Child Safety Policy

Building and Promoting a Child Safe Environment

At Holy Spirit Parish, Ringwood North, we hold the care, safety and wellbeing of children and young people as a central and fundamental responsibility of our parish community. Our commitment is drawn from and inherent to the teaching and mission of Jesus Christ, with love, justice and the sanctity of each human person at the heart of the Gospel.

We all have an obligation to prevent child abuse and identify risks early in order to reduce or remove them entirely. If you see something of concern, please let us know.

We all have a responsibility to understand the important and specific role we play, individually and collectively, to ensure that the wellbeing and safety of all children and young people are at the forefront of all we do and every decision we make.

Compliance Requirements

1. All parishioners should familiarise themselves with the contents of the key documents. Parishioners attending the premises during school hours – unless they are attending as a volunteer and meet the requirements at 2 below, or attending a school activity, such as a Mass - are to avoid contact with schoolchildren
2. All clergy, staff, contractors (except one-off contractors called to deal with an emergency task or repair [1]) and volunteers involved with children related activities, or using the premises during school hours are to:
   1. Familiarise themselves with the contents of the key documents, and
   2. Require:
   1. A current Working With Children Check (WWCC).
   2. A Police Check, and
   3. Completion of formation sessions on Child Safety.

The Parish Office is required to keep up-to-date records of WWCC checks and signed Code of Conduct documentation

3. External Groups who use parish facilities are to be informed that we are a Child Safe parish. The use of premises by such groups during school hours, or where activities with children are being conducted is not allowed.

Key Documents

• Holy Spirit Parish Child Safety Policy
• “May Our Children Flourish – Code of Conduct for Caring for Children – Archdiocese of Melbourne”
• Child Safety Code of Conduct for clergy, staff, parishioners and contractors involved with children related activities or using the premises during school hours
• Children’s Code of Conduct

Reporting and Responding to Child Abuse

Please report breaches of the Code of Conduct to the parish priest (or the Vicar General if the concern relates to the parish priest). See the Flowchart below:

“May Our Children Flourish”, Paragraphs 94-115 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.

 

Reporting Child Safety Concerns.

Please report any child safety concerns to the Parish Priest (or the Vicar General if the concern relates to the parish priest), or Child Safety Officers.

The Parish Priest and the Child Safety Officers may be contacted through the links or our Parish Office.

Child Safety Committee

We are forming a Child Safety Committee in 2019 with people who have completed the formation required by the Archdiocese. This will become the first point of contact for reporting any concerns, and addressing questions parishioners may have regarding Child Safety.

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