Safe ministry
at maitland evangelical churchMEC aims to be a place where children and vulnerable people are respected, protected, and built up.
Those who serve within our various ministry programs, both on Sunday & during the week (including SRE), are all trained and work under guidelines that ensure a safe environment for those in their care. This means they hold a current WWCC (if serving with children) and have completed our Safe Ministry training. Training is refreshed every two years online.
Training
We believe that churches need to take responsibility for how people (especially kids) are treated.
If you’ve been invited to be part of our kids’ ministry team or serve in other ways at MEC, there are a couple of things we require you to do:
1. Apply for a NSW WWCC
If you’re going to be working with children, you are required by law to apply for a NSW Working with Children Check Number.
It’s easy to apply online; simply use the button, fill out your details and submit.
2. Take your application to a Service NSW
Once you get your Application Number (starting with “APP”), take it to a Service NSW centre to verify your identity.
They will verify your identity and after a few days/weeks they will email you a new WWCC Number (Starting with “WWC”).
3. Do (or Update) your Online Training
We need everyone who serves at MEC to complete the MEC Online Safe Ministry Training course. Email us here and the Safe Ministry Team will send you a link and instructions.
You’ll be asked to confirm your name, date of birth, phone number and email address before doing the training. If you work with children you will also be asked to enter your Working with Children Check Number. This training only takes about 45mins, but it gives you all the information you need to help keep our kids and vulnerable people safe (as well as fulfil our legal obligations as a church).
Taire Wilson
Safe Ministry Rep
Taire is a qualified Social Worker with experience working with vulnerable children and families and in managing child protection issues.
Policies & Legal
Safe Ministry Policy
Our Safe Ministry policy outlines our expectations around the training and conduct of leaders, as well as our complaints and reporting procedures.
Leader Commitment
Our Leader Commitment document is an outline of our code of conduct for those in leadership.
Behaviour Management Policy
Our behaviour management policy demonstrates how we will work with families to run programs that are safe and positive for children.
Faithfulness in Service
The Faithfulness in Service document is our code of conduct for all in leadership positions, including paid staff.
Toileting Policy
This is what will happen if your child needs to go to the toilet during our programs.
Physical Contact Guidelines
Electronic Communication Guidelines
Concerns & Complaints
We are committed to creating a culture where people feel safe to speak out about inappropriate behaviour without fear of being rejected or ridiculed. We are committed to listening and responding appropriately to concerns and complaints about behaviour and safetly at Maitland Evangelical Church. Throughout this process we are committed to protecting the confidentiality, dignity, health and well-being of all individuals involved. Any child-related issues will be managed with a focus on the interest of the child and will be reported to the relevant State Child Protection body if neccessary.
All reports will be managed by the Maitland Evangelical Church Safe Ministry Supervisors:
Roger Burgess – Senior Pastor (Ph: 0400 696 795 E: roger@maitlandchurch.org)
Taire Wilson – Safe Ministry Representative (Ph: 0412 516 123. E: chlotaire.wilson@gmail.com)
Erich Serediuk – Youth Pastor (Ph: 0403 023 930 E: erich@maitlandchurch.org)
Incident Report Process
Safe Ministry Supervisors should follow this process step-by-step when someone makes a report to them about a specific incident, general suspicions or a person of concern.
Note: The details of those reporting abuse should be kept private and confidential, only made known to those in leadership and to individuals and organisations who are legally required to know those details.
What process should I use?
Use the table provided to decipher which process you should use with your report.
Mandatory Reporter Guide
This is an online, interactive guide developed by the NSW Government that is designed to help assess whether a case meets the threshold for being ‘at risk of significant harm’.
Injury Response Process
WHS audits are completed before every church activity, but accidents do happen. This form should be completed if there has been an injury at an MEC program, or if an injury that occurred outside an MEC program was treated at MEC. Please print the form and forward a completed copy to the Senior Pastor.
Person of Concern Process
At MEC, we do all that we can to ensure that everyone who comes into contact with children or vulnerable people is safe and trained in how to act in a manner that is above reproach. Immediate action will be taken according to this process if a report of concern has been made, or if a regulation character check indicates a reason for concern. This report should be printed out and the completed record kept with the Senior Pastor.
Suspected Child Abuse Response Process
At MEC, we do everything within our power to ensure that children and vulnerable people are safe. All suspected incidents of abuse reported to us will be dealt with according to the following process.
Church Incident Response Process
Although we do everything possible to ensure incidents do not occur, any incident that arises will be dealt with swiftly according to this process.
External Incident Response Process
This is the process that we follow when we have received reports of suspected abuse/risk of significant harm that did not relate to the activities of our church and the suspected offender was not acting on behalf of our church.
Accident Report Form
Submit an electronic report of an accident that has occurred at an MEC event. This will be seen by the senior staff, acted upon and kept as an official record of the incident.