AppointedLeaders

Link to SafeChurch >

Who is an "Appointed Leader" for safe church purposes?

• See letter here.

• See registration policy here.

• Some key phrases concerning the changes are:
  • This includes, but is not limited to, Lay Preachers, Elders, Church Councillors, worship leaders, anyone commissioned by the Church Council to perform a leadership role, music leaders, organists and Bible study leaders.
  • This means that all congregations will be required for their leaders involved in activities where children would be welcome to attend – worship particularly – to have a WWCC/R regardless of whether or not children regularly attend those activities.

  • ChurchCouncil is responsible for advising those individuals who require a WWCC/R. It must document this decision and the process for monitoring implementation in the Church Council minutes and ensure it is recorded in an appropriate register.

  • The Victorian legislation now includes the category of ‘appointed leaders of a local religious congregation’ in the same category as Ministers of Religion and as such they are required to have a WWCC. The definition of ‘appointed leader’ is both broad and non-specific. Appointed leaders are people who are in a position of trust, influence or authority because of their leadership role within the congregation. This would include, but not be limited to, lay preachers, Elders, Church Councillors, worship leaders, anyone involved in children and youth events/programs/activities, anyone commissioned by the Church Council to perform a leadership role, music leaders, organists, Bible study leaders, and ‘home group’ or ‘cell group’ leaders.
• Conversations with Synod staff distilled this to "anyone whom a child attending church might reasonably see as a person in authority". After discussion with Synod staff, GWUC have interpreted this as including Greeters, Door Stewards and Sound room operators, but not other rosters as such.

Exemptions etc

• Persons holding an employee or volunteer WWCC for another organisation need to log in and add UCA and GWUC to their list of organisations.

• Victorian legislation has exempted registered teachers. However UCA policy does not. This is because of inconsistency between states and concerns about notification if a teacher is stood down. Legislative changes in 2019 require teachers to "notify the WWCC of any child-related work they do outside of teaching". See TeachersWwCC for more details.

• A Police check is required for money counting and other roles in the congregation, but does not substitute for a WWCC.
• Retired Ministers are not exempt unless they never lead worship, never make a pastoral visit, and never conduct funerals or weddings. (Presbytery Oct 2021)