What happens if I report abuse?

A summary of the procedure when you do decide to report abuse is as follows:

Documentation
1. The Contact Person will:
• explain and answer any questions you may have,
• assist you to record in writing what happened.

If a child abuse or a criminal offence is alleged, the Department of Community Services or the Police will be notified (see below).

Investigation
2. The allegations may be independently investigated further.
This will include disclosing the allegations to the person agianst whom they are made and obtaining a response from them.

Consideration
3. The will administer the consideration of your complaint by the Professional Standards Committee under the Discipline Ordinance 2006. They will take into account:
(a) the nature and seriousness of the complaint,
(b) whether there is more than one complaint,
(c) whether there is more than one incident, or only a single incident,
(d) when the conduct occurred,
(e) the circumstances of the conduct,
(f) the ages of the complainant and the person complained against at the time of the conduct,
(g) for clergy – whether the person was a member of the clergy at the time of the conduct, or
for non-clergy – the position held or function performed by the person at the time the of the conduct,
(h) any corroboration of the complaint,
(i) any views expressed by the complainant as to their desired outcome,
(j) whether the person complained against has made any reparation for and, if so, the nature and extent of the reparation,
(k) any other offences committed by the person complained against,
(l) whether any part of the conduct has previously been disclosed by the person complained against,
(m) the practicability and likely effectiveness of the recommendation,
(n) such other matters as the PSC considers relevant.

Determination
5. There may be a Tribunal hearing in serious cases which are denied by the person complained against.

Outcome
6. Some possible outcomes are:
• conciliation
• apology
• reparation
• admonition
• training
• retraining
• counselling
• employment conditions
• employment termination
• for clergy - removal from Holy Orders
• for non-clergy – prohibition from involvement in church positions
• no further action be taken

Liaison with external agencies

All complaints that allege criminal conduct will be reported to the police.
The Professional Standards Director is in regular contact with the NSW Police as a member of the NSW Police Child Protection and Sex Crimes Squad Advisory Council, which is part of State Crime Command.

All information which raises the possibility that a child is at current risk of harm will be reported to the Department of Community Services.
The Diocese is, since July 2001, signatory to a Memorandum Of Understanding between the NSW Department of Community Services and other participating Churches in relation to a Protocol for dealing with allegations of abuse involving a child or young person by a church worker.