Turning safeguarding into action

By Heather Excell

National Child Protection Week ran from 6-12 September 2026, and provided an opportunity for communities across Australia to reflect on the safety, wellbeing and rights of children and young people.

This year’s theme, ‘Every conversation matters, shifting conversation to action’ provided an important reminder that safeguarding is not simply about having conversations, but about what happens as a result of them.

The week concluded with Safeguarding Sunday on 13 September, bringing that national focus into the local Church. The Safe Communities Office released resources for the occasion, encouraging parishes to reflect on how they are creating environments where children and young people feel safe, supported, listened to and valued.

“Shifting conversation to action means making safeguarding part of everyday parish life,” Archdiocesan Safeguarding Officer, Di Kelly, said.

This work takes many practical forms across the Archdiocese, including screening and compliance for clergy, employees and volunteers, safeguarding training, Codes of Conduct, clear processes for responding to concerns and complaints, and regular parish assurance visits.

Parishes are also supported to consider practical ways to integrate safeguarding into their own communities, including through volunteer registers, the visibility of safeguarding information, risk management and the physical environments in which ministry takes place.

Safeguarding training has also continued to develop, with this year’s face-to-face sessions expanding their focus to include adults at risk and online safety, alongside the existing focus on children and young people.

At a leadership level, the Archdiocese has also been strengthening safeguarding knowledge and accountability. Leaders from across the Archdiocese and its agencies recently participated in leadership training run by Australian Catholic Safeguarding Ltd.

“Safeguarding is much more than having policies sitting on a website,” Di emphasised.

“It needs to be part of the way we operate every day. A genuinely safe Church is somewhere where everyone feels welcomed, listened to, respected and valued.

“Preventing abuse is obviously fundamental, but safeguarding should mean that everyone in our Church community is treated with dignity and respect.”

The Safe Communities office encourages everyone to use National Child Protection Week as an opportunity to reflect on the role each person can play in creating safe communities.

“Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility,” Di said. “You don’t have to be a safeguarding officer or member of staff to make a difference.”

Di hopes that the conversation will not end with National Child Protection Week, but will become part of the everyday life of the Church.

“We have to keep talking,” Di said. “We also have to keep moving forward and putting those conversations into action.”