Safe Ministry

We believe everyone has the right to be safe.
As part of the Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney, Sussex Inlet Anglican church is committed to protecting and promoting the physical, emotional and spiritual welfare and safety of all people – especially those within our own church community.

Our leaders are trained in Safe Ministry
Our children and youth leaders have a Working with Children Check (WWCC) and have completed the Safe Ministry Essentials Course. The Safe Ministry course is our Diocese’s best practice in equipping those working with children (and other vulnerable people) with the knowledge and understanding they need to build a culture of safe ministry.
The Anglican Diocese of Sydney requires all people working in ministry to children and youth, including ministers and assistant ministers, to complete Safe Ministry Essentials. Contents include:
* Identifying and appointing appropriate leaders for Christian ministry
* Safe practices to protect vulnerable people
* Recognising and reporting abuse
* Providing a safe environment for everyone

Our leaders stay up to date with their Safe Ministry Training
After completing the Safe Ministry Essentials training, ministers, assistant ministers and kids and youth leaders must complete Safe Ministry Refresher training every three years.
If someone fails to complete a Refresher course within 30 days of their three-year expiry, they must do the Essentials course again.

We observe best practice in accordance with the Safe Ministry Policy
To ensure the safety of children and vulnerable people, Sussex Inlet Anglican Church, in conjunction with the Anglican Church of Australia, will:
* Carefully recruit and train its clergy and church workers
* Adopt and encourage safe ministry practices amongst its clergy and church workers
* Respond promptly to each concern raised about the behaviour of its clergy and church workers
* Offer pastoral support to any person who has suffered abuse, and
* Provide supervision of and pastoral accountability (within the context of the ministries, locations and activities of the parish) to any person (who is a member of a congregation and) who is known to have abused a child or other vulnerable person.

More information about safe ministry in the Anglican church and a full range of resources can be found at safeministry.org.au