Safeguarding and Redress
“… any ill that befalls you makes me suffer too, just as any good thing makes me joyful.”
St John of God
Statement from The Provincial, Br Timothy Graham
24 July 2024
The Brothers of St John of God commend the NZ Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care on the occasion of the release of its final report and tabling in Parliament.
The Provincial, Br Timothy Graham, willingly appeared and responded honestly at a Commission case study into the abuse experienced at Marylands school and the Hebron Trust in Christchurch.
Now, as with all remaining Brothers, Br Timothy reiterates what he stated during the case study.
“On behalf of all the Brothers, I acknowledge the courage of victims of abuse and all those whom they represent who have been harmed in any way by Brothers of Saint John of God.
I and all of us have heard your pain and your anger.
The services the Brothers ran at Marylands and Hebron should have been places of nurture and safety for the vulnerable young people who attended.
The fact they were, for some, places of sexual, physical or psychological abuse is horrific and indefensible.
I offer an unreserved apology to all those harmed by a Brother of St John of God at Marylands or Hebron.
I extend this apology to your families, to the people who faithfully served at Marylands and Hebron, and the community of Christchurch and Aotearoa NZ.
I further apologise for the times when our response to those who were abused was not what it should have been.”
The Brothers no longer run such services in NZ but remain committed to responding to victims of historic systemic abuse with sensitivity and respect, and in a timely manner
_________
Media Contacts:
New Zealand enquiries: Mr David McLoughlin – dmcloughlin@nzcbc.org.nz
Safeguarding
The Hospitaller Brothers of St John of God are committed to fostering a culture of safety and care for children and vulnerable adults. Read more…
We have adopted the Australian National Catholic Professional Standards for Safeguarding children and vulnerable people. The standards and further information on the work of Catholic Professional Standards Ltd can be found on their website at https://www.cpsltd.org.au/ or by calling 1300 603 411.
Our commitment extends to cooperating fully with authorities in the investigation of abuse, no matter where or when it may have occurred.
We strongly urge any person who has experienced abuse to contact their local police and report it so that it can be appropriately investigated.
If anyone wishes to bring a complaint of abuse against any Brother or member of staff of a school or other ministry operated by the Brothers, they may do so in either of the following ways:
1. If the complaint relates to abuse of a child or young person, contact the police or relevant authority in your state. For urgent matters where a child is at risk of harm, contact the Police emergency number – 000 (all states).
2. Contact the St John Brothers’ Professional Standards Office via email at pso@oh.org.au
Redress
The National Redress Scheme is an independent process that provides survivors of institutional child sexual abuse with access to a direct personal response from participating institutions. This includes an apology, as well as counselling and monetary payments.
The Hospitaller Brothers of St John of God are a participating institution in the Scheme. This means any person who has experienced abuse in any of our facilities and associated institutions can have their claim assessed through the Scheme.
Under the rules of the Scheme, applications must be made directly to the National Redress Scheme itself. The St John of God Brothers are unable to accept any application. Information about the National Redress Scheme, how to make an application, and how to access free support services can be found on their website www.nationalredress.gov.au, or by calling 1800 737 177.
Documents
Oceania Province
- Safeguarding Policy – June 2021 – PDF download
- Risk Management Strategy – June 2021 – PDF download
- Complaint Handling Policy – June 2021 – PDF download
- Code of Conduct – June 2021 – PDF Download
Australia
Australian Catholic Safeguarding Ltd
National Committee for Professional Standards
- Integrity in the Service of the Church – Sept 2011 – PDF download
- Towards Healing – Jan 2010 – PDF download
- Integrity in Ministry – Jun 2003 – PDF download
Truth Justice Healing Council
- Guidelines for Church Authorities in Responding to Civil Claims for Child Sexual Abuse – Nov 2015 – PDF download
- Guidelines For Responding To Requests From Survivors Of Child Sexual Abuse Whose Claims Have Been Subject To Settlements – Nov 2014 – PDF download
Other
New Zealand
National Office of Professional Standards
Professional Standards Office
The Professional Standards Office of the Brothers of Saint John of God is located in Sydney and can be contacted by email at pso@oh.org.au
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