_________
If You Have a Safeguarding Concern
If you are concerned about the safety or wellbeing of a child, young person or vulnerable person, please speak up. You do not need to be certain that abuse or harm has occurred before raising a concern. Your concern will be taken seriously and handled respectfully and appropriately.
If someone is in immediate danger, call 000.
If your concern relates to a child or young person, you can report your concern to the relevant government child protection authority. If your concern relates to a Church worker, clergy member, employee or volunteer, you can also contact Maria Hicks from the Institute for Professional Standards and Safeguarding (IPSS) of the Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn for advice or to make a report: phone: 02 6239 9806 email: ipss@cg.org.au
You can also speak with our Parish Safeguarding Officer, Carmela at: WestonCreek.Safeguarding@cg.org.au who can provide information about safeguarding processes and help you identify the appropriate person or agency to contact. You are not expected to investigate a concern yourself.
For further information, reporting options and contact details, please visit:
cgcatholic.org.au/professional-standards/reporting-abuse/
Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. If something does not feel right, trust your concern and speak up.
_____________
Our Commitment to Safeguarding
Our parish is committed to providing a safe, welcoming and respectful environment for everyone, particularly children, young people and vulnerable people.
Safeguarding is about promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable people and protecting them from abuse, harm and neglect. As a parish of the Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn, we follow the Archdiocese’s safeguarding policies, procedures and standards, which are informed by the National Catholic Safeguarding Standards and relevant ACT and NSW legislation.
Safeguarding is the responsibility of our whole parish community. All clergy, staff and volunteers are expected to act with respect, integrity and care, and to maintain appropriate professional boundaries. Those involved in child-related or other relevant ministries are required to hold the appropriate Working with Vulnerable People (WWVP) registration or Working with Children Check (WWCC), as applicable, and complete required safeguarding training.
All parish volunteers are also required to acknowledge the Archdiocesan Child Protection Code of Conduct, which sets out the standards of behaviour expected when serving within the Church.
Safeguarding is more than meeting requirements—it is about creating a parish culture where every person is treated with dignity, respect and care, and where everyone feels safe, heard and valued.
Our Parish Safeguarding Officer
Our Parish Safeguarding Officer is Carmela Sampaga. Carmela's role is to help promote a strong culture of safeguarding within our parish and to support parishioners, volunteers and ministry leaders in understanding and meeting safeguarding responsibilities. She helps ensure that safeguarding information is communicated within the parish, assists with safeguarding initiatives, risk management and training, and can provide a local point of contact for questions or concerns about safeguarding.
If you have a safeguarding question or concern, would like advice about your responsibilities as a parish volunteer, or have some feedback, please contact Carmela at WestonCreek.Safeguarding@cg.org.au. Concerns and complaints can also be reported directly to the Archdiocese’s Institute for Professional Standards and Safeguarding (IPSS) at IPSS@cg.org.au.
How We Manage Safeguarding Risks
Safeguarding is an ongoing responsibility, and our parish takes a proactive approach to identifying and managing risks to children, young people and vulnerable people. We conduct risk assessments for our ministries, activities and environments to identify potential safeguarding risks and put appropriate measures in place to prevent or minimise harm. This includes appropriate screening and training of volunteers, supervision, safe practices and regular review of our safeguarding arrangements.
Risk assessments are reviewed when activities or circumstances change, or when new risks are identified. Safeguarding is not simply about responding when something goes wrong—it is about identifying potential risks early and taking practical steps to create a safe, welcoming and respectful parish environment for everyone.
Resources
Child Protection Code of Conduct
Safeguarding Requirements for Volunteers
For more information about safeguarding, policies, reporting concerns and resources, please visit the Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn’s Professional Standards and Safeguarding page.