Parish Child Safeguarding
Parish Child Safety News
The conversations we have to have
As we journey through Lenten it seems a good time to continue the ongoing conversation about Child Safety and how best to protect our children, young people and the vulnerable. Through this ongoing conversation we create a nurturing environment where children are respected, where their voices are heard, where they feel safe and are safe.
We have a need to empower children and young people in our parishes and to create a safer future for them. The Royal Commission and recent studies have taught us that when children are; engaged, valued, informed and able to participate positively in parish life, this contributes to a child having a sense of safety and an awareness of child safety. This approach in turn is a contributing factor in helping prevent abuse. Once the conversation is engaged in, we begin to make changes.
During the next 3 Sundays of Lent we are focusing our attention on a few 2–3 minute video clips of an interview by Geraldine Doogue with Robert Fitzgerald, former Commissioner of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
These brief videos clips discuss numerous aspects of child safety, including:
- The need to begin the conversation of child safety with children and their families
- The need for a conversation that naturally takes place within parishes. (An open conversation)
- A reminder that Child abuse thrives on an environment of secrecy.
- The importance of Safeguards in establishing a child safe environment, and
- The impact of Abuse
To access the video clips, click on the links below:
Should you wish to discuss any issues surrounding Child Safety please do not hesitate to contact the school or myself at the parish office.
Peter Williams
Child Safeguarding Officer
St Francis Xavier & Our Lady Help of Christians Parishes
Tel: 03 9435 4742