A message from the Archdiocese of Sydney…
Child sexual abuse is a crime. The appropriate people to deal with crimes are the police. If you, or anyone you know, have been abused, please contact the police. Alternatively, you can contact the Safeguarding and Ministerial Integrity Office at (02) 9390 5810 or safeguardingenquiries@sydneycatholic.org. You may also want to speak to your Parish Priest who will be able to provide support and guidance. The Archdiocese has a legal obligation to report crimes to the police.
Commitment Statement
The emotional, physical and spiritual safety, well-being and dignity of children is an integral part of the teachings and values of the Catholic Church. The Archdiocese and the Parishes of Sydney Harbour North are wholly committed to ensuring the safety, well-being and dignity of all children, and acknowledges its important legal, moral and spiritual responsibility to create a safe and nurturing environment for those children.
The community has very clear expectations in matters relating to child protection and expects children will be protected from all forms of harm including sexual, physical and psychological harm, ill treatment and neglect.
The Archdiocese and The Parishes of Sydney Harbour support these expectations and strive to promote the safety and protection of children and other vulnerable persons in their care.
Key Principles
· The victims of sexual abuse are our first priority
· Preventing abuse and protecting people
· Sexual abuse is a crime which must be reported to police
· No protection of abusers and no cover-ups.
Safeguarding and Ministerial Integrity Office
The Safeguarding and Ministerial Integrity Office was established in the Archdiocese of Sydney in November 2015. The role of the Safeguarding Office is to raise awareness regarding our collective responsibility to protect the safety, well-being and dignity of children, young people and vulnerable adults within the Archdiocese of Sydney and to respond swiftly and compassionately in circumstances in which children are harmed, or at risk of being harmed.
To this end, the Safeguarding Office has been developing and delivering training programs on a range of Safeguarding protocols and procedures that work together to protect children from harm.
Safeguarding Induction Training
Safeguarding training covers a wide range of themes, including what to do if a child discloses abuse, unexplained injuries, disability and neglect.
It provides the skills and knowledge you need in order appropriately report the abuse or neglect.
The Safeguarding Office requires volunteers to do the following Online Training:
To complete the Online Induction Training you will need to first register by following this link:
Click here for the online Safeguarding Induction
Reporting Abuse
Child abuse is a criminal offence and the police are the appropriate authority to handle criminal investigations.
Sexual abuse has no place in the Church. The law requires serious crimes to be reported to the police and the policy of the Archdiocese is to report all allegations of sexual abuse to the police.
Police: If you have a complaint you can contact the NSW Police Child Protection and Sex Crimes Squad through your local police station or Crime Stoppers NSW on 1800 333 000. For all urgent matters regarding a child at imminent risk of significant harm please phone the Child Protection Helpline on 132 111 or 000.
More information can be found at www.police.nsw.gov.au or www.pcycnsw.org