Representative information and resources
For the PCV to effectively embrace and implement the Safe Church Policy and Code of Conduct, Safe Church Representatives will be appointed in each congregation or organisation of the church.
It is a responsibility of Sessions and organisational leaders across the church to ensure that appropriate people are selected and appointed as these representatives. The Safe Church Representative must have a current Working With Children Check.
The role of the Safe Church Representative is to be responsible for working to ensure compliance and promote Safe Church Training and Online Refresher Training. The Safe Church Representative role preferably requires access to email and the ability to access and work via the internet, so that the required compliance tasks can be appropriately completed.
Safe Church Representatives do not receive or respond to Safe Church related concerns and reports – rather these are directed to the Safe Church Facilitator.
Safe Church Representatives play a crucial role in helping the PCV effectively prioritise and implement the Safe Church policy and code of conduct across the denomination.
This page contains the following sections:
Responsibilities of Safe Church Representatives
The responsibilities of Safe Church representatives are as follows:
Ensure the Safe Church Policy and Safe Church Unit Contact Details Poster and the Safe Church Policy, Procedure and Practice Manual are displayed prominently in their congregation/organisation building/s
Keep records of all people in their congregation/organisation who work with children and who have Working With Children Checks and supply copies of these records to the SCU. This electronic spreadsheet is provided for this purpose
Keep records of all people in their congregation/organisation who by virtue of holding positions of authority have Working With Children Checks and supply copies of these records to the SCU (see the link to the spreadsheet above)
Ensure the above records are kept up to date and notify SCU of any changes
Ensure that when a person indicates that they wish to commence in ministry with children that they undergo the Volunteer Approval Process, as outlined in the ‘Volunteers' page on this website (this information is also available in the section relating to volunteers in the Safe Church manual). This includes ensuring the required forms are completed and conducting and documenting the referee checks
Ensure that when a person transfers from one PCV church to another and wishes to commence working with children in the new church that the PCV Safe Church Transfer Registration Form process is completed before the person commences working with children in their new church
Promote and attend Safe Church Training
Promote and view the Safe Church Online Refresher Course
Be responsible for completing the Compliance Audit Schedule and forwarding this document (keeping a copy for their own records) to the SCU (contact SCU for a copy of the Compliance Audit Schedule)
There are a number of brief SCR help videos available at the Safe Church PCV YouTube channel. These include the:
SCR Role Information, which gives a basic overview of the responsibilities
Facilitating Basic Training
The Safe Church Basic Training course is available for delivery via the use of the Basic Training Kit, for churches to run their own Basic Training. Safe Church Representatives may administer the course but are not expected to give the material or answer questions relating to content. Rather, there is a video which is available online and a kit with the required documents. Individual participants with questions arising from the training are then to contact the SCU either via phone (0499 090 449) or email (safechurch@pcv.org.au) to have these answered. The information about holding a Congregational In-House Basic Training is found here and the Safe Church Basic Training Kit is found here
What makes a person Safe Church compliant?
A Safe Church compliant person:
Has a current Working With Children Check and has provided the number and expiry date to the Safe Church Representative for the records
Has attended Safe Church Basic Training and views the Online Refresher Course once a year as a reminder of Safe Church PCV implementation and requirements***
Where required - has attended Safe Church Advanced Training - for specific roles required to attend go here
Has undergone the Volunteer Approval Process prior to commencing in their role working with children - this element only applies to people working with children in the PCV. Other non-child related roles do not require the completion of the VAP
***PCV recognises other denominational Safe Church training where the denomination is a member of the Safe Church Training Agreement and where the individual has completed training within the last three years and can provide documentation of this. Contact SCU for further details about this and how this can be recorded by Safe Church Representatives and at SCU.