Bishops Conference Safeguarding Commitment The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (the Conference) recognises the personal dignity and rights of children and adults at risk towards whom it has a special responsibility and duty of care and respect. This is a shared responsibility of all workers and volunteers of the Conference. All Conference workers, including contractors and volunteers, undertake to create a safe environment for children and adults at risk and to prevent their neglect, physical abuse, emotional abuse or sexual exploitation. The Conference aims to create a culture where safeguarding is a natural part of all planning, decisions and activities of the Conference and where all staff embrace being co-responsible for safeguarding as part of their Christian mission. The Conference adopts a zero-tolerance approach to child abuse. Conference will not tolerate any form of child abuse or sexual exploitation including the possession of or access to child pornography, as well as any other form of activity that diminishes the dignity of a child or adult at risk. The Conference takes its duty of care seriously and is committed to the safeguarding of children and adults at risk from various types of harm, abuse and exploitation in the delivery of services within Australia and overseas. For this reason, the Conference has developed a framework and associated procedures which aim to protect the rights of children and adults at risk, as well as Conference workers and representatives, through outlining systems and mechanisms for raising awareness, as well as for preventing, reporting and responding to issues related to safeguarding children and adults at risk. Click on the links below to access related Conference documents: Safeguarding Policy and Framework Code of Conduct Safeguarding Code of Conduct Safeguarding Complaints Procedure Safeguarding Guidelines Safeguarding Continuous Improvement ----------------------------------------------------------------- If you want to make a Safeguarding Complaint please contact: Safeguarding Coordinator: Mr Michael Willett michael.willett@catholic.org.au Phone: (02) 6201 9845 or General Secretary: Rev Dr Stephen Hackett MSCgensec@catholic.org.auPhone: (02) 6201 9845 ----------------------------------------------------------------- To find out about the broader Catholic Church approach to safeguarding and child protection, visit this page on the Conference website.
