As a church community, CoroUniting takes the safety of the children in our care very seriously. The new Working with Children Checks that need to be undertaken for anyone in a role of responsibility with children are an important part of this.

Working with Children Checks

Working with Children Checks (WWCCs) are a government assessment to check whether or not an individual is safe to work with children.

See our Working with Children Checks resource page for further information.

Responding to Child Abuse and Neglect

Any person who works or volunteers in a church is obliged by law to notify the Department for Child Protection (formerly Families SA) if they suspect on reasonable grounds that a child or young person has been or is being abused or neglected and the suspicion is formed in the course of the person's work (whether paid or voluntary) or in carrying out official duties.

Notification to the Child Abuse Report Line (13 14 78) must be made as soon as practicable after the person forms the suspicion. See below for more information.

Safe Environments Training

Part of the church's ongoing best practices is to provide training opportunities for people to understand their legal responsibility for Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect. We offer the “Safe Environments – Through their eyes” training course. This is the standard accredited package with all trainers approved by the department to deliver this content, however please note that this is not the DECD RAN version of the course. This educative awareness training is for anyone who has contact with children and vulnerable people and covers:

• What is child abuse and neglect?
• How to identify it
• Why, when and how to make a notification
• How to respond, support and protect a child or young person who has been abused

More information, including training dates can be found on the SA Synod Safe Church Training Courses web page.

CoroUniting church will cover the cost of anyone working or volunteering with children within the church who would like to undergo this course. Please contact our Safe Church Congregation Liaison (Kathy Fopp) to make the necessary arrangements.

More Information

Reporting concerns and matters of abuse

Current situations: If you believe a child or adult is in immediate danger please call SA Police on 000.

If the concern relates to a child at risk of harm or potentially at risk call the Child Abuse Report Line (CARL) on 13 14 78.

If any of the above involves any person in a leadership / role of responsibility within the church please notify the Safe Church Committee by telephoning (08) 8236 4268 or by email.

Can't find your ID?

If you have a current, valid Uniting Church Screening Check (ie. the old 'Police Check') and you can't find your ID you can recover this via this online portal.

Additional Screening Checks and further resources

Certain roles within the life of the church require additional Screening Checks as detailed on our Duty of Care at CoroUniting resource page.

See the linked documents and website for further details including links to:

• Child Safe Policy (2018)
• Safe Church Policy
• National Child Safety Policy Framework (2017)
• Tools for Listening (Consultation Draft - July 2019)
• National Principles for Child Safe Organisations (Australian Human Rights Commission)

For further information, please contact our Safe Church Congregation Liaison (Kathy Fopp) or email Called to Care (Linda Vinall) in the Synod office.