without any concern for their safety. There is particular attention paid to the most vulnerable children, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, and
children with a disability.

Our commitment to our children

  1. We commit to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people in our parish.
  2. We commit to providing children and young people with positive and nurturing experiences.
  3. We commit to listening to children and young people and empowering them by taking their views seriously, and
    addressing any concerns that they raise with us.
  4. We commit to taking action to ensure that children and young people are protected from abuse or harm.
  5. We commit to teaching children and young people the necessary skills and knowledge to understand and maintain
    their personal safety and wellbeing.
  6. We commit to seeking input and feedback from children regarding the creation of a safe parish environment.

Our commitment to parents and carers

  • We commit to communicating honestly and openly with  parents and carers about the wellbeing and safety of their children.
  • We commit to engaging with, and listening to, the views of parents and carers about our child­ safety practice, policies
    and procedures.
  • We commit to transparency in our decision­making with parents and carers where it will not compromise the safety of
    children or young people.
  • We commit to acknowledging the cultural diversity of our parishioners and being sensitive to how this may impact on
    child safety issues.
  • We commit to continuously reviewing and improving our systems to protect children from abuse.

Our commitment to our staff parish employees, volunteers, contractors and clergy (called “staff” for the purposes of this policy)

  1. We commit to providing all staff of All Saints Catholic Parish with the necessary support to enable them to fulfil their roles.
    This will include regular and appropriate learning opportunities.
  2. We commit to providing regular opportunities to clarify and confirm policy and procedures in relation to child safety and
    young people’s protection and wellbeing. This will include annual training in the principles and intent of the Child Safety Policy and Child Safety Code of Conduct, and staff responsibilities to report concerns.
  3. We commit to listening to all concerns voiced by All Saints parishioners and staff about keeping children and young
    people safe from harm.
  4. We commit to providing opportunities for staff of All Saints Catholic Parish to receive formal debriefing and counselling
    arising from incidents of the abuse of a child or young person.

6. Responsibilities and Organisation Arrangements
Everyone employed or volunteering at All Saints Catholic Parish has a responsibility to understand the important and significant role he or she plays individually and collectively to ensure that the wellbeing and safety of all children is at the forefront of all they do and every decision they make (Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne: Commitment Statement to Child Safety).

The Parish Child Safety Team in the parish comprises the following:

Parish Priest:
Fr Max Vodola
Telephone: (03) 9419 4349  Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Parish Pastoral Associate:
Sr Elizabeth Young
Telephone: 0448 809 134
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Parishioner:
Dr Eleanor Flynn
Telephone: 0412 347 811
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

Parish Child Safety Officer:
Sr Elizabeth Young
Telephone: 0448 809 134
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

Any of these leaders should be approached for any concerns about child
safety in our parish.

The duties of the Parish Child Safety Team are as follows:

  • Understand and implement Diocesan policies and legislative obligations across the parish.
  • Raise the profile of child safety across the parish.
  • Conduct child safety training programs.
  • Assist with proactive measures to safeguard children and vulnerable adults.
  • Assist in the parish audits of safeguarding practices and the management of the implementation of statutory and policy
    requirements such as Working with Children Checks (WWCCs) and National Police Record Checks.

6.1 Guide to Responsibilities of Parish Leadership

The Parish Priest, the Parish Leadership Team, the Finance Committee, visiting clergy and coordinators of parish groups and
ministries at All Saints Catholic Parish recognise their particular responsibility to ensure the development of preventative and proactive strategies that promote a culture of openness, awareness of, and shared responsibility for, child safety. Responsibilities include:

  • creating an environment for children and young people to be safe and to feel safe
  • upholding high principles and standards for all staff
  • promoting models of behaviour between adults and children and young people based on mutual respect and consideration
  • ensuring thorough and rigorous practices are applied in the recruitment, screening and ongoing professional learning of staff
  • ensuring that parish personnel have regular and appropriate learning to develop their knowledge of, openness to and ability to address child safety matters
  • providing regular opportunities to clarify and confirm legislative obligations, policy and procedures in relation to child and young
    people’s protection and wellbeing
  • ensuring the parish meets the specific requirements of the Victorian Child Safe Standards.

6.2 Guide to Responsibilities of Parish Staff
Responsibilities of parish staff include:

  • treating children and young people with dignity and respect, acting with propriety, exercising their duty of care, and protecting children and young people in their care;
  • following the legislative and archdiocese processes if, in the course of their work, they form a reasonable belief that a child or young person has been or is being abused or neglected;
  • providing a physically and psychologically safe environment where the wellbeing of children and young people is nurtured;
  • undertaking regular training and education in order to understand their individual responsibilities in relation to child safety and the wellbeing of children and young people;
  • undergoing a National Police Check and WWCC prior to starting employment;
  • assisting children and young people to develop positive, responsible and caring attitudes and behaviours which recognise the rights of all people to be safe and free from abuse;
  • following the parish’s Child Safety Code of Conduct.

6.3 Organisational Arrangements
The Parish enacts this commitment to child safety through:

  • appointment of a Parish Child Safety Team comprising of the Parish Priest, the Pastoral Associate and one or two other members to oversee the implementation of the policy across the parish;
  • in accordance with the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne guidelines and protocols, all those participating in parish activities are required to have a valid and current WWCC;
  • there are processes for monitoring and assessing the continuing suitability of all those involved in parish activities, including regular reviews of the status of WWCCs;
  • regular training and education to be provided for parish staff and parishioners in order to understand their individual responsibilities in relation to child safety and the wellbeing of children and young people;
  • implementation of a Communication Plan utilising the parish’s weekly bulletin, website and notice board to ensure that parishioners are kept informed about child safety commitments, procedures and arrangements;
  • conduct yearly reviews of child safety procedures and arrangements across the parish.

7. Expectations of our Parish Staff – Child Safety Code of Conduct
At All Saints Catholic Parish, we expect parish staff to proactively ensure the safety of children at all times and to take appropriate action if there are concerns about the safety of any child in the parish environment. All staff must remain familiar with the relevant laws, the code of conduct, and policies and procedures in relation to child protection and comply with all requirements. We have developed a Child Safety Code of Conduct, which recognises the critical role that staff play in protecting the children in our care and establishes clear expectations of staff for appropriate behaviour with children in order to safeguard them against abuse and or neglect. Our Code also protects parish personnel through clarification of acceptable and unacceptable behaviour.

8. Child Safety and Participation
At All Saints Catholic Parish, we actively encourage all children to openly express their views and feel comfortable about giving voice to the things that are important to them.
We discuss with our children what they can do if they feel unsafe and enable them to understand, identify, discuss and report on child safety. We listen to and act on any concerns children or their parents or carers, raise with us.

General Parish

  • All parish staff and volunteers require an up­to­date WWCC
  • Adults should be particularly aware of the safe use of church toilets for children, as a place of heightened risk

Children’s Activities – Rules and Requirements

  • All leaders require an up­to­date WWCC
  • There should be a minimum of two adult leaders at all times
  • Children should be accompanied to the hall if they need to use the bathroom, preferably by a parent, relative or older sibling
  • Children under 3 years should be accompanied by a parent or relative

Children Involved in the Liturgy

  • All interaction between adults and children should take place in full public view
  • Altar servers or other children preparing for Mass should not be in the sacristy or other enclosed rooms with only one unrelated adult 

Use of Parish Hall outside of School Hours

  • Every group using the parish hall must have a designated person who takes responsibility for the event
  • This person must be in attendance at all times
  • This person must ensure that the Code of Conduct is upheld
  • All group leaders require an up­to­date WWCC
  • All group leaders must read, understand and sign the parish Child Safety Code of Conduct
  • There should be a minimum of two adults present at all times

9. Reporting and Responding
Our parish records any child safety complaints, disclosures or breaches of the Child Safety Code of Conduct and stores the records in
accordance with security and privacy requirements. Our parish complies with legal obligations that relate to managing the risk of child
abuse under the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic.), the Crimes Act 1958 (Vic.) and the recommendations of the Betrayal of
Trust report.
Our parish’s All Saints Catholic Parish Child Safety Reporting Policy, sets out the actions required under the relevant legislation when there is a reasonable belief that a child in our parish environment is in need of protection or a criminal offence has been committed, and provides guidance and procedures on how to make a report.
We work to ensure all children, families and staff know what to do and who to tell if they observe abuse or are a victim, or if they notice inappropriate behaviour.

Our parish has established internal processes to ensure that appropriate action is taken to respond to concerns about the wellbeing
and/or safety of children. Catholic parishes in the Archdiocese of Melbourne follow the protocols outlined in the May our children
flourish, Code of Conduct for Caring for Children, Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne.
The Child Safety Team plays an essential role in ensuring that our parish is a child safe parish. Staff and parishioners with concerns about the wellbeing and/or safety of a child can seek advice from the Child Safety Officer and/or the Parish Priest, who can assist you to decide if it is necessary to make a report. If your concern is about the Parish Priest, you are advised to contact the Vicar General in the Archdiocese of Melbourne.

Our complaints and disclosure processes are outlined and detailed in the following policies and procedures:

  • The Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne “May our children flourish” Code of Conduct for Caring for Children, pages 14­18.
    http://www.cam.org.au/Portals/60/documents/Code­of­Conduct­booklet.pdf If you would like any guidance about how to report a breach of this Code of Conduct or a matter of concern, please contact the Office of Professional Conduct, Ethics and Investigation on 03 9267 0221 or after hours on 0417 774 504. The process for reporting and dealing with any concerns or breaches of this Code of Conduct will vary depending on the type of conduct and who is responsible for the conduct.

10. Screening and Recruitment of Parish Staff
All Saints Catholic Parish will apply thorough and rigorous screening processes in the recruitment of employees and volunteers involved in child­connected work. Our commitment to child safety and our screening requirements are included in all advertisements for such employee, contractor and volunteer positions, and all applicants are provided with copies of the parish Child Safety Code of Conduct and the Child Safety Policy.

When recruiting and selecting employees, contractors and volunteers involved in child­connected work, we make all reasonable efforts to:

  • confirm the applicant’s WWCC and National Police Check status and/or professional registration (as relevant);
  • obtain proof of personal identity and any professional or other qualifications;
  • verify the applicant’s history of work involving children;
  • obtain references that address the applicant’s suitability for the job and working with children.

We have processes for monitoring and assessing the continuing suitability of parish staff to work with children, including regular
reviews of the status of WWCCs.

11. Child Safety – Education and Training for Parish Staff
All Saints Catholic Parish provides employees, volunteers and clergy with regular and appropriate opportunities to develop their knowledge of, openness to and ability to address child safety matters. This includes induction, ongoing training and professional learning to ensure that everyone understands their professional and legal obligations and responsibilities, and the procedures for reporting suspicion of child abuse and neglect.
At least each year or at point of need, all new employees and those currently participating in ministry roles will be required to participate in a Child Safety training program.

The program will specifically comprise:

  • training and familiarisation around all Child Safety policies and their implementation in this parish;
  • a signed commitment to the parish’s Child Safety Code of Conduct;
  • ongoing training and development as needed

12. Risk Management
At All Saints Catholic Parish we are committed to proactively and systematically identifying and assessing risks to child safety across our whole parish environment (physical and online), and reducing or eliminating (where possible) all potential sources of harm. We
document, implement, monitor and periodically review our risk management strategies for child safety and ensure that the strategies
change as needed and as new risks arise.


The parish will enact this commitment through:

  • child safety as an agenda item in parish meetings
  • annual review of Child Safety Policy and procedures by the Child Safety Team

13. Relevant Legislation
Crimes Act 1958 (VIC) – Three new criminal offences have been introduced under this Act.

  1. Failure to disclose offence: Any adult who forms a reasonable belief that a sexual offence has been committed by
    an adult against a child under 16 has an obligation to report the information to police. Failure to disclose the information to
    police is a criminal offence.
  2. Failure to protect offence: The offence will apply where there is a substantial risk that a child under the age of 16
    under the care, supervision or authority of a relevant organisation will become a victim of a sexual offence
    committed by an adult associated with that organisation. A person in a position of authority in the organisation will commit
    an offence if they know of the risk, but negligently fail to reduce or remove it.
  3. Grooming offence: This offence targets predatory conduct designed to facilitate later sexual activity with a child.
    Grooming can be conducted in person or online, for example via interaction through social media, web forums and emails.

14. Related Policies
Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne Policies

  • Working with Children Check Protocols
  • National Police Record Check Policy
  • Code of Conduct for Caring for Children, “May our children flourish”

14.2 Parish Policies:

  • Child Safety Reporting Policy
  • Child Safety Code of Conduct

15. Breach of Policy
Where an employee is suspected of breaching any obligation, duty or responsibility within this policy this may result in disciplinary
consequences.
Where the parish priest is suspected of breaching any obligation, duty or responsibility within this policy, the concerned party is advised to contact the Vicar General. If there is any reasonable belief that a criminal act has been committed, the concerned party is advised to contact Victoria Police.
Where any other member of the parish community is suspected of breaching any obligation, duty or responsibility within this policy, the parish priest is to take appropriate action to make the necessary reports and to contact Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne (Office of Professional Conduct and Ethics).

16. Review of this Child Safety Policy
At All Saints Catholic Parish we are committed to continuous improvement of our child safety systems and practices. We intend this
policy to be a dynamic document that will be at least annually reviewed to ensure it is working in practice and updated to accommodate changes in legislation or circumstance.
We will maintain a history of updates to the policy.

History of Updates to Policy

17. Inclusion of All
We will ensure that families and children have the opportunity to contribute. Where possible we do our best to work with local Aboriginal communities, culturally and/or linguistically diverse communicates and people with a disability.

18. References

  • Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne, “May our Children Flourish”
  • Catholic Education Melbourne Child Safety Policy Editable Template – June 2016
  • Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne 2016, Commitment Statement to Child Safety: A safe and nurturing culture for all children and young people in Catholic schools
  • State of Victoria 2016, Child Safe Standards – Managing the Risk of Child Abuse in Schools: Ministerial Order. 870, Education & Training Reform Act 2006, Victorian Government Gazette No. S2.
  • Victorian Government Department of Justice 2016, Betrayal of Trust Implementation.