Commission to Probe School's Response to Child Sex Abuse

Ipswich Advertiser
January 16, 2014

http://www.ipswichadvertiser.com.au/news/commission-probe-schools-response-child-sex-abuse/2142775/

A TOOWOOMBA school will be the focus of the first public meeting held outside of Sydney by the Royal Commission Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

The purpose of the hearing will be to inquire into the response by the Catholic Education Office, of the Diocese of Toowoomba in Queensland, to allegations of child sexual abuse at St Saviour's Primary School.

Held from February 17, the public hearing - the sixth since the Royal Commission was established - is scheduled to run for two weeks.

Royal Commission CEO, Ms Janette Dines, says the scope and purpose of the public hearing is to inquire into:

The response by the principal and other members of staff at St Saviour's Primary School in Toowoomba, Queensland, to allegations of child sexual abuse made against a teacher at the primary school in September 2007.

The response by officers of the Catholic Education Office, Diocese of Toowoomba, to information supplied by the primary school Principal at St Saviour's Primary School regarding the allegations of child sexual abuse received in September 2007.

The adequacy and implementation of systems, policies and procedures of the Catholic Education Office, Diocese of Toowoomba, and St Saviour's Primary School for the prevention, detection, investigation and reporting of allegations of child sexual abuse since 2007.

Any other related matters.

The hearing will be held at the Brisbane Magistrates Court.

"The Royal Commission has a national focus and in the first half of 2014 there will also be public hearings in New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia and the ACT," Ms Dines said.