Q & A: Is it really necessary to do "audits"? Why? How much time will this all take?

The short answer to the first question is "yes": Audits are necessary. 

Why? Because parishes have a moral, ethical, and legal obligation to address the inherent and foreseeable risks generated by their enterprises—on their premises, in their programs, and related to the people who are involved with them. In order to do this legitimately, properly, and completely, parishes need to examine and analyze—i.e., audit—what they do, how, where, when, why, and through whom, etc. 

An audit is a thorough examination of a program, service, or activity (e.g., Sunday School, Pastoral Visiting, Bible Study, Youth Mission Trip, etc.) or a position (e.g., Sunday School Teacher, Pastoral Visitor, Bible Study Facilitator, Youth Mission Trip Coordinator, etc.): nothing more, nothing less.

Conducting an audit involves asking and answering a series of questions (e.g., Why is this program being offered? What activities does it involve? Where does it take place? Describe the people served by this program. Etc.) honestly and fully, recording the answers and, on the basis of those answers, choosing prudent, reasonable, appropriate, and effective SafeR Church Measures to address the risks identified.

A number of people have raised the concern that audits will involve a whole lot of work and time and resources and expertise.

Each audit may take a couple of hours—you may find the first one takes the longest, the next less time, etc., as you become familiar with the process. Audits of complex programs and positions (e.g., Youth Group and Youth Group Leader) may take more time than others will take.

The only expertise you need is expertise you have—i.e., people who are involved or have been involved in the program and/or position, people who can bring a variety of viewpoints about the one and/or the other and, when you can, someone or more people who can bring an external perspective. The most important "resource" for audits is a group of people who care about the program and/or position, and who are willing to look carefully, clearly, and completely at the realities of the situation and to deal with them appropriately.

You may find it helpful to share the initial work of conducting audits with neighbouring parishes or to do one or more as a region. That’s great as a way to share the work and get started. At the end of the day, however, each parish must fine-tune or tailor each audit to reflect its own particular realities so that the SafeR Church Measures the parish chooses effectively addresses its particular realities.