Trigger warning: sexual abuse, sexual assault, child abuse.
Eighteen months after the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse delivered its groundbreaking report, and nine months after the bishops and religious leaders responded to that report, Catholic Professional Standards Limited (CPSL) has published the National Catholic Safeguarding Standards (Safeguarding Standards).
Together, the ten standards published today provide the framework for each Catholic entity, ministry and organisation across the Catholic Church in Australia to place child safety at the core of how it plans, thinks and acts.
The royal commission in its final report outlined ten child safe standards for organisations. This work has been built upon by the Australian Human Rights Commission in its articulation of the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations, which were adopted by COAG in February of this year.
The Safeguarding Standards released today for the Catholic Church take the National Principles and apply them in a practical sense to the operations of the Church, as well as adopting many specific recommendations from the royal commission to the Catholic Church.
The royal commission exposed many gaps in church activities. These gaps were especially evident at a local level, in parishes for example, and in ministries where there has been no external oversight or there has been poor understanding or implementation of what is needed in an organisation to protect children.
The establishment of CPSL in 2016 signalled a concrete and practical response by the Catholic Church to the revelations of the royal commission and it provides an international blueprint for reform of the Church's approach to safeguarding. The specific brief for CPSL is to develop nationally consistent standards that increase accountability and transparency, to audit the performance of church authorities against those standards and to publish the results.
CPSL is functionally independent of Church leadership, we speak with our own voice, we make our own decisions and we act as we see fit and in the best interests of children and vulnerable adults.
"Preventing child abuse, in any form, must be at the core of the Church's mission."
Protecting children and vulnerable adults in an organisational context is multi-faceted and requires active commitment and constant vigilance. Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and requires that each individual in an organisation understands why safeguarding is important, how the organisation goes about it, what their individual responsibilities are to act and speak up, and how the organisation will respond when something is raised.
A child safe organisation consciously and publicly commits to putting the safety and wellbeing of children at the centre of values, thoughts and actions. To be effective, safeguarding requires genuine engagement with, listening, valuing and responding to children — respecting and upholding their rights and inherent dignity. The Safeguarding Standards strive to embed these practices within the Catholic Church. CPSL is about building capacity, ensuring vigilance and maintaining the Church's focus on the rights of children.
After nearly two years in this role listening to and engaging with all sorts of organisations across the Catholic Church, I have seen and heard evidence of great work, significant change and deep understanding and commitment in some areas. I have also sadly seen and heard people and organisations who are hesitant, resistant, denying, minimising and struggling to make the change of heart and mind required to drive changes that are needed. As a Church community, and indeed as an Australian community, we must always put the best interests and safety of children at the forefront of considerations and actions. Preventing child abuse, in any form, must be at the core of the Church's mission.
In addition to the Safeguarding Standards, CPSL is rolling out a comprehensive learning and development strategy to assist leaders to better understand and implement their responsibilities to safeguard. The CPSL audit approach has been developed to promote accountability and transparency. It focuses not just on compliance, but also culture change, capacity building and knowledge sharing so that Catholic entities are best-placed and supported to improve practices for the safety of children and vulnerable adults. Data gathered from the audits will assist CPSL to highlight systemic risks, identify new and emerging areas of risk, and support the treatment of these risks through capacity building, targeted resources and support.
The first audits against the National Catholic Safeguarding Standards are underway. It is anticipated the first audit reports will be published around the middle of this year.
Our next steps include continuing to work closely with church leaders and organisations to ensure the standards are understood and are applied as intended, work closely with state, territory and national regulators and other organisations to champion the safety and wellbeing of all children, as well as commencing work to broaden the current framework to cover the safeguarding of vulnerable adults.
With the release of the Safeguarding Standards today, the foundation has been laid for a more diligent, evidence-based approach to safeguarding the children who come into contact with the Catholic Church through its many ministries and services.
For confidential counselling and support call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800respect.org.au
Sheree Limbrick is CEO of Catholic Professional Standards Limited.
Main image: Estersinhache fotografía / Getty