As a church community, CoroUniting fully embraces the SA Synod Safe Church Policy as an integral part of our Duty of Care. An important part of this relates to children in our care and is covered in detail on our Child Safety at CoroUniting resource page.
Other aspects of our Safe Church Duty of Care are:
Authorising and Appointing Leaders
When appointing leaders to positions of trust, influence or authority, we adhere to the Safe Church Authorisation and Appointment process detailed in the SA Synod Duty of Care Policy. This includes applying the six-month rule, ensuring successful screening and interviewing and checking references.
All volunteers and lay leaders are also required to complete a Code of Conduct for Volunteers and Lay Leaders. Our Confidentiality Agreement is for those where further confidentiality is needed, eg. finance or property teams.
Screening Checks
In addition to the new Working with Children Check (WWCC), additional checks are required for those volunteers or staff who deal with money, drive people to/from church activities or engage in intentional pastoral care on behalf of the congregation.
See our Screening Checks resource page for further information.
Event Planning (incl. Risk Assessment)
There are a lot of factors to consider when planning an event, especially with the Work, Health and Safety Act of 2012 in SA.
You can use this Event Planning Guide (incl. checklist) to help you through the process. This is a fillable PDF with links to the various forms including:
- Hazard Management: General Risk Assessment Form
- Incident Management: Incident Report Form (see below)
- SA Government Food Safety for Charities
Incident Reporting
This Incident Report form (CoroUniting) is to be used to report all accidents/incidents and near misses (as defined in the Incident Management Policy & Procedure). This will then be passed to the Church Council Secretary who, if required, will then complete the official Incident Report form and immediately pass this on to the SA Synod office to ensure SafeWork SA can be notified, where required, as per the Work Health and Safety Act 2012.
Food Safety
Refer to the SA Health web page Charity and community groups and food safety for up to date information about food safety.
Everyone who handles food in relation to a CoroUniting church activity must read and sign the below policy and pass this to the Safe Church Congregation Liaison (Sue Laycock) for filing.
Sausage Sizzles and BBQs
Refer to the following two resources that relate specifically to sausage sizzles and BBQs:
- Sausage sizzles at Coro - what you need to know
- Sausage sizzles and barbeques (Food Standards Australia New Zealand)
Code of Ethics Training
This training course introduces a code of ethics that includes training on the awareness of the prevention of sexual misconduct. It is mandatory for all Ministers and Pastors with a 3-hour refresher course to be held annually.
Called to Care Orientation Sessions
Called to Care Orientation Sessions promote and assist the Uniting Church community with relevant information about ensuring a safe physical, emotional and spiritual environment. In order for our ministry to be effective we need to incorporate safe and best practices in leadership, in our programs, our actions, our behaviours and within our facilities, and this session looks at people-centred solutions to:
- Pastoral care
- Risk management for People and Property
- Healthy governance
- Up to date employment/volunteer practices
More information, including training dates can be found on the SA Synod Safe Church Training Courses web page. We 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 (Sue Laycock) 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.