Historical abuse

A message from the Principal

Over the past several months, I have been listening to our community and learning about our school's past, in light of the allegations of historical sexual abuse that were first raised in January 2024. I want to begin by acknowledging the extraordinary courage of all those who have come forward to share their experiences. Your bravery is a testament to your strength, and I am deeply grateful for the trust you have placed in me to listen and learn from your stories.

Any abuse is inexcusable. To all those who may have been affected by unacceptable acts by staff members, I want to acknowledge your pain and suffering.

I also want to extend an invitation to anyone else who may have been impacted but has not yet come forward, to reach out so that we can offer you our support and also further understand our past and learn from it. I am here to listen, and I will support you as you share your experience. You are not alone.

If you would like to reach out to me personally, I can be contacted as per the details below; however, if you would prefer to raise concerns with someone other than the Principal, I encourage you to explore the support pathways listed.

The events of the past have deeply impacted our school community, prompting profound reflection and shaping the way we approach our work today. Leadership and staff work hard every day to create a culture of openness and transparency, where children feel safe to speak up or raise concerns. Our Student Safety and Wellbeing officers, together with all of our staff, undergo continual training to better recognise harmful behaviours and to protect the wellbeing of all children in our care. We are vigilant in ensuring that our learning environments are safe and supportive for every student.

The School’s current child safety policies are listed below. These policies are in addition to Carey’s broader obligations under the Mandatory Reporting and the Reportable Conduct provisions and are in line with the Victorian Child Safety Standards introduced into schools following the learnings of the Betrayal of Trust Inquiry and the Royal Commission into Institutional Abuse.

I will continue to work with those affected and expert consultants in this field to ensure we will keep learning from the past. This process of healing and change is ongoing. We remain committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment for all students, now and into the future.

Sincerely,
Jonathan Walter
Principal