The Archbishop will appoint an Adviser(s) to be available to the respondent.  Advisers shall represent the needs of the respondent to the church authority and assist, where appropriate, with the care of the respondent and with communication between the respondent, the Designated Officer and the church authority/church organisation. The respondent’s Adviser shall not be the respondent’s therapist or spiritual adviser. Advisers should be particularly alert to the sense of isolation and vulnerability which a respondent may experience following an allegation of this nature. He or she will:

• accompany, if so requested, and be available after the respondent’s meeting with the church authority and the Diocesan Designated Officer;
• inform the respondent of his or her right to obtain advice in civil and Canon Law;
• identify any therapeutic or other needs of the respondent and suggest how these may be met;
• consider the wishes of the respondent in regard to a pastoral response by the Church to his or her family;
• be available to the respondent throughout the inquiry process and thereafter as required;
• ensure that the respondent is kept informed of developments in regard to the inquiry;
• represent the needs and wishes of the respondent to the Designated Officer, as required.  Appropriate training is provided to the Adviser.

Under no circumstances should the same Support Person be provided for the child or adult making the allegation/disclosure of abuse and for the respondent.

A Support Person(s) is appointed by the Archbishop to those who make an allegation/disclose abuse under these procedures. The person (who can be a child or adult) making the allegation will be offered a choice between a male or female Support Person.

The role of the Support Person(s) is to assist, where appropriate, with communication between the child or adult making an allegation/disclosure and the Diocesan Designated Officer.

• To facilitate the child or adult in gaining access to information and help.
• To represent their concerns during the inquiry process.

The Archdiocese will provide appropriate training to the Support Person.  The Support Person(s) is not a counsellor to the child or adult, and must not be or act as their therapist.  Support Persons must be particularly attentive to the expressed needs and objectives of the child or adult and the fact that some may be reluctant to seek help. Support Persons should, therefore, consider how any therapeutic or spiritual needs, of a child or adult who has made an allegation/ disclosed abuse, may be met and will be mindful of his/her ongoing vulnerability during this process.

In addition, the Support Person should:

• consider any wishes of the child or adult disclosing abuse, in regard to a pastoral response by the Church to his or her family;
• be available to the child or adult throughout the course of the inquiry process, and thereafter as required;
• ensure the child or adult is kept informed of developments in relation to them;
• represent the wishes and any therapeutic needs of the child or adult to the Designated Officer, as required;
• arrange, if considered helpful, a meeting between the child or adult and the Archbishop.

Under no circumstances should the same Support Person be provided for the child or adult making the allegation/disclosure of abuse and for the respondent.

The consultative Advisory Panel has been appointed by the Archbishop in order to advise and assist him at all stages of the investigative process into alleged abuse.

The Panel provides a consistent and accessible source of guidance, through a process of risk assessment, for the Archbishop who is charged with specific responsibilities for decision-making in response to alleged or actual child abuse involving a priest or religious.

The Advisory Panel provides advice on:

• the complaint itself;
• ensuring the safety and welfare of the child(ren) remains paramount;
• the appropriateness of providing help to a child making an allegation and to the family of the child;
• the appropriateness of the respondent continuing in his or her present pastoral assignment, having regard to the paramount need to protect children;
• how the right of the respondent to a fair trial, on any criminal charge, may be preserved and his or her good name and reputation may be appropriately safeguarded;
• whether a specialist Risk Assessment of the respondent should be sought;
• the needs of a parish or other community in which a respondent has served;
• the needs of the wider community, including the appropriateness and timing of any public statement.

The Panel creates a record of its recommendations and notes the matters upon which it has been asked to advise and the documents which it has considered.