| Creating safer churches for all |

Our Safer Churches Strategy continues to provide our churches with best practice guidelines, reporting requirements and training to ensure that Children and Young people, and indeed all vulnerable people, who form part of our churches, ministries or access our services, are protected from harm. This is ongoing work as we respond to legislative change, emerging trends we see in calls to our helpline, or through other professional collaboration, and as we grow in our understanding and ability to care for those who are either at risk of, or have experienced harm.

Safer Churches Team

The State Safer Churches Officers meet regularly to review our progress and refine our Safer Churches strategy to increase its effectiveness across all ministry areas. We thank them for their dedication and commitment.

We particularly want to acknowledge the work and commitment from Mark Bates (VIC) and Gus Yearsley (TAS) for their time as State Safer Churches Officers. We thank them for all they have done to serve our Movement in the State Safer Churches role. We have welcomed Aaron Walker (VIC) and Rhonda Wilson (TAS) to our team since last conference. Both Rhonda and Aaron bring a wealth of experience and wisdom from their professional training and pastoral roles at a local church.

Training and Resources

Since the implementation of our Child Protection Policy in December 2016, we have continued to review and update our training, resources and guidelines to reflect current legislation and implementation best practice. 2022 saw our Safer Churches Training move to a new online platform, allowing each local church be able to track their own volunteers. The Volunteer’s Essentials was updated to include a refresher course, for those who have previously completed this training. Our helpline also moved to a secure jotform for reporting, greatly improving privacy and secure storage of such sensitive concerns.

The Implementation Kit for churches can be found under the Pastor’s login and Safer Churches. The Implementation Kit is regularly reviewed and updated to assist churches with implementation of the Child Protection Policy and Guidelines, and is an invaluable resource for our churches. You will find supporting documents to assist with implementing each of the Safer Churches Guidelines, which are the outworking of our Policy.

New Initiatives

In 2022, Your Choicez worked to develop TeenFree for ACC youth leaders and young people. This invaluable resource in video and small group format will help young people understand consent and the value of the human person, as well as the negative impacts of Image Based Abuse, pornography and sexting.

Safer churches is visionary leadership. It understands the value of children and young people, and indeed all people to God, and seeks to ensure that all steps have been taken to protect them from harm. Governing boards, leadership teams, volunteers and congregations not only recognize the value of each individual, but they also recognize how creating a safe culture bears witness to Christ within their community.

Allyson Parker National Director: Safer Churches