The Rabbinical Council of Victoria Inc (RCV) has just launched its Child Protection Policy Program in Shuls in partnership with Australian Childhood Foundation. This vital project will prioritize the rights of children to protection from abuse by employees and volunteers in member shuls across the state. Working closely with the Australian Childhood Foundation, each participating shule will formulate an effective child protection policy and system to cover all of its programs and activities.

The member shuls will be participating in the Foundation’s Safeguarding Children Accreditation Program, which systematically builds the capacity of organizations to keep children and young people through

•enhancing and maintaining a collective culture that promotes the safety of children and young people;

•reviewing, designing and executing specific policies and procedures to protect children and young people;

•providing relevant training to management, staff and volunteers;

•engaging the involvement of children, young people and their parents/carers in safeguarding practices;

•implementing a consistent set of endorsed operational standards at every level; and,

•responding effectively to situations in which a child is abused or exploited by an individual involved in the management or delivery of a service or activity.

Dr Joe Tucci, CEO of the Australian Childhood Foundation applauded the RCV for taking this initiative. “It is an important commitment by any organization to become accredited under the Safeguarding Children Program. It will help everyone involved in shuls to understand their responsibilities to protect children and keep them safe”.

Dr Tucci said that “Safeguarding Children accreditation will demonstrate that each shul has achieved and maintained best practice standards for protecting children and young people from abuse and exploitation whilst they participate in the shul’s services and programs”.

Throughout 2015 the shuls will be attending monthly Safeguarding Children Workshops in order to develop their policies and procedures in line with the seven standards. The inaugural workshop was held this week.

Rabbi Moshe Kahn, Executive member of the RCV stated “The RCV is committed to safe guarding children, making sure that each and every child that enters our shuls is protected and that both the child and parent can know with confidence that best practice child protection is in place.”

216