Congregations and their members who work with children and young people in the Uniting Church play important parts not only in the support, care, and spiritual nourishment of the next generations, but in actively looking out for their safety and protection.

This website aims to provide essential and easy to understand information for congregations to help establish and maintain safe church practices. This includes resource documents about safety and protection for children and young people, templates and sample policies and forms for congregations, information about upcoming Safe Church Awareness Workshops, and contact details of who to contact if you need further information or can’t find what you are looking for.

Below are a series of links to take you to other sections of this Safety and Protection site. You can also access these from the drop down menu that at the top of all internal pages.

A Safe Place for Children
This material has been developed by the Uniting Church Assembly to support people within the Uniting Church who are working with children and young people, through church-based activities, SRE and regional and national events and those responsible for managing physical spaces where children and young people will be present. A Safe Place for Children is available in pdf format or in hard copy for a small fee from the synod.

SCTA Safe Church Awareness Workshops
More information about the SCTA (Safe Church Training Agreement) Safe Church Awareness Workshops. Includes links to the training dates page and the National Council of Churches SCTA unit website.

ONLINE REGISTRATION for SCTA Safe Church Workshops
Follow this link if you would like to register electronically for one of the Safe Church Workshops hosted by Uniting Churches.

Child Protection Requirements for Lay People
A step by step basic summary of requirements for volunteers working with young people in congregations. Includes a link to the SRE (Scripture) Teacher authorisation summary.

Forms and Templates
Looking for a child protection volunteer declaration? Activity permission form? Code of conduct? This page contains all those helpful forms and templates for congregational use.
Indemnity forms
There is an expectation that activities and events organised by the Uniting Church will utilise indemnity forms. A template indemnity form and other relevant forms follow the above link to Forms and Templates.

Upcoming Training Dates
This page gives you information about upcoming SCTA Safe Church Awareness Workshops, Workshop Presenter Training and who to contact if you would like to arrange training near you.

Helpful Links
Links to different support agencies and other useful sites regarding child safety and protection.

NSW Legislation
Working with children and young people

The NSW Commission for Children and Young People have recently updated their regulations for working with Children and Young People.

Working With Children Check Guidelines: The Working With Children Check Guidelines were revised to make the process clearer and to incorporate legislative changes. These  newer  guidelines must be used from July 2010.

Please note the following:

• All people working with children and young people in your local congregation they are required by law to complete a Volunteer/Student Declaration Form. All people who have done this in the past are still ‘covered’ by the previous forms.  If you ask any new volunteers to assist in your congregation they will need to fill in the updated forms.  Forms can be found at: https://check.kids.nsw.gov.au/volunteer-declaration.php
• If employing people in your congregation to work with children and young people they are  required to have background checks through the Commission. If you are unsure about these regulations then please visit https://check.kids.nsw.gov.au/employer-guidelines.php.

Questions?

Any additional queries about how this affects your congregation should be directed to Emma Parr, SRE and Child (Vulnerable Persons) Protection Coordinator on emmap@nsw.uca.org.au