Childrens' Policy

Central Church Ipswich is committed to the safety and holistic well-being of all children and young people involved in the life of the Church. To ensure that children and young people are kept safe from harm, Central Church uses the Child Safe Risk Management System. All staff and volunteers MUST have a Blue Card, attend ChildSafe Training, and agree to adhere to strict policies and procedures to ensure child safety. In addition, the Presbyterian Church of Queensland has adopted the following Child Protection Policy which is enforced at Central Church:

Introduction

The Presbyterian Church of Queensland has a duty of care and responsibility for the welfare and well-being of children within the Church, and recognises the need to protect children from abuse by members of the Church and the wider community.

This Policy applies to all persons holding a position of authority within the Church, whether paid or unpaid, who are involved in a child-related activity, whether permanently or temporarily. Such persons will consider themselves to be mandatory reporters of Reportable Conduct, because all Reportable Conduct is unacceptable.

The purpose of this Policy is:

• to provide written processes about the appropriate conduct of staff, volunteers, and children within the Church that accord with legislation in Queensland about the care and protection of children;
• to promote and strive to provide a safe, supportive and ethical environment within the Church;
• to provide a mandatory process for reporting to and managing allegations within the Church, which is clear and consistent;
• to respond to allegations of Abuse made under this Protocol in a manner which is sensitive to the dignity, respect and confidentiality of all involved, including the alleged perpetrator;
• to manage allegations in a fair and timely manner;
• to provide a document which proclaims through a clear and complete explanation the attitudes and accepted accountabilities and responses of the Church in relation to abuse.

Principles

The Presbyterian Church of Qld will be guided in respect of issues of Abuse by the example of the love and compassion of Jesus Christ and will uphold the following principles under this Policy:

1. Staff and volunteers within the Church must ensure that their behaviour towards, and relationships with, children reflects proper standards of care for children, and is not unlawful.
2. Members of the Church communities must not, under any circumstances, Abuse a child.
3. Abusive acts by a person in authority of a person under that authority are a breach of trust and are professional misconduct.
4. Because of the authority that exists between a staff member or volunteer within the Church and a child, that child cannot "consent" to Abuse.
5. Abuse may result in criminal proceedings as well as disciplinary action, including dismissal in the case of staff members, whilst in the case of children, abuse may result, where appropriate, in relocation to another centre or programme.
6. Sexual Acts by an adult employee or volunteer, with a child, will always be Sexual Abuse.
7. The Church recognises that people who are subjected to Abuse are harmed by it.
8. In every preventative or protective action relating to harm to a child the welfare and bests interests of the child will always be a primary consideration.
9. The Church expects children within the Church to show respect to staff and volunteers within the Church and to comply with safe practices.
10. The Church will respond diligently to a report of suspected or actual harm, or risk of harm to a child.
11. The Church will not tolerate reprisals against children or others making a complaint.
12. Within the Church, practices relating to the management of children will be administered with respect and in a manner which maintains the dignity of the children.
13. The Church will act fairly and reasonably towards an employee or volunteer within the Church who is the subject of allegations of improper conduct.
14. The Church will support an employee or volunteer within the Church who is the subject of a proven false allegation of causing harm to a child.
15. The Church will take disciplinary action against employees within the Church who harm others, and appropriate action against volunteers within the Church who harm others.
16. The Church will not permit people to work in a position within the Church if the Church believes on the basis of all information available that, if the allegations against them were wholly or partly true, there would be an unacceptable risk that others might be harmed.
17. The Church may accept a moral obligation to help people who have been Abused where there is no legal obligation to do so. This obligation may extend to others affected by the Abuse such as family, close friends, other members of the Church, and Church Workers.
18. The Church will co-operate with state authorities in resolving allegations of harm.
19. The Church will publish this Protocol widely and require people to use it.
20. Persons receiving information about Abuse or suspected Abuse should explain to the informant that the information supplied will be:

• confidential, to the extent that this is possible given the need to investigate allegations and requirements of the law; and
• victimisation of the informant will not be tolerated.

21. The Church will ensure that the following are undertaken to reduce the chance of Abuse occuring:

• ensure that within the Church, sexual abuse is discussed openly;
• ensure that each staff member and volunteer within the Church understands and fulfills their obligations under this Policy;
• ensure that there is an acceptable reference from their previous employer for each staff member within the Church and an acceptable reference from someone of good standing and known Christian commitment who has been a communicant member of a congregation for at least six months for each volunteer engaged since since the commencement of this Protocol;
• ensure that each staff member and volunteer within the Church who has contact with children has a current positive suitability notice issued by the Commissioner for Children and Young People and Child Guardian under the "Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian Act 2000." It may be a requirement of any staff member that the Church be authorised to confirm the validity of the positive suitability notice (ie: Blue Card).