These steps will be taken:

1. OSDOP will take the details of the complaint and assess the nature of the information and appropriate process to respond to the matter. This may be done over the phone or in person and/or in writing.
2. OSDOP will ask you if you require immediate professional support and, if needed, refer you to its Healing and Support personnel to find the best supports for you at the time.
3. OSDOP will assess if the matter needs further reporting to external agencies such as NSW Police, NSW FACS and/or NSW Ombudsman.
4. If the OSDOP is managing the matter a response plan will be developed. This involves communication with the reporter about the next steps and how the matter will be managed.
5. A secure record will be kept confidentially at OSDOP.

This process will also occur even if the person you are lodging a complaint against no longer works or ministers in the Diocese of Parramatta.

Yes, you can. OSDOP recognises that at times anonymous complaint provide helpful information to a matter of safety and that sometimes people are afraid to identify themselves. The information will be received and considered as thoroughly as possible.

However, there are often real limits to a process when the information is received anonymously. It can mean that the information cannot be clarified or verified during an investigation. It can also impact on procedural fairness for an individual, creating challenges for conclusive findings to be made.

The Office will only inform the Police if the information is of a criminal nature that triggers our own reporting obligations about notifying a possible crime.

If this occurs, the Office will:

1. Advise you that we need to call the Police.
2. Ask if you would like to make your own Police report and support you to do this if needed.
3. Ask if you would like the Police to contact you for receive your report.

The response of the Office will depend on what the information is you are providing. If it is a matter that triggers a legal requirement to report information, or take some internal action, we are obliged to act on this. However, this would be in discussion with you. We will always discuss with you why you are seeking no action with the aim of understanding your rationale or any concerns that you have.