Anglican Bishop of Grafton Quits over 'Failings' in Child Abuse Complaints

By Nick Ralston
Sydney Morning Herald
May 18, 2013

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/anglican-bishop-of-grafton-quits-over-failings-in-child-abuse-complaints-20130518-2jsx4.html

An Anglican bishop has resigned over his failure to properly pass on child sex abuse complaints at a children's home on the NSW north coast.

Keith Slater has stood down as the Bishop of the Diocese of Grafton, apologising for his ''past failings'' in the management of claims of abuse at the North Coast Children's Home in Lismore.

''I apologise to those who bravely came forward to tell their story of abuse and were turned away,'' he said in a statement. ''I acknowledge the pain and further damage that this response may have caused.''

In 2006 the Anglican Diocese of Grafton received a number of claims alleging acts of ''physical, psychological and sexual abuse'' at the home between the 1940s and the 1980s.

The alleged perpetrators included staff, visiting clergy, members of holiday host families and other residents.

Thirty-nine claims were settled in 2007 at which time seven other complainants came forward. Two others did not accept the conditions offered.

An audit of how these complaints were handled was undertaken in preparation for the royal commission into child sex abuse, with the initial findings indicating that the proper protocols ''had not always been applied''.

Bishop Slater said this included his failure to pass on some matters detailing sexual abuse at the home to the professional standards director.

Such a complaint is passed on to the director to ensure the ''complaint is managed and investigated in a way that provides support to the complainant''.

''I acknowledge and apologise for my past failings in the management of claims of abuse in the Diocese of Grafton,'' he said. ''I acknowledge and apologise for the additional pain and damage that my decisions have caused to the survivors of abuse who came forward to share their story with me and seek assistance.''

He said all information was now with the professional standards director and police.

A statement on behalf of the Anglican Diocese of Grafton says it commends Bishop Slater for his ''honest acknowledgement of mistakes'' and affirm him in his ''generosity and courage'' in resigning.