National Catholic Safeguarding Standards
The National Catholic Safeguarding Standards (NCSS) create a framework for Catholic entities to promote the safety of children and adults at risk.
The NCSS outline the policies and activities that will prevent, respond to, and support reporting of concerns regarding abuse. The Standards work together to ensure that every entity, ministry and organisation across the Catholic Church places the safety of children and adults at risk at the core of how they plan, think and act.
The 10 National Catholic Safeguarding Standards incorporate recommendations from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and also the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations, contextualising these requirements for the Catholic Church in Australia. The Standards have been adopted by the Catholic Church in Australia.
The first phase in developing the Standards focused on safeguarding practices to protect children. The second phase incorporates care and protection of adults, with a focus on adults at risk, in keeping with the recommendations of the Royal Commission. The second edition of the NCSS has now been published.
