Safeguarding

What is safeguarding?

Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and vulnerable people and protect them from harm.

Safeguarding means:

• Protecting children and vulnerable people from abuse and maltreatment
• Preventing harm to children’s and vulnerable persons’ health or development
• Ensuring children grow up with the provision of safe and effective care
• Taking action to enable all children, young people and vulnerable people to have the best outcomes.

Safeguarding children and child protection guidance and legislation applies to all students in the Archdiocese and all young people up to the age of 18 seeking Archdiocesan services. There may be occasions where people older than 18 are responded to under a safeguarding policy. Vulnerable people are also responded to under these policies.

The Archdiocese has a statutory duty to protect children and vulnerable people in their care.

The Archdiocese has:

• Policy for Child Protection
• Procedures for Child Protection
• Designated lead for Child Protection – the Institute for Professional Standards and Safeguarding (IPSS)
• Child Safe recruitment processes

Need more information on safeguarding?

Read Ten points in Safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults, adapted from U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Read Keeping Children and Young People Safe, ACT Government

Read Defining Reportable Conduct, Ombudsman NSW

Read Keep them safe: A shared approach to child well-being – FAQs, NSW Government

If you have any concerns about reportable conduct in the Archdiocese, please contact the Institute for Professional Standards and Safeguarding.