The office of Director of Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Persons (“Director of Safeguarding”) was established by the decree of William Wright, the Bishop of Maitland-Newcastle, on 24 May 2019.
The Office of Safeguarding was officially launched on 2 September 2019, as part of National Child Protection Week.
It is the logical evolution of Zimmerman Services with a significant increase in its resources to support the Director of Safeguarding in fulfilling the provisions of the Director’s decree. The Office of Safeguarding is the structural expression of the Diocese’s commitment to demonstrate the highest standards of recognising and upholding the dignity and rights of all children.
The Office of Safeguarding is responsible for overseeing the safeguarding of all children and vulnerable persons who participate in the life of the Diocese as part of our faith communities in parishes, in our diocesan systemic schools and early education centres, as part of our welfare and community services through CatholicCare, out-of-school hours care, and other diocesan ministries. To reinforce the Office of Safeguarding’s autonomy, it is structurally placed outside other agencies and programs of the Diocese, whilst working closely with them to promote the precepts of safeguarding.
The following chart, showing the structure and reporting lines within the Diocesan Curia demonstrates the Office of Safeguarding’s autonomy from other operational services in the Diocese.
The Director of Safeguarding reports to the Diocesan Administrator, who is supported with independent advice from the Standing Committee for the Oversight of the Office of Safeguarding, (“Standing Committee”). The Standing Committee draws its mandate from the Diocesan Protection and Safety Council, which is a peak advisory body for the Diocese, providing guidance on a broad range of issues relating to safeguarding and the Diocese.
For more information on the Diocesan Protection and Safety Council:
The Office of Safeguarding is a small but important office consisting of two internal leaders and a team of dedicated staff with particular specialist expertise who work collaboratively to fulfill the mandate of the office of Director of Safeguarding and are committed to promoting the safety, welfare and wellbeing of children and vulnerable persons across the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle.
The Director of Safeguarding is responsible for fulfilling the obligations and rights of the ecclesiastical office.
The Director has particular focus and ongoing personal responsibilities, including:
The Office of Safeguarding is the organisational expression of the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle’s abiding commitment to promote the safety, welfare and well being of children and vulnerable persons. The Office of Safeguarding is an integral part of the Diocese, reporting directly to the Bishop’s Office. The Office of Safeguarding is placed outside the Diocese’s services, programmes and parishes, overseeing their safeguarding standards in operation. The Office of Safeguarding works with external statutory and Catholic authorities to fulfil its role.
Office:
50 Crebert St, Mayfield
PO Box 152, Mayfield NSW 2304
P: 02 4979 1390
E: childprotection@mn.catholic.
www.officeofsafeguarding.org.au
