Catholic Group Seeks Survivor Input to New National Child Protection Standards

By Joanne McCarthy
The Herald
June 27, 2018

https://www.theherald.com.au/story/5492158/newcastle-city-hall-forum-for-child-abuse-survivors/

AN Australian Catholic organisation tasked with establishing professional standards to protect children has invited Hunter child sex survivors and advocates to discuss new draft standards at a meeting in Newcastle.

Catholic Professional Standards Ltd has already invited some Hunter survivors and advocates to the Newcastle City Hall consultation forum on Monday at 2pm, and issued an open invitation to all Catholic abuse survivors and advocates in a media statement on Wednesday.

The organisation issued draft National Catholic Safeguarding Standards in April, in response to the final report and recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

CPSL director of safeguarding, Kate Eversteyn, said the consultation forums taking place around the country were designed to hear from people abused in Catholic institutions, or directly impacted by abuse.

“We need to know, from the perspective of survivors, if the new standards we are developing will achieve what we are hoping for; a safer Church for children and young people and a more inclusive and responsive environment,” Ms Eversteyn said.

The 10 draft standards form part of a framework for Catholic Church entities to build child-safe cultures, she said.

They cover leadership, governance and culture; human resource and complaints management; education and training; communication with children and working with families, carers and communities.

Ms Eversteyn said the standards “build on the guidance” of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and the draft national statement of principles for child safe organisations from the Australian Human Rights Commission.

Any survivors, advocates or family members wishing to register for the consultation forum should contact CPSL on 1300 603 411 or info@cpsl.com.au