Child Safety
Child Protection Guidelines
The parish takes the safety, well-being and inclusion of all children very seriously and has policies and procedures in place to maintain a Child Safe environment.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne's Professional Standards Unit (PSU) was established to further enhance and strengthen capacity to safeguard children and vulnerable people across the Archdiocese. Contact
See more about the Professional Standards Unit on the Archdiocese's website
The Australian Jesuit's Policy for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults is:
"Australian Province Of The Society Of Jesus – Code of Conduct"
Members of the Parish Safeguarding Committee are: Fr Des Dwyer SJ, Liz Frazer, Monica Anastasopoulos, Claire Harrison, Berny Kirwan, Chris Ralph, Christine Walsh
Video message from our parish Safeguarding Committee
Application websites
Working With Children Check - see How To Apply for WWCC
Police Check (paper based, in person ID checks) - see How to Apply for NPRC
Police Check Online ( fully online) - see How to Apply for Intercheck
(Note: a current VIT covers WWCC and Police Check)
Hawthorn Catholic Parish is committed to creating and maintaining a child safe organisation, and has policies and procedures to achieve the Child Safe Standards:
1. Strategies to embed an organisational culture of child safety, through effective leadership arrangements
2. A Child Safe Policy or Statement of Commitment to Child Safety
3. A Code of Conduct that establishes clear expectations for appropriate behaviour with children
4. Screening, supervision, training and other human resource practices that reduce the risk of child abuse by new and existing personnel
5. Processes for responding to and reporting suspected child abuse
6. Strategies to identify and reduce or remove risks of child abuse
7. Strategies to promote the participation and empowerment of children.
Children and Young People are Welcome and Valued
Our parish will always do our best to welcome and protect you and we have a Code of Conduct to help us:
Child Safety in our Parish - how you can ask for Help
Code of Conduct Explanation for Children
Code of Conduct Explanation for Young People
Rights and Responsibilities for children
Information for Parents and Carers
Ways to Support and Encourage Children to Speak and Be Heard
Staying Safe online during COVID-19 (from Australian Government eSafety Commissioner)
eSafety Commissioner resources for Parents and Kids
Online Safety for Grandparents and Carers
Child Safety Training
The Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne's Professional Standards Unit (PSU) have a number of Child Safety Training videos
If anyone wishes to bring a complaint of abuse against any member of staff, present or past, of a Jesuit ministry, they may do so in any of the following ways:
a) If you believe a crime has been committed, contact the police 'Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team' (SOCIT) (Box Hill team) on 03 8892 3292
or call 000
b) Contact: Professional Standards Unit of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne - phone 03 9926 5630,
c) Contact: Fr Des Dwyer SJ – phone 03 8862 4000
d) Parish Child Safeguarding officer - Bernadette Kirwan (phone 8862 4020), Monica Anastasopoulos (phone 8862 4021)
e) Contact: Jesuit Provincial's Director of Professional Standards,
Mr Simon Davies - phone 03 9810 7300,
More information about Reporting child safety related misconduct and/or child abuse from the Professional Standards Unit of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne
