Catholic Education, Diocese of Cairns

Queensland, Australia

(07) 4050 9700
  • Home
  • About
    • Catholic Education in the Cairns Diocese
    • The Catholic School Difference
    • History
    • Bishop’s Message
    • Executive Director’s Welcome
    • Reconciliation
    • Vision, Logo and Motto
    • Church Structure and Governance
    • Catholic Education Services
    • Policies, Directives and Guidelines
    • Modern Slavery Statement
    • Conduct, Complaints & Grievances
    • Safeguarding Children
  • Our Schools
    • Search Catholic Schools in the Cairns Region
    • Outside School Hours Care
    • 2022 School Annual Reports
  • Enrolling
    • Mythbusting FAQs
    • Who can Enrol?
    • Apply to Enrol
    • Fees and Discounts
    • Starting Prep
    • Early Learning & Care
  • Your Education
    • Religious Education
    • Curriculum
    • Contemporary Learning
    • Assessment and Reporting
    • Languages
    • Vocational Education & Training (VET)
    • Diverse Learners
      • Enrolment Support and Transitions
      • Students with Disability – Education Adjustment Program
      • Planning for Students
      • Specialist & Support Services
        • Cairns Catholic and Independent Schools Therapy (ACCIST)
      • Therapy and Disability Awareness
      • Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD)
      • Gifted and Talented
      • English as an additional language or dialect (EAL/D)
    • International Education
    • First Nations Peoples
    • Resource Centre
    • Continuity of Learning
  • Our School Communities
    • School Boards and P&F Executives
      • Constitutions
      • Code of Ethics
      • Templates
      • Prayers for Meetings
    • Information for Parents
      • Term Dates and Pupil-Free Days
      • School Transport Assistance
      • Student Care Insurance
    • The Reading Room
      • Student Health and Wellbeing
    • Parent Engagement
      • Parent Involvement at School
      • School boards and P&Fs
      • Volunteer Training
    • Catholic Faith Perspectives
      • The modern Catholic school and religious education
      • Information for non-Catholics
      • Reflections on Faith and the Catholic School
        • Readings and commentary
        • Prayers and Reflections
          • Prayers and Reflections 2021
          • Prayers and Reflections 2020
  • Careers
  • News & Events
    • Media & Communications
    • Critical Incidents & School Closures
    • Coronavirus COVID-19
      • Coronavirus COVID-19 Archived Updates and Advices
      • Coronavirus COVID-19 Resources
    • Latest News
    • Catholic Education Week
  • Contact Us
    • Contact Details
    • How to make a complaint
Home > About > Safeguarding Children
post

Safeguarding Children

 

Student Protection Contacts

  • Good Counsel College, Innisfail
  • Good Counsel Primary School, Innisfail
  • Holy Cross School, Trinity Park
  • Holy Spirit College, Cooktown
  • Holy Spirit College, Edmonton
  • Holy Spirit College, Manoora
  • MacKillop Catholic College, Mount Peter
  • Mother of Good Counsel School, North Cairns
  • Mount St Bernard College, Herberton
  • Newman Catholic College, Smithfield
  • Our Lady Help of Christians School, Earlville
  • Our Lady of the Sacred Heart School, Thursday Island
  • St Andrew’s Catholic College, Redlynch
  • St Anthony’s School, Dimbulah
  • St Augustine’s College, Parramatta Park
  • St Augustine’s School, Mossman
  • St Clare’s School, Tully
  • St Francis Xavier’s School, Manunda
  • St Gerard Majella School, Woree
  • St John’s School, Silkwood
  • St Joseph’s Parish School, Weipa
  • St Joseph’s School, Atherton
  • St Joseph’s School, Parramatta Park
  • St Mary’s Catholic College, Woree
  • St Michael’s School, Gordonvale
  • St Monica’s College, Cairns City
  • St Rita’s School, Babinda
  • St Rita’s School, South Johnstone
  • St Stephen’s Catholic College, Mareeba
  • St Teresa’s School, Ravenshoe
  • St Therese’s School, Bentley Park
  • St Thomas’s School, Mareeba

Our Commitment
Resources
Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy
School Student Protection Contacts

Our Commitment

Cairns Catholic Education is actively committed to fostering communities of safeguarding that recognise and uphold the dignity and rights of all children. We encourage open communication whereby families and communities are informed of relevant issues and participate in decisions about the safety of children.

It is particularly important to us to look for avenues to empower children to have a say and be listened to. We actively seek to become and remain informed of the causes and signs of child abuse and neglect. When we receive information about concerns or witness any matter relating to abuse of a child, we respond appropriately and report any such concerns to the appropriate authority. This includes contacting the police immediately where there may be immediate risk of harm to any person, especially a child.

Every person within Cairns Catholic Education who comes into contact, or works, with children seeks to uphold the dignity of all children and commits to establishing safe and supportive relationships. Cairns Catholic Education has documented policies and procedures to reduce risks to children and build a strong culture of safeguarding. All priests, brothers, sisters, staff and volunteers are expected to follow these policies and procedures and contribute to the culture of care and protection of all children. Each school has at least two Student Protection Contacts to whom students can report any inappropriate staff conduct towards a student/s that they feel is inappropriate.  

We plan, organise and review all activities involving children, proactively considering potential risks and strive to ensure risks are reduced, and eliminated where possible. Everyone is encouraged to communicate any area of concern or where you think our approach may need improvement. Anyone who brings forward a suspicion, concerns, knowledge or allegation of current or past abuse of a child to Cairns Catholic Education will be responded to sensitively, respectfully, actively and in a timely manner, in line with our lawful obligations and our own Complaints Handling Policy. We regularly undertake internal and external auditing of our safeguarding policies and practices to make sure that they always support a culture and practice that puts the safety of children at the centre of our thinking and action.

We listen to the voices of children as we constantly strive to remain vigilant and make improvements.

New laws starting on 5 July 2021 will mean:

  • Failure to Report Offence:  all adults must report sexual offending against children to the police unless they have a reasonable excuse (i.e. the offence has already been reported).  
  • Failure to Protect Offence: adults in an institutional setting (e.g. a school, church or sporting club) must protect children from the risk of a sexual offence being committed against them.  The law attaches a criminal penalty to wilful or negligent failures to do so

Children need the adults around them to take action to protect them from sexual abuse.  The new offences target behaviour that ignores or hides the sexual abuse of children. 

Resources

Support, information and advice for victims is available from:

  • Victim Assist Queensland
  • Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Wellbeing Services
  • Legal Aid Queensland and other legal services

Find more information about:

  • protecting children and supporting victims of child sexual abuse
  • child protection from the Queensland Police
  • when you can report to Child Safety Services.

Documents

Student Protection Handbook for Volunteers

Child and Youth Risk Management Strategy

Student Bullying – Prevention and Responses in Schools

Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy

Student Protection Processes and Guidelines

Safeguarding Children Statement

Websites

Office of the eSafety commissioner

Family and Child Connect

Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs

Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse – Final Report

Student Protection Contacts

A Student Protection Contact is one of at least two people nominated in each school, in compliance with the Education (Accreditation of Non-State Schools) Regulation 2017 (regulation 16 (3)), to whom a student can report behaviour by a staff member that the student considers inappropriate.

The Principal is always one of the school’s nominated Student Protection Contacts.  Other Student Protection Contacts are selected based on the Principal’s assessment of their appropriateness for the role, taking into consideration their position within the school, availability, skills and willingness to participate in specialised training.

Catholic School Authority Director of Catholic School Authority Governing Body Director of
Governing Body
Catholic Education Diocese of Cairns

Catholic Education Services – Diocese of Cairns

Bill Dixon

William Dixon
Director

Diocese of Cairns

Roman Catholic Trust Corporation for the Diocese of Cairns

Fr Kerry Crowley
Diocesan Administrator

School Student Protection Contacts

St Therese’s School,
Bentley Park

135-167 Robert Road,
PO Box 529
Bentley Park QLD 4869
Ph 4081 3400

www.stthereses.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Kathy Fleming

Kathy Fleming
Principal

Gwen Hobbs

Gwen Hobbs
APA

Donna Barlow

Donna Barlow
APRE

St Augustine’s College,
Parramatta Park

251 Draper Street
Cairns QLD 4870
Ph 4052 9111

www.sac.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Glen Seivers

Glen Seivers
Acting Principal

Frazer Rigby

Frazer Rigby
Deputy Principal

Heath McKenzie

Heath McKenzie
Head of Physical Education

Brett Toombs

Brett Toombs
Director of Boarding

Mrs Renee Luff
Senior Girls Residence

Mrs Desiree Price,
Junior Girls Residence

St Monica’s College,
Cairns City

177 Abbott Street
Cairns QLD 4870
Ph 4042 4800

www.stmonicas.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Leanne Webster
Principal

Mrs Alison Krause
Deputy Principal

 

Our Lady Help of Christians School,
Earlville

18 Balaclava Road
Earlville QLD 4870
Ph 4280 7200

www.olhoc.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Deanne Garrett

Deanne Garrett
Principal

Toni Foley

Toni Foley
APRE

Amanda Squire

Amanda Squire
APA

Bridgette Lowden

Bridgette Lowden
School Counsellor

   

Holy Spirit College,
Edmonton

189 – 191 Bruce Highway
Edmonton QLD 4869
PO Box 591, Manunda 4870
Ph: 4052 9100

www.holyspiritcollege.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Lucas Felstead
Principal

Jamie Toll

Jamie Toll
Teacher

Toni Jones
Head of Campus

St Michael’s School,
Gordonvale

58 Mill Street, PO Box 64
Gordonvale QLD 4865
Ph 4258 4100

www.stmichael.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Jacqueline Jackson

Jacqueline Jackson
Principal

Emma Voyzey

Emma Voyzey
POL – Learning & Teaching

Cat Roach

Cat Roach
PoL Diversity

Brianna Hardy

Brianna Hardy
Teacher

Kelly Evans

Kelly Evans
Learning & Teaching

Justine Hind

Justine Hind
Finance Officer

St Francis Xavier’s School,
Manunda

5 Atkinson Street,
PO Box 565
Manunda QLD 4870
Ph 4037 9900

www.xaviercairns.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Narelle Harney

Narelle Harney
Principal

Natasha Dineen

Natasha Dineen
Teacher

Terry Geraghty

Terry Geraghty
Teacher

Melissa McDonell

Melissa McDonell
Position of Leadership – Diversity

Cathy McCarthy

Cathy McCarthy
APA

 

Holy Spirit College,
Manoora

13 Moignard Street
Manoora QLD 4870
PO Box 591, Manunda 4870
Ph: 4082 1900

www.holyspiritcollege.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Lucas Felstead
Principal

Mike Graham

Mike Graham
Head of Campus

 

MacKillop Catholic College,
Mount Peter

1 MacKillop Road, Cnr Mount Peter Road
PO Box 1027 Edmonton 4869
Mount Peter QLD 4869
Ph 4081 7600

www.mackillopcatholiccollege.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Andrea O’Brien
Acting Principal

Anna Harris
Assistant Principal – Students

Tegahn Maitland

Tegahn Maitland
Position of Middle leadership

Wayne Duda
Position of Leadership – Engagement

Kate Wilkinson
School Counsellor

Natasha Krauss
School Counsellor

Sarah Coleman
Deputy Principal – Head of Secondary

Ashlee Meerten
School Counsellor

Caitlin O’Meara
Deputy Principal

Mother of Good Counsel School,
North Cairns

394 Sheridan St,
PO Box 22N
North Cairns QLD 4870
Ph 4053 9700

www.mogc.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Katherine Boot

Katherine Boot
Principal

Geraldine Simpson

Geraldine Simpson
APRE

Andrew Barton

Andrew Barton
Teacher

Lisa Reeve

Lisa Reeve
Counsellor

Simon Grubb

Simon Grubb
APA

 
   

St Joseph’s School,
Parramatta Park

11 Loeven Street
Parramatta Park QLD 4870
Ph 4038 5100

www.stjosephscairns.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Gavin Rick

Gavin Rick
Principal

Marita Brown

Marita Brown
Assistant Principal

Robyn Chambers

Robyn Chambers
Assistant Principal

Alex Laffin
Counsellor

   

St Andrew’s Catholic College,
Redlynch Valley

185-205 Redlynch Intake Road,
PO Box 150
Redlynch QLD 4870
Ph: 4039 5200

www.standrewscc.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Ian Margetts Ian Margetts
College Principal
Paul Ford

Paul Ford
Head of College – Secondary

Theresa Redgwell Theresa Redgwell
Head of College – Primary
Tony Almond

Tony Almond
Assistant Principal Wellbeing & Diversity

Rebecca Russo

Rebecca Russo
Middle Leader – Wellbeing & Engagement

 

Newman Catholic College,
Smithfield

Panguna St
Smithfield QLD 4878
PO Box 831, Smithfield QLD 4878
Ph 4281 6790

www.newman.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Lauretta Graham

Lauretta Graham
Principal

Andrei Dobrota

Andrei Dobrota
Position of Middle Leadership

Yvette Bacic
Executive Assistant to the Principal

Holy Cross School,
Trinity Park

Reed Road
Trinity Park QLD 4879
PO Box 1026, Smithfield 4878
Ph 4050 6300

www.holycross.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Sarah Hamilton

Sarah Hamilton
Principal

Jacinta Roberts

Jacinta Roberts
APRE

 

St Gerard Majella School,
Woree

63 Anderson Road
Woree QLD 4868
PO Box 12131 Cairns DC 4870
Ph 4280 7300

www.sgmcairns.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Kelly Sheppard

Kelly Sheppard
Principal

Ann Blakeney

Ann Blakeney
APRE

Alyce Cahill
Counsellor

Lisa Doherty

Lisa Doherty
Aide

Simon Taylor

Simon Taylor
Teacher

 

St Mary’s Catholic College,
Woree

53 Anderson Road
Woree QLD 4868
PO Box 259E Earlville 4870
Ph 4044 4200

www.smcc.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Kerry Manders
Principal

Leah McBryde
Assistant Principal Junior Secondary

Justin Brennan
Assistant Principal Senior Secondary (Acting)

Peter Vollugi

Peter Vollugi
Head of Year 12

Sophie McQueen Head of Year 11

John Cahill
Head of Year 10

Saripha Curro
Head of Year 9

Andy Winter
Head of Year 8

Nathan Haydon
Head of Year 7 (Acting)

Holy Spirit College,
Cooktown

Cnr Hope and Burkitt
Cooktown QLD 4895
Ph: 4252 9100
PO Box 591, Manunda 4870

www.holyspiritcollege.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Lucas Felstead
Principal

Sila Pati
Head of Campus

 

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart School,
Thursday Island & Hammond Island

Normanby Street, PO Box 544
Thursday Island QLD 4875
Ph 4213 0050

www.olsh.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Majella Lynch-Harlow

Majella Lynch-Harlow
Principal

David Graham

David Graham
APRE

Tari Sagigi

Tari Sagigi
Indigenous Liaison Officer

Hannah Cantwell

Hannah Cantwell
Teacher

Briohny Jones

Briohny Jones
Teacher

 

St Augustine’s School,
Mossman

24 Grogan St, PO Box 327
Mossman QLD 4873
Ph 4099 7500

www.staugs.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Kym Bennett

Kym Bennett
Principal

Liz Ottone

Liz Ottone
APRE

Lynelle Broekhoff

Lynelle Broekhoff
Middle Leadership – Learning and Teaching

 

St Joseph’s Parish School,
Weipa

Boundary Road, PO Box 1409
Weipa QLD 4874
Ph 4214 6600

www.stjosephsweipa.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Megan Pearce

Megan Pearce
Principal

Michelle Gear

Michelle Gear
APRE

Melanie Turner

Melanie Turner
Middle Leader Diversity

Tash Tapper

Tash Tapper
Year 1A Teacher

   

St Joseph’s School,
Atherton

Cnr Alice & Jack Streets,
PO Box 829
Atherton QLD 4883
Ph 4095 9000

www.stjoeys.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Rita Petersen
Rita Petersen
Principal

Mary MacCallum
APRE

Toni Iacutone – School Counsellor 

St Anthony’s School,
Dimbulah

3 Hyde Street,
PO Box 128
Dimbulah QLD 4872
Ph 4094 6900

www.sta.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Rachelle De Iacovo

Rachelle De Iacovo
Acting Principal

Maria Ratumaibuca
APRE

Catherine Favaro

Catherine Favaro
Position of Leadership-Diversity

Mount St Bernard College,
Herberton

15 Broadway
Herberton QLD 4887
Ph 4096 1444

www.msb.qld.edu.au

Back to top

narelle hunt

Narelle Hunt
Principal

Stephen Godfrey

Stephen Godfrey
Acting Assistant Principal

Malcolm Fahey

Malcolm Fahey
Deputy Principal

Kayleigh Smith

Kayleigh Smith
Counsellor

Jodie Jackson

Jodie Jackson
Counsellor

   

St Stephen’s Catholic College,
Mareeba

McIver Road,
PO Box 624
Mareeba QLD 4880
Ph 4086 2500

www.sscc.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Gary Conwell
Principal

Simon Vaughan
Deputy Principal

Jayarani Salerno
Assistant Principal Students

Peter Graham
Guidance Counsellor

Katharina Lane
Guidance Counsellor

 

St Thomas’ School,
Mareeba

63 Constance St
Mareeba QLD 4880
Ph 4092 1570

www.stthomasmareeba.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Paul Rayner

Paul Rayner
Principal

Katrina Miller

Katrina Miller
APRE

Debbie Filippelli

Debbie Filippelli
APA

St Teresa’s School,
Ravenshoe

6 Moffatt Street,
PO Box 249
Ravenshoe QLD 4888
Ph 4095 9050

www.stteresas.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Michael Aitken
Principal

Mrs Katie Cole
Teacher

Karina Hogarth
School Officer

St Rita’s School,
Babinda

7-13 Church Street,
PO Box 363
Babinda QLD 4861
Ph 4065 9580

www.stritasbabinda.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Michael Rowe
Principal

Samantha Benvenuti

Samantha Benvenuti
Assistant Principal

 

Good Counsel College,
Innisfail

66 Owen Street,
PO Box 839
Innisfail QLD 4860
Ph 4063 5300

www.gcc.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Rosa Lanzo
Principal (Teacher)

Brenton Pappas
Assistant Principal

Peter Hume
Counsellor – Wellbeing

Gabrielle Doolan
Leader of Wellbeing 

Jacinta Goodes
Leader of Wellbeing 

Gregory Cullen
Leader of Wellbeing 

Good Counsel Primary School,
Innisfail

96 Rankin Street,
Innisfail QLD 4860
Ph 4063 0600

www.gcps.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Liam Kenny

Liam Kenny
Principal

Maria Caltabiano

Maria Caltabiano
APRE

 

St John’s School,
Silkwood

Harold Street,
PO Box 252
Silkwood QLD 4856
Ph 4065 9530

www.stjohnssilkwood.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Linda Gaia

Linda Gaia
Acting Principal

Debbie Daly

Debbie Daly
Acting APRE

 

St Rita’s School,
South Johnstone

8 Green Street,
PO Box 8
South Johnstone QLD 4859
Ph 4065 9500

www.stritascps.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Peta Bryan
Principal

Jan Gallagher
Position of Middle Leadership

Sinead Heaney  APRE

St Clare’s School,
Tully

13 Mars Street,
PO Box 97
Tully QLD 4854
Ph 4065 9550

www.stclares.qld.edu.au

Back to top

Karran Buzacott

Karran Buzacott
Principal

Sharon Chappel

Sharon Chappel
Acting APRE

 
  • About
    • Catholic Education in the Cairns Diocese
    • The Catholic School Difference
    • History
    • Bishop’s Message
    • Executive Director’s Welcome
    • Reconciliation
    • Vision, Logo and Motto
    • Church Structure and Governance
    • Catholic Education Services
    • Policies, Directives and Guidelines
    • Modern Slavery Statement
    • Conduct, Complaints & Grievances
    • Safeguarding Children
Policies Safeguarding Children Conduct, Complaints & Grievances

Enrolling

  • The Catholic School Difference
  • Our Schools
  • Search Catholic Schools in the Cairns Region
  • Who can Enrol?
  • Apply to Enrol
  • Fees and Discounts
  • Scholarships and Bursaries

For Parents

  • Term Dates and Pupil-Free Days
  • Parent Engagement
  • School Boards and P&F Executives
  • The Reading Room
  • Critical Incidents & School Closures
  • School Transport Assistance
  • Student Care Insurance
  • Federation of Parents & Friends Associations
  • Cairns Diocesan P&F Council

Quick Links

  • Links
  • Resource Centre

Staff Links

  • Veritas
  • Staff Email
  • Help Desk
NCSS
  • Aboriginal Flag
  • Torres Strait flag
  • We acknowledge the First Nations peoples of Australia, the traditional custodians of the land, seas, skies and waterways on which we reside, work, travel and meet. We pay our respect to First Nations elders past, present, and emerging, and support the Uluru Statement From The Heart. We acknowledge that the land, seas, skies and waterways of Australia were, are and always will be, that of the First Nations peoples.

Copyright © 2023 Catholic Education, Diocese of Cairns | Log in | Copyright | Privacy | Web Disclaimer | Conditions of Use

Join Us!

(07) 4050 9700