Redeemer Baptist School flagged 15 times for child harm risks without inspector visits

A Sydney private school affiliated with a church has been repeatedly flagged for potential harm to children, yet authorities have never conducted on-site inspections, according to newly released documents. The school, Redeemer Baptist School in Parramatta, has received 15 notifications since 2004 indicating children may be at risk of significant harm. However, no face-to-face assessments were carried out by the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ).

The parliamentary inquiry into the school, prompted by a joint investigation by The Sydney Morning Herald and 60 Minutes, has uncovered multiple failures within the state’s child protection system. Reports detail allegations that the school imposes strict control over students, including dictating clothing choices and requiring children to reside with staff. Former staff and students have described experiences of sexual, physical, emotional, and spiritual abuse, urging the government to classify the school as a system of group-based coercive control.

The DCJ confirmed it relied on phone assessments and referrals to other agencies to address the reported concerns, despite whistleblower accounts and student testimonies of systemic abuse and forced communal living. Under New South Wales law, a child is considered at risk of significant harm if there are safety or welfare concerns, including assault, sexual abuse, psychological harm, and neglect. The department did not specify the categories under which the ROSH reports fell.

The school’s history includes a 1981 ban from providing out-of-home care for foster children due to concerns over isolation and family separation. At least 50 children have lived on the school grounds, including in elders’ homes. The ban followed the case of Elizabeth Bradbury, who alleged she was physically dragged by members and restricted from seeing her biological mother.

Despite the ban, the school was granted registration and accreditation two years later. When asked if the DCJ had notified education authorities of the ban, executive director Nicholas Backo stated the department could not confirm due to the passage of time and record-keeping limitations. The inquiry continues to examine the intersection of child protection and educational oversight, highlighting the need for accountability and transparency in safeguarding minors.

Source: Read the original report