GUIDELINE 8
Ongoing education and formation
Personnel are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and awareness to keep children and vulnerable adults safe through information, ongoing education, and formation.
Criteria
INDICATORS
8.1. All church personnel undertake formation and training programs to support the implementation of the UGF and the church body’s safeguarding procedures.
8.1.1. Regular training sessions are provided for church personnel, focusing on their safeguarding obligations.
8.1.2. Church personnel are well-versed in the UGF and the church body’s specific protocols to implement their safeguarding policies and procedures.
8.1.3. There is documented evidence of personnel participating information and training programs.
8.2. Church personnel are supported to respond effectively to safeguarding risks, concerns, disclosures, and allegations of abuse.
8.2.1. Church personnel participate in regular (annual) training that emphasizes children’s rights and addresses factors that may place children at risk of abuse, building knowledge to:
- Understand the nature and impact of child abuse;
- Understand the nature, factors, and impact of institutional abuse;
- Identify risk factors, such as grooming behaviors; and
- Understand, identify, and respond to abusive behaviors by a child towards another child.
8.2.2. Specialized formation and ongoing development are provided to those in roles with safeguarding responsibilities, covering topics like:
- Understanding abuse,
- Risk assessment,
- Civil and canon law requirements,
- Reporting abuse,
- Undertaking investigations and,
- Harmful behaviors exhibited by children.
8.3. Church personnel are supported in recognizing the factors that contribute to adult abuse, with a focus on vulnerable adults.
8.3.1. Education and training programs include materials addressing factors that may place vulnerable adults at risk of abuse, building knowledge to:
- Understand the nature and impact of adult abuse;
- Understand the nature, factors, and impact of institutional abuse;
- Identify risk factors, such as abuse of power and exploitation;
- Recognize how adults and institutions can be groomed, including how power imbalances can be exploited; and
- Understand what could place specific adults at increased risk of abuse.
8.3.2. Education and training programs equip relevant personnel to appropriately respond to and support anyone bringing forward concerns, disclosures, and allegations of abuse.
8.3.3. Personnel receive training on information sharing and record-keeping policies and procedures
8.3.4. Personnel receive training on reporting obligations under statutory/civil and canon law, which includes:
- Reporting suspected criminal behavior to police; mandatory reporting requirements;
- Reporting to regulatory authorities or government departments; and,
- Canonical reporting requirements.
8.4. Seminary and religious formation programs incorporate safeguarding curricula, preparing clergy and religious to understand and lead initiatives for safeguarding children and adults.
8.4.1. Seminary and initial formation programs build candidates’ knowledge and skills in a range of areas to build a culture of care and support safeguarding children and adults.
8.4.2. Seminary and initial formation programs include developing pastoral responses to victims and survivors of abuse.
8.4.3. Seminary and initial formation programs identify how to avoid abuse of power and the development and/or reinforcement of clericalist attitudes and behaviors.
8.5. Personnel receive training and information on how to build culturally safe environments for children and adults, as well as the ability to incorporate local cultural nuances in their safeguarding practices.
8.5.1. Key personnel participate in training initiatives or programs to enable integration of local cultural elements into their safeguarding practices, without compromising safeguarding measures.
8.5.2. Where appropriate, cultural safety training is provided to equip personnel to create culturally safe environments for First Nations and Indigenous people.
8.5.3. Where appropriate, relevant personnel are provided with training to equip them with knowledge and understanding of diverse cultural backgrounds and how to create safe environments for people from culturally and linguistically diverse groups.