Reporting

If you or anyone you know is in immediate danger please call 000.

All reportable behaviour^[1] and any concerns of Presbyterian Church of Victoria (PCV) congregations must be reported to the Safe Church Unit (SCU). This includes any issues or circumstances in which an adult or child is made or feels unsafe spiritually, emotionally, mentally or physically.

If there is no immediate danger, you are in doubt, or you are unsure about contacting the police, contact Kooyoora or your local church leaders.

• Kooyoora is an independent not-for-profit dedicated to delivering professional standards and safeguarding solutions to charitable entities. They have been appointed by the Safe Church Committee (SCC) to respond to all incident reports and complaints of misconduct within the church.^[2]
• Any child abuse will be reported to Victoria Police. Reportable conduct will be reported to the Social Services Regulator and Child Protection Services by the PCV's Clerk of Assembly as required.

Everyone is always at liberty to report directly to the police, the Safe Church Unit and external agencies. The Safe Church Unit is always available for advice and clarification.

Abuse Disclosure Process

In situations where you become aware of abuse it is extremely important that you do not compromise the situation in any way. The following process is intended to ensure that we hear the allegation and take appropriate immediate action to ensure the safety of those involved without compromising the evidence.

1. Listen, listen, listen... and do not add anything. As far as possible, only ascertain the gist of the allegation. Do not press them for information or push them to reveal the details of the abuse. Do not ask leading questions, rather listen carefully and if possible take notes of what they state, including any dates, times or locations of the alleged abuse.
2. Reassure them - they are not to blame, they are not alone, they have done the right thing in telling you, and you take what they have said seriously.
3. Ask what can be done to make them feel safe.
4. If listening to a child, other than telling them you will not tell the adult who is the subject of the disclosure, do not promise not to tell anyone else. Rather, say "There are people who can help you and I will tell them."
5. Finish on a positive note. Tell them you are pleased they shared this with you. Tell them you will share what they have told you with the Safe Church Unit so they can receive help.

Record exactly what was said, note the date and time, and report to the Safe Church Unit. If the situation is urgent or there is immediate danger, stay with them and call 000.

When listening to a child, remember:

• Children often talk about difficult or painful things in a roundabout way.
• Children need assurance from adults that it is OK to talk about upsetting things.
• Children often feel ashamed and frightened and find it hard to find the right words to explain.
• Being observant will help you pick up non-verbal clues about what is wrong
• A child may drop hints when something is wrong, for example, “I don’t like so and so. Do you like him/her?”
• Sometimes a child discloses abuse to a person who the child feels safe with or trusts. In this situation carefully listen, reassure the child and tell them you will help them.

When listening to anyone, remember:

• Do not compromise the situation by making comments, giving advice or adding to the allegations.
• Do not make a judgement about whether you think an allegation is true at this early stage.
• Do not be under the misapprehension that by treating an allegation with compassion you are prejudicing the rights of an alleged offender. This is not the case.