Education and Training

How we ensure our clergy, religious, employees and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge and support they need to keep children and young people safe


Part of the role of the Child Protection Unit is to facilitate education and training to ensure all Archdiocesan clergy, religious, employees and volunteers have the tools and information they need to implement our Archdiocesan child protection framework in parishes and create safe and welcoming environments for all children and young people.


Safe Environments for Children and Young People Training

Safe Environments for Children and Young People is the training provided to those who are mandated notifiers under the Children and Young People (Safety) Act 2017, which is all clergy, religious employees and volunteers of the Church.

Safe Environments for Children and Young People is a training program developed by the Department for Child Protection which teaches participants about the effects of child abuse and neglect, how to recognise the signs and indicators of abuse and neglect, and when and how to notify to statutory authorities.

Members of the Child Protection Unit are accredited trainers in Safe Environments for Children and Young People and have a background in social work or psychology. 

All Archdiocesan clergy, religious and employees are required to complete a 7 hour Child Safe Environments training, with 3 hour refresher courses every three years. All volunteers who have a role which has direct contact with children and young people are required to attend a 3 hour session with subsequent refreshers.

Abbreviated training sessions of 90 minutes are facilitated for all other volunteers. 

To find out about when Safe Environments for Children and Young People training sessions are scheduled and to register in a course, contact the Child Protection Unit on 8210 8159.