Introduction
At Holy Spirit we hold the care, safety and wellbeing of children and young people as a central and fundamental responsibility of our parish. Our commitment is drawn from and inherent in the teaching and mission of Jesus Christ, with love, justice and the sanctity of each human person at the heart of the gospel (Parish, agency and entity safeguarding responsibilities).
The Church's social doctrine constantly points out the need to respect the dignity of children. 'In the family, which is a community of persons, special attention must be devoted to the children by developing a profound esteem for their personal dignity, and a great respect and generous concern for their rights' (Apostolic Exhortation, Familiars Consortio, 26). Indeed, it was Jesus who, when his disciples were arguing among themselves about who was the greatest, directed his attention to a little child and said to his disciples, 'Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me' (Mark 9.37).
Purpose of the policy
The purpose of the Holy Spirit Parish Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy is to demonstrate the strong commitment of Holy Spirit to the care, safety and wellbeing of all children in our parish. It provides an outline of the policies, procedures and strategies developed to keep children safe from harm, including all forms of abuse in our parish environment, on site, online and in other locations used by the parish.
This policy applies to all parish personnel, including parish employees, volunteers, contractors and clergy. It is a condition of their roles that they sign the Safeguarding Children and Young People - Code of Conduct and Declaration upon their commencement and annually.
Principles
The Catholic Church has a moral, legal and mission-driven responsibility to create nurturing environments where children and young people are respected, their voices are heard and they are safe and feel safe (Parish, agency and entity safeguarding responsibilities).
The following principles underpin our commitment to child safety at Holy Spirit Parish:
- Our parish has zero tolerance of child abuse.
- All children are entitled to, as a fundamental right, safety and protection from all forms of abuse and neglect.
- Our parish works in partnership with families and the community to ensure that they are engaged in decision-making processes, particularly those that have an impact on child safety and protection.
- All adults in our parish, including staff, clergy, volunteers, parishioners, contractors, have a responsibility to care for children and young people, to positively promote their wellbeing and to protect them from any kind of harm or abuse.
- The policies, guidelines and codes of conduct for the care, wellbeing and protection of children are based on honest, respectful and trusting relationships between adults and children and young people.
- All persons involved in situations where harm is suspected or disclosed must be treated with sensitivity, dignity and respect.
- Staff, clergy, volunteers, parents, parishioners including children and contractors should be free to raise concerns about child safety, knowing these will be taken seriously by the parish leadership.
- Appropriate confidentiality will be maintained, with information being provided to those who have a right or a need to be informed, either legally or pastorally.
Information for children and young people and their families
The following posters will be displayed in the parish Church, chapel and parish house to inform children and young people and their families of the policy, how children and young people are to be respected and how concerns can be raised:
The Parish also recommends parents read A Catholic Parent's Guide to Keeping Their Kids Safe.
Parish, agency and entity safeguarding responsibilities
The document, Parish, agency and entity safeguarding responsibilities explains how the Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy is managed. Specifically at Holy Spirit Parish this is done through the Holy Spirit Parish Child Safeguarding Committee:
Version 6, 17th March 2024