Quakers - SANTRM - MfWfB - National Redress Scheme
RMSANT Clerk
Mon, Dec 30, 2019, 9:45 PM (12 days ago)Friends,
It is not our normal practice to hold a Meeting for Worship for Business in January. However, we will hold a special MfWfB on Sunday January 12th, at 1 pm at the Meeting House, following a request from the AYM Presiding Clerk for regional meetings to meet before Standing Committee in mid-January in order to discuss AYM’s decision to join the National Redress Scheme for victims of child sexual abuse (NRS). It is important to understand that we may be liable for inappropriate activities that may have taken place on properties held or operated by Friends. An agenda will be published for consideration, prior to the meeting.
Please find attached:
Standing Committee Briefing Paper
National Redress Scheme
With kind regards
David Barry (Co-Clerk SANTRM)
0425 29 22 88
2 Attachments
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SANTRM – Meeting for Worship for Business Sunday January 12, 2020, at 1:00 pm Adelaide Meeting House
Friends,
As previously indicated, SANTRM is holding a special Meeting for Worship for Business to discern the right response to AYM’s proposal to join the National Redress Scheme (NRS). https://www.nationalredress.gov.au/
The National Redress Scheme is in response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
The Commonwealth Government adopted the recommendation from the Royal Commission that the evidence base for the Redress scheme should be a ‘reasonable likelihood that abuse occurred’. Redress Scheme staff contacted the AYM Secretary to notify us that there were ‘claims against Quakers’. It has subsequently been clarified that the claims did not relate to The Friends’ School which had already joined the NRS. They are different claims.
Information provided by the NRS includes the following:
Under the Scheme an institution is considered responsible for child sexual abuse if “it was responsible for the abuser having contact with the child”.
Circumstances for determining an institution’s responsibility could include...if the abuse occurred on institutional premises; where activities of the institution took place; or in connection with the activities of the institution.2
We do not know how many claims have been made citing Quakers (individuals or Meetings) nor
what is being claimed. There may be one or several incidents relating to one or more Meetings over time. Information on claims is only provided once an organisation has gone through all the steps required to join the scheme.
Joining is voluntary. Many institutions have already joined as means to address mistakes in the past and of demonstrating a commitment to future child safety.
Organisations wishing to join the scheme have only until June 30th 2020 to complete the registration process. [Note: After June 30th 2020 organisations against which a claim has been made that have not joined the scheme will be listed publicly.]
Joining the scheme requires:
Does SANTRM agree to join the National Redress Scheme?
If so:
Who should be appointed to the role of National coordinator?
Who should be appointed within SANTRM to organise the required information gathering? (The Friend appointed can expect any necessary support from RM. For instance a letter authorising them to search the Archives etc.)
With kind regards
David Barry (Co-Clerk SANTRM)
0425 29 22 88
SANTRM – Meeting for Worship for Business Sunday January 12, 2020, at 1:00 pm Adelaide Meeting House
Friends,
As previously indicated, SANTRM is holding a special Meeting for Worship for Business to discern the right response to AYM’s proposal to join the National Redress Scheme (NRS). https://www.nationalredress.gov.au/
The National Redress Scheme is in response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
The Commonwealth Government adopted the recommendation from the Royal Commission that the evidence base for the Redress scheme should be a ‘reasonable likelihood that abuse occurred’. Redress Scheme staff contacted the AYM Secretary to notify us that there were ‘claims against Quakers’. It has subsequently been clarified that the claims did not relate to The Friends’ School which had already joined the NRS. They are different claims.
Information provided by the NRS includes the following:
Under the Scheme an institution is considered responsible for child sexual abuse if “it was responsible for the abuser having contact with the child”.
Circumstances for determining an institution’s responsibility could include...if the abuse occurred on institutional premises; where activities of the institution took place; or in connection with the activities of the institution.2
We do not know how many claims have been made citing Quakers (individuals or Meetings) nor
what is being claimed. There may be one or several incidents relating to one or more Meetings over time. Information on claims is only provided once an organisation has gone through all the steps required to join the scheme.
Joining is voluntary. Many institutions have already joined as means to address mistakes in the past and of demonstrating a commitment to future child safety.
Organisations wishing to join the scheme have only until June 30th 2020 to complete the registration process. [Note: After June 30th 2020 organisations against which a claim has been made that have not joined the scheme will be listed publicly.]
Joining the scheme requires:
- Confirming the organisational structure used for an application
- Demonstrating our capacity to fund Redress
- Providing current and historical information about all our Meetings (going back as best we can up to 100 years)
- Completing an agreement to participate
- Signing a memorandum of understanding
Does SANTRM agree to join the National Redress Scheme?
If so:
Who should be appointed to the role of National coordinator?
Who should be appointed within SANTRM to organise the required information gathering? (The Friend appointed can expect any necessary support from RM. For instance a letter authorising them to search the Archives etc.)
With kind regards
David Barry (Co-Clerk SANTRM)
0425 29 22 88
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SC12.19 Standing Committee Zoom Webinar Saturday December 14th 2019
Briefing and background notes
The webinar is designed to provide SC with background information to consider and discern:
Should YM join the National Redress Scheme (NRS) for people who have experienced
institutional child sexual abuse?
The Government adopted the recommendation from the Royal Commission that the evidence base
for the Redress scheme should be a ‘reasonable likelihood that abuse occurred’.
Redress Scheme
staff contacted AYM Secretary (JS) to notify us that there were ‘claims against Quakers’. JS clarified
that the claims did not relate to The Friends’ School which had already joined the NRS.
They are
different claims.
We do not know how many claims have been made citing Quakers (individuals or Meetings) nor
what is being claimed. There may be one or several incidents relating to one or more Meetings over
time.
Information on claims is only provided once an organisation has gone through all the steps
required to join the scheme. [The Government adopted the recommendation from the Royal
Commission that the evidence base for the Redress scheme should be a ‘reasonable likelihood that
abuse occurred’.]
National Redress Staff at the Department of Social Services run two-hour webinars providing a
comprehensive overview to the scheme. JS and AZ have both participated in an overview webinar.
A day-long fuller briefing session must be done in person. JS has completed this. [I’ll ask her to speak
about this session during the webinar.]
What does YM need to do to join the scheme?
Joining is voluntary. Many institutions have already joined as means to address mistakes in the past
and demonstrating a commitment to future child safety.
Organisations wishing to join the scheme have only until June 30th 2020 to complete the registration
process. [Note: After June 30th 2020 organisations against which a claim has been made that have
not joined the scheme will be listed publicly.]
Roger Sawkins, Jacque Schultze and I will meet via Zoom this coming week to work through
questions regarding the institutional structure and finances we would bring to frame and support
the application.
Joining the scheme now requires:
o Confirming the organisational structure used for an application
o Demonstrating our capacity to fund Redress
o Providing current and historical information about all our Meetings (going back as best we
can up to 100 years)
o Completing an agreement to participate
o Signing a memorandum of understanding
RS, JS and AZ conferred with Nelson File regarding the resources and time required within The
Friends’ School to join the scheme.
They are considerable, Friends, and we need to be clear
regarding what will be required of Friends in each Meeting, and work for the AYM Secretary should
we join. The application will require significant time and co-ordinated responses from Australian
Ffriends--worshipping groups, Local Meetings, Regional Meetings—providing timely, accurate
information to the AYM Secretary to complete all data entry components required by the
Commonwealth Department.
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