MSS Community
 safeguarding information and commitment

hands holding autumn coloured leaves
05/11/2020

The Missionary Sisters of Service recognise the inherit dignity of all people and are committed to creating and maintaining an environment that is safe, supportive, caring and nurturing for all children and adults at risk. In line with new national standards, together with our mission entity, Highways and Byways – Healing the Land, Healing Ourselves, Together, the Missionary Sisters of Service Community has available, safeguarding information, relevant policies and the mechanism to register a complaint.

The Missionary Sisters of Service Community Safeguarding Commitment Statement

We, the Missionary Sisters of Service Community, recognise the inherit dignity of all people and the Gospel imperative to protect and nurture those who are vulnerable. As a consequence, we are committed to creating and maintaining an environment that is safe, supportive, caring and nurturing for all children and adults at risk.

We make the following safeguarding commitments:

• We commit to zero tolerance of abuse, harm or exploitation of children and adults at risk.

• We commit to creating a safe physical and online environment, where children and adults at risk are respected, and their rights are upheld.

• We commit to a culture of safeguarding. Everyone under the auspices of The Missionary Sisters of Service Community, including our leadership personnel, members, staff, consultants and volunteers, are responsible for creating and maintaining a safe culture for children and adults at risk.

• We commit to having people who develop their education and understanding of safeguarding.

• We commit to having safeguarding policies, which are regularly reviewed.

• We commit to having processes to respond sensitively to allegations and disclosures of abuse of children and adults at risk and reporting to the appropriate authorities within a timely manner.

• We commit to doing all we can to ensure that children, families and communities are informed, participate and are involved in decision-making.

• We commit to equity, promoting diversity and upholding justice for the most vulnerable within our community, including children and adults at risk who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, or are from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds and/or live with a disability.

We commit to an effective and publicly available policy for the handling of complaints. Families and children are encouraged to communicate any their concerns or suggestions for how we may improve our engagement with children and adults at risk.

If you or someone you know has been harmed or adversely affected by a member of The Missionary Sisters of Service Community, please click here to find contact details for a Reporting Officer who will listen to your experience, respect your confidentiality and explain the available options to you.

Visit and download all our Safeguarding information, including relevant policies and how to register a complaint from the links below. This information also pertains to our mission entity, Highways and Byways, Healing the Land, Healing Ourselves, Together, which is part of the MSS Community:

MSS Community Commitment Statement

MSS Community Registering a Complaint

MSS Community Safeguarding Policy 2020

MSS Community Code of Conduct 2020