Church’s new child safety guidelines challenged

ARE the new Catholic Church guidelines, Safeguarding Children, really a step forward?

They include the following provisions:

“Preliminary internal” enquiries on receipt of an allegation to decide if it is “credible” before passing it on to the gardaí — an opening for more mistakes.

The bishop or religious superior is to be passed the allegation as he/she “must carry out a risk assesment”. What qualifies a bishop/religious leader to do risk assesments in a case of child abuse?

Advisory committies are to advise on the “appropriatness of the respondent” (accused) continuing in his/her pastoral assignment. No automatic stepping-aside.

“The primary method of ensuring compliance” with the guidelines is “by means of self-audit” — so we leave the diocese to police themselves with an audit by the National Board for Safeguarding Children (NBSC) only taking place once every five years.

A lot can happen in five years.

An annual report by the NBSC which will not be allowed to name non-compliant church authorities.

There is now only one way to ensure the safety of children. There must be the strength of law behind all child protection policies and those who ignore or subvert them should end up on a criminal charge.

Marie Collins

Firhouse

Dublin 24