Safeguarding
The ongoing and active participation of Lower North Shore, volunteers and employees in governance and ministry, highlights the commitment and energy applied by the community in ensuring everyone is educated and trained in their obligations and accountability of Safeguarding children and young people.
The Lower North Shore Parish is committed to the care, wellbeing and protection of children and the vulnerable. The role of Safeguarding in the Parish seeks to ensure children and vulnerable people are provided with the fundamental right to be kept safe and respected. This right is held sacred in our Gospel, international local laws and within our Church policy and practice.
Please click here for further detailed information on the Diocesan Safeguarding Commitment Statement:
Code Of Conduct
Creating a culture of safety and care is about creating a culture where all personnel share the responsibility for promoting and ensuring the safety of the vulnerable and feel empowered to do so. Preventing abuse should be seen as the ordinary responsibility of all adults (CPSL, 2019).
The Code of Conduct of the Diocese sets out expected conduct about the behavior, relationships, attitudes and responsibilities expected of all personnel.
Induction and training
Staff and Volunteers (including clergy and leaders of the church) of the Diocese are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and vulnerable adults safe by attending an initial induction program and ongoing education and training opportunities. All education and awareness programs developed are in line with the learnings from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and consistent with the National Principles of a Child Safe Organisation, the National Catholic Safeguarding Standards and the NSW Child Safe Standards. The education programs place emphasis on learners developing skills that can assist in addressing the needs of the child through understanding child development, safety and wellbeing. Further, staff and volunteers are able to identify indicators of child harm, respond effectively and support appropriately.