Safe Ministry

Jesus told us to love one another as he loves us. As Christians we know our life together is strengthened when our behaviour is consistent with our faith. However, our experience of being together can be difficult, particularly when there are differences. So it is important to be clear about how we will behave towards each other.

Being a community:

• We will value the wellbeing of others.
• We will encourage each other to participate in the life of the church.
• We will consider the impact of our behaviour on others.

Relating to each other:

• We will treat each other with respect and dignity, irrespective of ability, gender, sexuality, race, age or contribution to the church.
• We will act with integrity and honesty in our interactions with each other.
• We will respect the personal space that others need, and, when speaking to others, will stand at a distance that ensures others feel comfortable.
• We will show respect for the preferences of those we greet at the ‘sharing of the peace’ and at other times. (A handshake will usually be the preferred option.) We will wait to be invited to hug or kiss or touch in any other way another person.

Communicating with each other:

• We will communicate respectfully with others, and not in a way that threatens, belittles or humiliates.
• We will speak with integrity and honesty, and refrain from speculation and gossip.

Acknowledging difference:

• We will respect those who are different from us and not isolate or ridicule them.
• We will listen to and seek to understand the beliefs, opinions, and practices of others, even when we do not share their views.

Responding to conflict:

• We will accept responsibility for our part in a conflict.
• We will be willing to play our part in resolving a conflict.

Promoting Safety:

• We will promote behaviours that support the physical, psychological, social, spiritual and moral safety of all people.

 What is Faithful in Service? 

Faithfulness in Service is a national code for personal behaviour and the practice of pastoral ministry by clergy and church workers.

Purpose: This Code is intended to identify the personal behaviour and practices of pastoral ministry that will enable clergy and church workers to serve faithfully those among whom they minister. If the behaviour and practices it outlines are followed, our communities will be safer places for everyone, where integrity is honoured, accountability is practised and forgiveness encourages healing and does not conceal misconduct.

Church worker means a lay person:

• Who is licensed or authorised by the bishop of a diocese;
• Who is employed by a church body in respect of whom this Code is part of their employment contract; or
• Who, for payment or not, holds a position or performs a function with the actual or apparent authority of a church authority or church body, including an office, position or function: of leadership in a parish, diocese or General Synod body;
• As a member of the General Synod or a diocesan synod;
• As a member of a body incorporated by the General Synod, a diocese or a diocesan synod;
• As a churchwarden, member of any parish council or member of any committee constituted by or by the authority of the General Synod, a diocesan synod or a parish council.

The Anglican Church of Australia is committed to the physical, emotional and spiritual welfare and safety of all people, particularly within its own community.

 What areas are covered by Faithfulness in Service?

Faithfulness in Service defines terms and describes behaviour that constitutes a breach of the policy including:

Physical abuse, emotional abuse, abuse of position, spiritual abuse, harassment, bullying (including cyber-bullying), grooming, sexual abuse of an adult or child, possessing child exploitation material, child pornography, prohibited material, restricted material, prohibited substance, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, sexual harassment and financial integrity.

Guidelines within the policy outline best practice and standards of behaviour for Clergy and Church Workers.

How will the church ensure Clergy and Church Workers commit themselves to and comply with the policy? The Church will;

• Carefully recruit and train its clergy and church workers;
• Adopt and encourage safe ministry practices by its clergy and lay church workers;
• Respond promptly to each concern raised about the behaviour of its clergy and lay church workers;
• Offer pastoral support to any person who has suffered abuse;
• Provide pastoral support to and supervision of any person known to have abused a child or another vulnerable person.

What information is available to advise, identify and report breaches of the Policy?

• Faithful in Service, National Code and Guidelines
• Diocesan Survivor Support and Advocacy Service (1800 774 945) and https://www.newcastleanglican.org.au/safe-ministry/redress/
• Director of Professional Standards DPS@NewcastleAnglican.org.au  (1800 774 945)  and https://www.newcastleanglican.org.au/safe-ministry/professional-standards/
• Safe Ministry Assurance Program
• Parish Safety Policy https://www.newcastleanglican.org.au/safe-ministry/parish-safety-policy
• Implementation Frameworks
• Implementation Guides
• Posters displayed in prominent places within Church Premises

 This church will keep everyone safe, especially the children, young and vulnerable people of the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle must be kept safe by adults who will:

• Care for them as they are precious gifts of God
• Respect their rights, abilities, contributions and wishes
• Ask them how they are feeling, what they are thinking and what are their needs?
• Listen to what they say
• Tell them about dangers and what is being done to protect them
• See what other adults are doing and recognise how they are behaving
• Do what they are supposed to do and what they say they will do
• Step up and speak out when they see anyone being hurt, bullied or treated badly

We aim for all our programs, events and interactions to be God-honouring, life-giving and safe.

• Including everyone, from children to adults.
• Applying to all ministry experiences, events, programs and interactions.
• Focussing on spiritual, physical and emotional well-being, participation and safety.

Church workers must do all they can to ensure that all people are included and cared for, with special regard to age, gender, culture, and ability.  It is also acknowledged that the wider congregation, as well as denominational leaders, have a vital role to play in Safe Ministry.

Foundations of Safe Ministry

The key concepts of Safe Ministry (Foundations) provide both the ‘why’ and ‘how to’ of God-honouring, life-giving, harm-free ministry programs, events, and interactions.

The Foundations of Safe Ministry which underpin policies and procedures are:

- God’s love for all people
- God’s gift of boundaries
- Team ministry
- Duty of care
- Fulfilling organisational responsibilities

Each of these Foundations needs to be outworked through transparent and accountable policy, procedures and practices

 SAFE MINISTRY INCLUDES:

• COMPASSION
• CONFIDENTIALITY
• BOUNDARIES
• FREEDOM TO EXPRESS VIEWS
• DEFINED REPORTING STRUCTURES

REMEMBER

Faithfulness in Service is a Code intended to identify the personal behaviour and practices of pastoral ministry that will enable clergy and church workers to serve faithfully those among whom they minister. If the behaviour and practices it outlines are followed, our communities will be safer places for everyone where integrity is honoured, accountability is practised and forgiveness encourages healing and does not conceal misconduct.

A Working With Children Check is a requirement for people who work or volunteer in child-related work. It involves a national criminal history check and a review of findings of workplace misconduct. The result of a Working With Children Check is either a clearance to work with children for five years, or a bar against working with children. Cleared applicants are subject to ongoing monitoring and relevant new records may lead to the clearance being revoked. The Working With Children Check is fully portable so it can be used for any paid or unpaid child-related work in NSW for as long as the worker remains cleared.

A National Police History Check, commonly referred to as a police check, involves processing an individuals’ biographic details (such as name and date of birth) in a central index of names which then uses a  name matching algorithm to determine if the name of that individual matches any others who have police history information. The name will then be vetted by police personnel to determine what information may be disclosed, subject to relevant spent conviction legislation and/or information release policies.