TOOWOOMBA Diocese has “performed strongly” in a newly published safeguarding audit.
Australian Catholic Safeguarding Ltd has released an audit report assessing the diocese’s progress in implementing the National Catholic Safeguarding Standards.
The standards provide a framework for the safety and protection of children and adults at risk in Catholic organisations.
ACSL chief executive officer Ursula Stephens said that the diocese has performed strongly, with 87 per cent of the NCSS criteria and indicators relevant to the diocese either fully implemented, or substantially progressed.
Brisbane archdiocese performed similarly well when external auditors assessed safeguarding practices in 2019.
Brisbane had fully implemented or substantially progressed in implementation of 84 per cent of indicators in the National Catholic Safeguarding Standards.
More work has been done since that time and another external audit of parishes is scheduled for the first quarter of 2022.
The audit started in January 2022 and included a review of the diocese’s safeguarding processes and policies, as well as site visits and interviews with key safeguarding personnel.
Site visits to a sample of parishes and ministries within the Toowoomba region took place in February 2022.
Dr Stephens said: “Toowoomba Diocese demonstrates a strong commitment to the care and protection of children by the diocesan leadership, who have implemented thoughtful and effective safeguarding practices in place within their parishes and ministries”.
“The diocese highlighted their inclusive Aboriginal Apostolate and their Special Religious Education support ministry for adults with intellectual disability,” she said.
ACLS has provided seven recommendations to the diocese to strengthen its safeguarding practices, including updating core safeguarding policies to address children as well as adults at risk, creating detailed risk registers at the level of each parish and ministry, and ensuring safeguarding materials are accessible for children and the local CALD communities.’
The audit report of the Diocese of Toowoomba is available on ACSL’s website.
