Office of Safeguarding staff undertook their annual development day on 1 July. The day was filled with professional development, with a focus on vicarious trauma, and we worked together to develop a staff charter. Following significant structural changes at the end of 2025, the OoSG has been strengthening bonds and revitalising our services.

Intake and compliance remain contactable Monday to Friday 9 – 5pm on (02) 4979 1390, or anytime [email protected]. Our intake case managers are led by Julia Edwards, a highly experienced former DCJ caseworker, who also spent time working for NSW Health as a Child Protection Social Worker and at the Federal/Family Court as a Court Child Expert. Intake case managers are highly experienced, coming from backgrounds in child protection in statutory authorities and community agencies.

If you have concerns for a child or vulnerable adult within the diocese, please speak to your local leader (school principal or another member of the school leadership, parish priest, Centre Director or OOSH Coordinator) in the first instance. Your local leader will determine whether they will escalate your concern to the OoSG, or if it can be managed at the local level.

Our inquiries and risk case managers are our investigative arm. Led by Melinda Kilkeary, a detective who has worked at the Child Abuse Squad (Joint Child Protection Response Program) and former teacher for a brief period, inquiries case managers also have a strong background in child protection and care services in both the government and the community.

These professionals manage complex inquiries that often have Police and DCJ involvement. The inquiries team gathers evidence, assesses and manages risk, and conducts interviews with a range of Diocesan personnel, children and others.

The OoSG remains independent from the broader diocese, which allows us to conduct high level administrative inquiries with minimal conflicts of interest. We work alongside statutory authorities like the police, Office of Children’s Guardian, and DCJ.

Alongside ‘intake’ and ‘inquiries’ is our claims and redress team. Led by Suede Stanton-Drudy, a highly experienced legal practitioner, this team manages the Diocese’s portfolio of personal injury claims and responds to ‘requests for information’ from the National Redress Scheme. The claims team works closely with specialist legal firms and multiple parishes and agencies within the Diocese to locate records and other evidence to test the merit of claims.

The OoSG recognises that whilst the Diocese’s abuse crisis is historic, the damage inflicted and the pain it causes is present today.

In late 2026 we hope to relaunch our public safeguarding website – brand new look, updated content, and revitalised navigation. Stay tuned for exciting developments in this space.

If you would like to order hard copy brochures or activity books for your school, parish or service, please use our resource order form below or alternatively, you can order in-house print resources – please use the email below outlining your needs: