The Carmelites in Australia and Timor-Leste welcomed today the release of the ACSL Safeguarding Audit report which found a ‘strong commitment to child safety across the religious institute’s operations’.
In what is thought to be one of the highest audit results achieved, Dr Ursula Stephens, Australian Catholic Safeguarding Limited’s CEO, said that the Carmelites “were able to demonstrate that 97 per cent of the NCSS criteria and indicators relevant to the institute were either fully implemented, or substantially progressed at the time of audit.”
The audit assessed the Carmelites’ progress in implementing the National Catholic Safeguarding Standards, a framework for the safety and protection of children in Catholic organisations.
Noting that the Carmelites are present in a range of ministries in both Australia and Timor-Leste, the audit report saw collaboration as a major strength in addressing issues of Safeguarding, especially around training and resources and sensitivity to different cultural environments.
“The same commitment to the safety of children, and seminarians, was apparent through the Carmelite Fathers work in Timor-Leste. The institute has engaged a local non-government agency to assist them in implementing effective safeguarding practices with culturally sensitivity. This strategy also includes ongoing training and safeguarding resources being translated in Tetum, the main language used in Timor-Leste,” Dr Stephens said.
The audit report provided six recommendations, including the appointment of a dedicated safeguarding officer for the Carmelites’ operations in Timor-Leste, to further strengthen their ability to provide a safe environment for all people.