“Just tick the box and move on”: Australian Christian religious leaders reflect on safeguarding practices in their settings

Background

Child maltreatment remains a global problem with ongoing efforts needed to safeguard children and young people. The Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse prompted large scale reforms for organisations, however, there is limited research available on the quality and consistency of these safeguards in religious organisations.

Objective

This study aimed to explore Australian religious leaders perspectives on the current strengths and limitations of safeguarding practices in their settings.

Participants and setting

Twenty Christian religious leaders in Australia were interviewed online and asked about their role, current strengths in policies and practices, challenges and areas for improvement, and future directions.

Method

Participants attended a 60-minute semi-structured interview where data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Member checking and double coding were conducted.

Results

While leadership commitment and improvements to safeguarding policy and practice were evident, significant ongoing challenges were identified. Cultural resistance (often rooted in theological beliefs) and a perception of safeguarding as unnecessary external regulation impede meaningful change. Gendered power dynamics, a reliance on compliance focused approaches, and resource constraints also limit progress.

Conclusion

Our findings highlight the importance of prioritising contextual prevention strategies that leverage community-centred strengths to create safer environments and consider risks between peers and for vulnerable adults. Positioning safeguarding as core to mission, collaboration between religious organisations, and prioritising the voices of children and victim-survivors are key opportunities to strengthen safeguarding initiatives. These findings contribute to a growing body of research on safeguarding in religious organisations, providing practical insights and implications.