Compliance
All organisations in Victoria that work with children must comply with the Victorian Child Safe Standards. Safe Church Compliant congregations and organisations commit to safeguarding children and adults in word and deed.
For a congregation/organisation of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria (PCV) to be Safe Church Compliant it must have appointed a Safe Church Representative (SCR), had appropriate personnel undertake Safe Church Training, and returned necessary records to the Safe Church Unit (SCU).
For a person to be Safe Church Compliant, they must have completed screening requirements, provided current Working With Children Check (WWCC) details to their SCR, completed Basic Training or Advanced Training, and viewed the Online Refresher Course once a year.
📞 Phone: 0435 417 283
📧 Email: scu.compliance@pcv.org.au
Safe Church Representatives
Safe Church Representatives (SCR) are responsible for ensuring compliance and promoting training within their congregation. They are crucial to the PCV's prioritisation and implementation of safe policy and conduct across the denomination. SCRs do not receive or respond to concerns and reports directly, rather, these are directed to Kooyoora (see: reporting).
It is the responsibility of a church's session to select and appoint an appropriate representative. They must have a current Working With Children Check (WWCC) and have access to internet services including email to complete required tasks, including:
- Promoting - ensuring the Safe Church Policy, Safe Church Policy, Procedure and Practice Manual and Contact Details Poster are displayed prominently in their congregation/organisation's building(s).
- Screening - ensuring that any person wishing to commence ministry with children undergoes the Volunteer Approval Process (VAP) beforehand, including completion of initial registration forms or transfer registration forms and conducting/documenting reference checks.
- Training - promoting, attending and documenting completion of Safe Church Training. This includes annual viewing of the Online Refresher Course.
- Where able to do so, working with the church's session to run in-house Basic Training and Advanced Training.
- Record-keeping - collecting up-to-date records of all people in their congregation/organisation who work with children or hold positions of authority, including their WWCC number and expiry date.
- SCRs must supply copies of these records to the SCU and notify the SCU of any changes. The WWCC Records Template is provided as a suitably structured spreadsheet for such records.
- Where a congregation/organisation runs children's ministries, youth ministries, camps or conferences, records must also be kept of registration/permission forms; attendance; medical/special needs management plans; and first aid incident reports (see: risk management). The Creche Attendance Form, Children's Ministry Permission Form, Children's Ministry Attendance Form and Youth Ministry Permission Form are provided as suitable means of collecting these records.
- Auditing - completing and submitting the Compliance Audit Schedule to the SCU every three years. This must be signed off by the church's session. For a copy of the audit, please contact the SCU.
- SCRs work together with church sessions annually to complete and/or review their church's risk assessment via the Risk Assessment Tool (see: risk management). Once reviewed and altered as required, session must approve and implement the risk assessment.
- Optionally, the Compliance Checklist may be used as an ongoing self-assessment aide between audits.
Inclusive Ministry
Multicultural Ministry
Each person is made is the image of God, with unique racial, cultural and linguistic backgrounds - expressed and lived out within the unity of the church in Christ Jesus. Making people welcome and practising hospitality to all, regardless of race, culture and language, is a key biblical value.
In Australia, we have a particular responsibility to recognise Aboriginal peoples as the first inhabitants of this nation. As we commit to moving forward together, we acknowledge their living culture and care for country. We thank God as creator, owner and sustainer of all of us and this land we live on, and welcome Aboriginal adults and children to our churches and ministries.
The PCV has zero tolerance of racism. Complaints of racism are to be made to a church's session or to the SCU.
Neurodiverse & Disabled Ministry
The gospel is for everyone, regardless of ability and individual circumstances - including the neurodiverse and disabled. The PCV welcomes adults and children with disability to our churches and ministries.
Providing biblical teaching to the entire church community requires listening to people's need and addressing it in a timely and loving manner, recognising that each person's experience of disability is different. This involves open communication, prayer and humility. Neurodiverse children, in particular, may need additional support and input from families and/or carers to feel safe and engage with church environments.