Safeguarding Children

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 prevent 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.

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 Services – Diocese of Cairns	William Dixon Director	Roman Catholic Trust Corporation for the Diocese of Cairns	+ James Foley Bishop of Cairns

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

David Adams-Jones Principal

Brendon Napier APA

Sarina Gordon Leadership – Diversity

St Augustine’s College, Parramatta Park 251 Draper Street Cairns QLD 4870 Ph 4052 9111 www.sac.qld.edu.au Back to top	Matt Brennan Principal	Frazer Rigby Deputy Principal	Heath McKenzie Head of Physical Education
	Brett Toombs Director of Boarding	Clare Vant Head of Chavion Residence, Girls Boarding	Br Roger Vallance, College Counsellor

St Monica’s College, Cairns City 177 Abbott Street Cairns QLD 4870 Ph 4042 4800 www.stmonicas.qld.edu.au Back to top

Edna Galvin Principal

Terry Power Acting Deputy Principal Pastoral Care

Deborah Masson Guidance Counsellor

Our Lady Help of Christians School, Earlville 18 Balaclava Road Earlville QLD 4870 Ph 4280 7200 www.olhoc.qld.edu.au Back to top	Luke Felstead Principal	Amanda Squire APA	Toni Foley APRE
	Lisa Wunch Wellbeing Officer	Bridgett Lowden School Counsellor	Linda Mann-Jones Classroom Teacher

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

Erica Posser Principal

Tony Almond 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 Acting Principal	Bryan Grech APRE	Justine Hind Finance Officer / WHS
	Cindy Wallis School Officer	Bec Blades School Officer	Cat Roach PoL Diversity/Teacher

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 Principal	Natasha Dineen Teacher	Terry Geraghty Teacher
	Bethany Greene Teacher	Melissa McDonell Position of Leadership – Diversity

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

Erica Posser Principal

James Rendall Teacher

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	Luke Brown Principal	Janelle Newman Deputy Principal – Primary	Lyndal Rick Associate Principal – Religious Education
	Wayne Duda Leader – Student Engagement	Amber Stewart Student Learning Assistant – Teacher Aide	Sarah Coleman Deputy Principal – Secondary
	Liam Auer Leader – Student Wellbeing – Yrs 7-8	Kristina Armstrong Leader – Student Wellbeing – Yrs 7-8

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	Ruth Mallon Principal	Katherine Boot APA	Rachel Wing Wellbeing / Classroom Teacher
	Andrew Barton Teacher	Lisa Reeve Counsellor

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 Principal	Robyn Chambers APRE	Emma Ryan Assistant Principal Learning and Teaching
	Sharn Ward 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	Dr Sean Mangan Principal	Brad Greene Deputy Principal Senior Years	Anna Harris APRE Middle Years
	Bryan Schofield College Counsellor Middle Years	Gerri Simpson Acting Deputy Principal Head of Junior Years

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 Principal

Jacinta Roberts APRE

Jill Cutler Counsellor

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 Acting Principal	Ann Blakeney Teacher	Alyce Cahill Counsellor
	Lisa Galvin Student Welfare Officer

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	Ian Margetts Principal	Doug Belton Assistant Principal Student Wellbeing	Leah McBryde Head of Year 7
	Adam Shirvington Head of Year 8	Jacqueline Brophy Head of Year 9	Peter Volugi Head of Year 10
	Melissa Headridge Head of Year 11	Colin Free Head of Year 12

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

Erica Posser Principal

Jacqueline Israel Head of Campus

Mike Hayes Teacher

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 Principal	David Graham APRE	Briohny Jones Delegated Teacher – Kiriri (Hammond is)
	Seba Sabatino Indigenous Liaison Officer – Kiriri	Liz Binjuda Indigenous Liaison Officer – Waibeni

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 Principal	Liz Ottone Acting APRE	Alison Pendlebury Leader Diverse Learning
	Gayle Duncan Leader Social & Emotional Learning

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 Principal	Michelle Gear APRE	Melanie Turner Middle Leader
	Justin Smith 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 Principal

Tricia Lee Librarian

Melodie Weiss Teacher

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

Kath Porter Principal

Rachelle De Iacovo APRE

Mount St Bernard College, Herberton 15 Broadway Herberton QLD 4887 Ph 4096 1444 www.msb.qld.edu.au Back to top	Matt Brauer Principal	Dan Niemerg AP Student Wellbeing	Scott Whitters AP Residential
	Peter Graham College Counsellor	Stef Henebery College Nurse

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	Kerry Manders Principal	Simon Vaughan Deputy Principal	Jayarani Salerno Assistant Principal Students
	Havva Murat-Maksuti 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 Principal

Katrina Miller APRE

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

Katie Kilpatrick 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

Maureen Gaul 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	Brenton Pappas Assistant Principal-Wellbeing	Peter Hume School Counsellor with Teacher Qualification
	Gabrielle Doolan Leader of Wellbeing (Years 7 & 8) Teacher	Jacob Vecchio Leader of Wellbeing (Years 9 & 10) Teacher	Nav Batth Leader of Wellbeing (Years 11 & 12) Teacher

Good Counsel Primary School, Innisfail 96 Rankin Street, Innisfail QLD 4860 Ph 4063 0600 www.gcps.qld.edu.au Back to top

Liam Kenny Principal

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

Peta Bryan Principal

Debbie Daly Teacher

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

Greg Hoare Principal

Judy Billiau A/APRE & Leader of Learning & Teaching

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 Principal

Helen Andrews Teacher