The Royal Commission held a public hearing in Adelaide from Monday 17 to Monday 24 March 2014.

The public hearing inquired into the responses by the Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide, and the South Australian Police, to allegations of child sexual abuse at St Ann’s Special School.

The scope and purpose of the public hearing was to inquire into:

1. The circumstances in which Brian Perkins gained his position of employment at St Ann’s Special School.

2. The monitoring, supervision and oversight of Brian Perkins’s activities as an employee and as a volunteer at St Ann’s Special School.

3. The response of the principal and the board of St Ann’s Special School to allegations of child sexual abuse by Brian Perkins including communication with the parents of the children said to have been sexually abused.

4. The response, including internal review(s), to allegations of child sexual abuse by Brian Perkins at St Ann’s Special School, by the Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide (including the Catholic Education Office).

5. The experience of the parents of those alleged to have been sexually abused by Brian Perkins at St Ann’s Special School.

6. The circumstances around, and the basis for the payment of monies by the Catholic Education Office, Archdiocese of Adelaide to the parents of those alleged to have been sexually abused.

7. The nature of the investigation by the South Australia Police (“SAPOL”) into the allegations of child sexual abuse by Brian Perkins at St Ann’s Special School, including the circumstances in which Brian Perkins was able to leave the State of South Australia in or about 1993 and steps taken by SAPOL to have him return to South Australia.

8. The nature and extent of communications of the investigation and other related matters by SAPOL with the parents of those alleged to have been sexually abused.

9. Any related matters.