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	Media Information Pack By Con Lynch Roman Catholic Diocese of Cloyne July 17, 2011 http://www.cloynediocese.ie/2011/07/media-information-pack/ CLOYNE DIOCESAN SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN COMMITTEE (CDSCC) Creating, maintaining and monitoring a safe environment for children in all aspects of Church life and activity Media Information Pack Q. What steps are being taken to prevent abuse of children by clergy from ever happening again? – a question in the minds of many. This information pack attempts to answer that question by describing the work done by Cloyne Diocesan Safeguarding Children Committee (Cloyne DSCC). It is designed to provide reassurance and update, to those who have been abused and to the people of the Diocese of Cloyne, through the good offices of the media. The information pack contains: v An overview of the Safeguarding Children Structures in the Diocese of Cloyne. (p2) v Description of the role of Cloyne Diocesan Safeguarding Children Committee (p3) v CDSCC – list of initiatives – achievements to date (pp 3&4) v Work currently in progress and *plans for remainder of 2011) (p 5). v Other relevant information (p5) v Copies of our policies, manuals, resource packs etc are available to members of the media – See list on p5. OVERVIEW OF STRUCTURES FOR SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN IN THE DIOCESE OF CLOYNE Safeguarding Children Structure at Diocesan Level The Structure for safeguarding children in the diocese consists of: (i) The Bishop or Administrator, who has overall responsibility for safeguarding children in the diocese. (ii) The Diocesan Designated Officer (iii) The Cloyne Diocesan Safeguarding Children Committee, which inter alia, monitors the effectiveness of the structure (iv) The Advisory Panel – a consultative panel of not less than five people appointed by the Bishop or by the leader of a religious congregation, to advise and assist during a child protection process. (v) The Support Person(s) who is available to assist the child or adult making an allegation of abuse. (vi) The Adviser who is available to help the respondent. (vii) The Safeguarding Agreement Coordinator who helps ensure best practice in the supervision of priests who are out of ministry. Safeguarding Structure at Parish Level (i) The Parish Priest/Administrator has overall responsibility at parish level (ii) The Parish Safeguarding Representatives also known as Local Safeguarding Representatives, whose role is to promote the safeguarding of children at parish level e.g. Raising awareness of what safeguarding is, disseminating information on safeguarding, ensuring safety in activities, ensuring wide publication of contact details of diocesan designated officer. (iii)AllChurchpersonnel including employees, volunteers, group leaders are obliged to abide by the prescribed safeguarding rules, procedures and guidelines. The role of Cloyne Diocesan Safeguarding Children Committee The safeguarding committee has responsibility for: Provision of training The safe recruitment of volunteers within our own service area Our role[1] is primarily focused on creating, maintaining and monitoring a safe environment for children and vulnerable adults in all aspects of Church life and for advising on the human resources required for implementing best safeguarding practice across services. Our role is supportive and developmental and is not related in any way to the management of individual cases of suspected or alleged child abuse CDSCC -list of initiatives -achievements to date In fulfillment of its role, of creating, maintaining and monitoring a safe environment for children CDSCC has put the following elements in place: (i) A SAFEGUARDING STRUCTURE is now established in each of the 46 parishes in the diocese and consists of: v Priests v Parish Safeguarding Representatives v Church Staff – sacristans, assistants etc v Volunteers and group leaders – leaders of choirs, liturgy groups etc (ii) Training to ensure that the Safeguarding Structure is efficient and effective include: v Training priests & parish safeguarding representatives v 100% of priests, retired or otherwise who are available for ministry are trained v 100% of parishes have at least one trained parish safeguarding representative. v Information Sessions In excess of 600 other church personnel have been trained by means of information sessions. Total Safeguarding Team now 877. (iii) Measures to ensure safe recruitment and selection v Application/Declaration forms/references now mandatory etc Garda Vetting required for all Church personnel/volunteers now mandatory Total vetted to date – 323 including 112 Priests. (iv)Measures to ensure safe activities v Policy Documents -diocesan policy document Safeguarding Children in the Diocese of Cloyne was produced and distributed to all priests and all parish reps. v A sample parish manual was produced and distributed to all parishes v Prevention Strategies Codes of behaviour, guidelines –supervision ratios. v Sacristy registers now in use in all parishes v Attendance registers for events etc. were designed and circulated to all parishes (v) Measures to ensure effective Responding and Reporting v Definitions. Signs & symptoms. Procedures were provided. Information – safeguarding poster with contact details of those with whom you can discuss your concerns displayed in all churches. Dedicated notice boards for child safeguarding material are now in the vast majority of Church porches and sacristies. Resources Packs, (parish packs) containing resources such as application forms, accident report forms, parental consent forms etc have been produced and distributed to all parishes (vi) Measures to ensure implementation (monitoring) v Parish check list to encourage implementation has been provided to each parish priest v Monitoring of Implementation –An audit of the implementation status of child safeguarding measures in every parish was carried out by members of the committee. (vii)Measures to ensure effective communication of the Church's safeguarding message Ongoing – Development of the diocesan website, diocesan communications facilities, newsletters, mini conference and annual reports. v Linkage with diocesan and other agencies – to share information, seek advice, carry out research, establish links etc. v Annual Reports – published on diocesan website. Regular meetings Work currently in progress Analysis of parish audits Examination of projects in work programme for remainder of 2011- individual members investigating allocated projects. Ongoing day to day work – producing additional documentation etc Plans for the remainder of 2011 -2012 Communicating the Church's safeguarding message Retraining current parish safeguarding representatives in line with the new guidelines. Training of newly appointed parish safeguarding representatives Publication of newsletter Holding of meeting/mini conference at diocesan level for members of the diocesan safeguarding teams Other relevant information New office – We have recently been provided with a new office in the CDYS Centre in Mallow. All members of CDSCC give voluntarily of their time and do not get paid. The chairman, a retired national school principal, took up his appointment as chairman of CDSCC in October 2009. He has third level qualification in child care studies and has experience at local and national level with both NPC-Primary and the INTO. . List of documents of which copies are available to media today Safeguarding Children in the Diocese of Cloyne. Parish Manual – Policy Statement, Guidelines, Roles and Responsibilities. Child Safeguarding Poster. Resource Folder for Parishes. New Forms from the National Board. Resource Pack for Keeping Safe Training. Certificates for Training. Acknowledgement Cloyne DSCC acknowledges the fulsome help and cooperation received from many individuals and agencies – the National Office for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church inIreland, Cloyne Diocesan Office Cobh, CDYS Mallow, the priests in the diocese, and especially Archbishop Clifford for the promptness with which he dealt with all issues raised.
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