Under NSW law, faith-based organisations or religious entities must comply with the NSW Child Safe Scheme if they provide services to children, or if adults have contact with children in their organisation.
Under the scheme, the 10 Child Safe Standards provide a framework to help organisations more effectively prevent, detect and respond to child abuse. The Office of the Children’s Guardian (OCG) provides resources and training to help faith-based organisations meet the requirements of the scheme and keep children safe from harm and abuse.
Getting started on implementing the Child Safe Standards
Many faith-based organisations have already taken significant steps to put the Standards in place and develop their child safe practice. However, there are some organisations that have further to go or are just getting started.
If your organisation is at this foundational stage, our new introductory guide for faith-based organisations (PDF, 5.82MB) will help you get started on implementing the Standards. Smaller, non-affiliated organisations will find this resource particularly helpful.
The guide sets out six steps to get the foundations in place.
Read more about the six steps to getting started and track your progress with these resources:
Continuing to build a child safe culture and practice
To build, enhance and maintain a strong child safe culture and practice, organisations should develop an approach of continuous improvement:
- Use part 2 of our introductory guide for faith-based organisations (PDF, 5.82MB) for further guidance on how to put the 10 Child Safe Standards into practice
- Regularly check your organisation's progress using the Child Safe Self-Assessment
- Share your customised action report from the Child Safe Self-Assessment with staff, management and board members
- Use the customised action report to review, plan and drive continuous improvement.
Other resources for faith-based organisations
We provide a range of other Child Safe resources and training to keep building knowledge and skills across the Standards. One area of importance is risk management. Our ‘on demand’ webinars look at how faith-based organisations can manage risks to children in their settings.
Requirements for faith-based entities under the Reportable Conduct Scheme
Under NSW law, religious bodies must also comply with the NSW Reportable Conduct Scheme if they provide services to children, or if adults have contact with children in their organisation. The OCG also administers this scheme.
Organisations have different sets of responsibilities under the Child Safe Scheme and the Reportable Conduct Scheme. The schemes work together to help organisations protect children and respond properly to allegations of child abuse.
Engaging sensitively with survivors of abuse
It is important for organisations to acknowledge and understand the legacy of past harms and to respond to survivors with integrity and compassion.
This guide is designed to help faith-based organisations re-engage positively with survivors of abuse without causing further harm. It offers practical advice, using a trauma-informed approach to respond to people’s experiences in a sensitive, effective way.
