Child Safeguarding Learning and Development Strategy Launched

Catholic Professional Stands Limited (CPSL) has released a comprehensive learning and development strategy to help Church leaders and their staff better understand and implement their responsibilities under the National Catholic Safeguarding Standards.

The strategy was developed using feedback obtained from Church leaders and personnel, child sexual abuse survivors and advocates, safeguarding experts and statutory authorities.  It is articulated to support Catholic entities to improve their safeguarding approach in accordance with the National Catholic Safeguarding Standards and the first three years of auditing and reporting under the CPSL Audit Framework.

There are eight core capabilities CPSL is focused on developing across the Catholic Church as foundational to the safeguarding of children.

1.  Understand that leadership and culture are integral to keeping children safe
2.  Understand the rights and dignity of children
3.  Understand the nature and impact of abuse and risk factors
4.  Apply strategies that place emphasis on genuine engagement with children, carers, families and communities
5.  Develop policies and procedures that embed safeguarding practice
6.  Implement effective strategies that identify, assess and minimise risk of child abuse in Church entities
7.  Respond in a timely manner to any concerns, disclosures, allegations of child abuse
8.  Monitor and review performance to identify opportunities for improvement in safeguarding

CPSL CEO Sheree Limbrick said the strategy was developed after consultation with Church leaders and personnel, survivors and their advocates, other experts and statutory authorities.

“It will strengthen awareness, knowledge, capability and capacity of Church entities to safeguard children and vulnerable adults who come into contact with the Church, in line with the Standards,” Ms Limbrick said.

“CPSL will deliver training, provide advice on a range of initiatives and establish a clearing house on the website of relevant training delivered by reputable providers across Australia.

“We will publish a range of resources and tools, examples of good practice from Church entities, links to support material from a range of agencies and experts in Australia and beyond, and provide support and advice as requested and required to all Catholic entities.

“The strategy will provide new information and support to Church leaders and their staff, it will not replicate work already being undertaken by Church entities in areas of safeguarding.

“It is will support Catholic entities to improve their safeguarding approach in accordance with the National Catholic Safeguarding Standards and the first three years of auditing and reporting under the CPSL Audit Framework,” Ms Limbrick said.

The Learning and Development opportunities are listed on the Training and Events page of the CPSL website.

Catholic Professional Standards Ltd was established by the leadership of the Catholic Church during the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse to develop national safeguarding standards, to audit the compliance of Church Authorities with those standards and to publicly report the results. CPSL is functionally independent of the Church.

Media contact: Judith Tokley +61 408 824 306