CATHOLIC CHURCH Safeguarding

CRA works collaboratively with Church and non-Church bodies towards a robust approach to safeguarding within the Australian Catholic Church.

CRA has joined with the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference and the Association of Ministerial Public Juridic Persons through Australian Catholic Professional Standards Limited (ACSL) to enhance safeguarding across the Church.

ACSL was launched in December 2020 to oversee safeguarding, child protection and professional standards in Australia, creating a more focused and streamlined model. Read the CRA media release.

ACSL is responsible for the National Catholic Safeguarding Standards (NCSS) which were established to provide a framework to assist Catholic entities to build child-safe cultures. These closely align with the Royal Commission’s recommendations, and the 10 National Principles for Child Safe Organisations developed by the Australian Human Rights Commission and National Children’s Commissioner.

Adults at risk will also be incorporated into the NCSS. To learn more about the NCSS, click on the link above. To learn more about what ACSL does, click on the link .

Church documents that relate to safeguarding include:  

Integrity in Ministry is a document of Principles and Standards for Catholic Clergy and Religious in Australia. It provides a Code of Conduct for clergy and religious engaged in Ministry on behalf of the Catholic Church in Australia.

Integrity in the Service of the Church serves as a resource document of Principles and Standards for Lay Workers in the Catholic Church in Australia, employees and volunteers