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Dr Kerrie Tuite, principal of Mount Alvernia College and president of the Association of Catholic Secondary Schools Queensland (ACSSQ), was appointed to the board of Catholic Professional Standards Limited (CPSL), which will develop, audit and report on compliance with professional standards across Catholic entities.
The CPSL was established by the leadership of the Australian Catholic Church in the wake of Royal Commission into child abuse, and represents a new national Church approach to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable people.
Dr Tuite is also a member of the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority Steering Committee for Senior Schooling Review, the Association of Heads of Independent Schools, the Australasian Alliance of Girls’ Schools and Franciscan Schools Australia.
Dr Tuite said she looks forward to playing an important role in strengthening child and vulnerable adult protections within the Catholic Church.
“Historically schools have been the location of some of the worst child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church,” she said.
“We need to be constantly vigilant to ensure that all the policies and standards are in place to protect children in our schools today and in the future.”
Dr Tuite added that it is just as important to be confident that these standards are being met.
“The attention of the Church leaders, with the responsibility for protecting children within Catholic schools and other places, should be sharply focused on this number one priority,” she said.
The Chair of CPSL, The Hon Geoff Giudice, said Dr Tuite comes to the Board with a wealth of experience working with children in Australia’s education sector.
“Kerrie knows as much, if not more, than anyone else about the way in which the Catholic Education system operates across Australia,” Giudice said.
“And given much of our work will centre on child protection standards within schools she will blend very well with our current Board Directors to provide expert guidance as we carry out the functions of CPSL.”
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