The Glen Waverley Uniting Church PSALTERLink to > CouncilAgenda20170503 > CouncilMinutes20170503 > SafeChurch
Safety team report to Council May 2017
Presentation by Presbytery on prevention of child abuse
Both DavidMorgan & DorothyLockhart attended the Presbytery session on prevention of child abuse laws and rules since the Jan 2017 legislative changes.
The presentation is available here
- The immediate steps to be done, from the presentation, and comments on our progress are:
How to achieve congregational compliance with the policy.
GWUC Comment
1. Formally adopt or reaffirm the Synod’s KCS Policy and procedures, and record a statement of commitment in CC meeting Minutes.
Adopted in our GwucServingSafelyPolicy in July 2015. See here for policy and here for procedures. May need to update and reaffirm.
2. Advertising KCS Policy Make the KCS Policy and Statement of Commitment accessible to the congregation.
Done. See wiki and Serving Safely notice board.
3. Appoint a Culture of Safety/Safe Church Contact Person
Done. DorothyLockhart with DavidMorgan as deputy.
4. Their role is to assist in undertaking leadership in child safe church, to support all parties in responding to reports or concerns as well as assisting with required administrative components.
Understood.
5. WorkingWithChildrenCheck Ensure that Church Councilors, Elders, Lay Preachers, worship leaders, music leaders, organists, Bible study leaders, as well as those involved in programs with children and young people have a valid WWCC and have signed the Code of Conduct.
WWCC in hand. We have not required signing of a Code.
6. To keep an up to date WWCC register locally as well as enter the informaBon on the Synod’s WWCC secure data base.
Being done by ChurchOffice and DavidMorgan, with the intention of returning to the ChurchOffice when load reduces. Local list derived from database is here.
7. Report immediately a Negative Notice is received (ie. a failure to obtain or cancellation / suspension of WWCC) by contacting The Synod General Secretary who will advise on the appropriate action in accordance with UCA Guidelines
Understood
8. Safe Church Training. Ensure that all people requiring WWCC attend Safe Church Training at least every 2 years (records of this need to be kept.)
We have records in the rolls database, extracted here, but we are out of date. Waiting for new Safe Church Training course.
Further conversation.
- Anne suggested that we need to train the whole congregation in the reporting process.
- I replied that we preferred the simpler message of 'Tell Dorothy' of any concerns.
- Anne replied "'Tell Dorothy' is fine in the document but the reporting process should be trained to the congregations by Dorothy or anyone who ought to be informing the whole congregation about the reporting process when there is any child abuse issue."
- I queried whether a signed "Code of conduct for the prevention of child abuse" was needed for all holders of WWCCs, or just those working with children.
- Anne replied "Please have the "Code of Conduct" signed by all WWCC/R holders."
- I raised the question of the need for the Congregation meeting to affirm the "Code of conduct for the prevention of child abuse".
- Anne replied "This is the policy from the National Assembly level and it's the law to implement. You don't need congregation's approval."
Actions
WWCC holders have been asked to return the signed code. As of April 27, 24 have done so.