• Leaders must not step beyond your level of competency or training (eg: marriage counselling,
  mental health counselling, etc.).
• Leaders must not encourage Children, Young People or Vulnerable Adults to keep things
  hidden from parents, guardians or other leaders.
• Leaders should ensure the language they use is safe and respectful, being aware of their own
  beliefs, culture and theological views.
• If there is a need to console a Child, Young Person or Vulnerable Adult this should be done
  with:
  • The person’s consent.
  • Within the capability of the leader (alert another Team Leader or Ministry Leader if
    someone else is needed).
  • In an appropriate, open and safe area, and must never be in a closed, private room.
  • A person of the same gender.
  • Another Staff or Volunteer within sight.
• From time to time there may be occasion where consolation may need to happen with
  opposite genders (eg: a male kids Ministry Leader consoling an upset girl). In these instances,
  it is recommended to safely console as needed initially and include a person of the same
  gender as soon as possible for continued support.

• Ensure safe access to public spaces and adequate disabled parking spaces near the Church
  or ministry area.
• Be alert to signs of elder abuse including physical or sexual abuse, emotional pressure, neglect or financial abuse.
• Communicate with the next of kin regarding the welfare of the aged person.
• Be intentional about social inclusion. Visit, offer invitations and actively include them in social events and plan appropriately.

• Be aware of custody issues or court orders that may be relevant to the participants.
• There may be certain everyday behaviours that trigger a Child, Young Person or Vulnerable
  Adult with a past in family violence (eg: tone of voice, physical touch, male or female presence). Speak to the parents/guardians/carers to ensure the best care for the participant during the ministry or program.

Attendance, Permissions, Sign In/Out Procedures

For all:

• A sign in/out procedure and record of attendance is a must. Staff and Volunteers who are present must also be recorded as well.
• The sign in/out area must be safe and secure and a responsible adult Staff or Volunteer in charge of overseeing the procedure.
• At the end of a program, for duty of care of a minor, the ministry needs to ensure there is a
  distinct handover process.
• If the child is not being collected by an authorised person (eg: parent/grandparent),
  parental permission for these alternative arrangements must be in place.
• The Ministry Leader or responsible adult Staff or Volunteer overseeing the sign in/out area,
  and the relevant Team Leader should be made aware of any custody issues, behavioural or
  medical concerns that may be relevant.

For the Safeguarding Team:

• All ministries should ensure that relevant information for each participant is collected on a
  participant form at least annually and where there is a special event being run (eg: camp), a
  separate enrolment form should be completed. Details required include:
  • Personal contact information.
  • Medical, dietary needs or behavioural concerns.
  • Emergency contacts.

This information must be accessible to the Ministry Leader and First Aid Officer in charge of any
activity/event.

• Parents/caregivers are encouraged to update their information when changes occur.
• The participant form should request:
  • Permission from parents/caregivers for emergency medical treatment if needed.
  • Photo/video permission.
  • Any other permissions that are sought by the Church (eg: online communication, transport).
  • Specific additional permission should be gained from parents/caregivers for off-site or
    high-risk activities.

For the Safe Spaces Team and Ministry Leaders:

• Pastoral Care needs for Children – Ministry Leaders and Pastoral Carers visiting Children for the purposes of Pastoral Care must be approved by the Ministry Leader and a parent/care giver must be present at all times.
• Pastoral Care needs for Young People – Ministry Leaders and Pastoral Carers
  visiting Children or Young People for the purposes of Pastoral Care must be approved by
  the Ministry Leader and have the consent of the parent. This may be done at the young person’s house with a parent/care giver present or in a public space like a cafe. Parents must be kept informed of the details of the gathering.
• Pastoral Visits should only be done by the same gender (i.e. female visit female, male visit
  male). Where this is not possible, ensure that another leader of the same gender as the
  Vulnerable Adult is present.

For all:

You should ensure the game or activity planned is safe and fun for all involved.

Plan beforehand:

• Carefully consider the aim of the game or activity. (eg: is it to create community, act as an icebreaker, let off some energy before devotion time?)
• Ensure there are clear boundaries and rules to ensure participants are kept safe.
• Consider whether the game is appropriate for the age, gender, intellectual or physical differences of the group (eg: younger children will struggle with an overly competitive game).
• Consider the needs of the participants (eg: access to drink, food, warmth, shelter or toilets).
• Consider how those with special needs may be involved in games or activities without feeling
  unsafe or excluded. Ask them and their parent/guardian what would help make the experience positive and fun for them.
• Considered whether this activity needs a suitably qualified person to run it.
• Is safety equipment required for the activity?
• Ensure you have:
  • Assessed the risks involved and completed a Risk Management Plan.
  • Had this plan approved by the Safe Spaces Team.
  • Briefed Team Members on the details of the Risk Management Plan and made it available for quick reference.

During the game or activity:

• Implement the activity as per the approved Risk Management Plan.
• Whilst running the activity, read the room and adjust or stop the game or activity if it is causing discomfort, anxiousness, or an overly competitive spirit.
• Allow Children, Youth and Vulnerable Adults to choose which activities they would like to
  participate in and an opt out option if they feel unsafe.
• Keep track of participants through regular head counting. If you are at an external location
  or transient, consider a buddy system and smaller groups for leaders to keep track of the
  participants in their group.
  • Ensure that the venue is suitable for the activity or game you are running, this should
    include but not limited to: Is the flooring safe for the activity (eg: concrete, carpet or grass).
  • Are there windows or glass doors close by?
  • Could stacks of chairs/boxes cause a falling risk?
  • Is there potential for damage to property (eg: stage, lighting, AV equipment)?
• For outdoor venues you should ensure the following is included, but not limited to:
  • Do you have an up-to-date weather forecast and have taken appropriate measures in
    response to this?
  • Have you checked the area is clear of hazards such as broken glass, etc?
  • Is the venue secure? If not, have you assessed and managed the risks arising from being
    in a public area?
• Ensure that you follow Workplace Health & Safety policies for the activity you are running. You should include, but not limited to:
  • Is the equipment being used only for its purposes?
  • Have you considered the potential for slips, trips and falls?
  • Is lighting sufficient?
  • Are there multiple safe, accessible exits in case of a fire or evacuation and are the Staff
    and Volunteers appropriately trained?
  • Are the Fire extinguishers easily accessible and leaders are aware of what to do with
    them?
  • Are the Staff and Volunteers trained in what to do in an evacuation, electrical or fire
    hazard, etc.?

• Each ministry is must have qualified First Aid officers. Ideally there should be a male and
  female first aid officer available.
• The Church should ensure and document that the First Aid kit is always stocked and regularly
  audited. The Safe Work Australia – First Aid In The Workplace Code of Practice requires
  businesses to do an audit at least once every 12 months (or as required due to usage) to
  ensure the kit is complete.
• Ministry Leaders: It is important that the First Aid officer, the Ministry Leader and relevant
  Team Leader is aware of any medical or behavioural needs of participants or leaders.
• The First Aid officer is to:
  • Administer first aid and medicines as required.
  • Ensure that the First Aid kit is accessible and stocked with the necessary supplies.
  • Record any incidents/accidents that occur and ensure parents are informed (to be done
    together with the Ministry Leader).

Driver Safety

• A Driver Information Form is completed by the intended driver and approved by the Safe Spaces Team the transport occurs.
• Drivers who are not already part of the ministry team (eg: an extra driver for a camp) it is recommended they bean approved Safe Spaces volunteer, undergoing adequate screening and training. Minimum requirement is they should have a Blue Card.
• Drivers must provide a copy of a current open driver’s licence for the type of vehicle being driven.
• Where no alternatives are available, drivers on a Green Provisional Licence may be considered at the discretion of the Safe Spaces Team.
• Learner Drivers and Red Provisional Drivers are not suitable to transport children (If the red provisional driver is over 25 years when they obtain their provisional licence, then the Safe Spaces Team can use their discretion.)
• Drivers must maintain a zero-blood alcohol and drug levels at all times whilst driving participants.

Vehicle and Road Safety

• Vehicles must be registered, adequately insured and roadworthy.
• The Ministry Leader is to ensure that all drivers are given adequate information on their route, destination and contact details exchanged in case they get lost or in an emergency. It is recommended that parents/carers are provided with the same information.
• When driving in convoy, Ministry Leaders are to ensure there is a safety briefing on appropriate safe driving behaviour (eg: no dangerous overtaking or racing).

Passenger Safety

• It is recommended written parental/carer permission is provided for any transportation to take place. This information could be added the participants information form and should also include peers driving participants.

When considering what online platforms to use for your ministry, there are a few things to consider:

• Traceability: Think through how to effectively achieve the principle of traceability and the
  ability to review online activity or engagement.
• Accountability: What “in person” practices in ministry can be replicated in an online environment to ensure accountability remains in place? (eg: student/leader ratios – two leaders present during online engagement).
• Privacy: Consider the privacy requirements of gathering people’s data to an online platform.
  How is the data stored and used by the platform? Who has access to this information now and in the long term? Ensure that all contact is done within the church’s privacy policy. Links to any online platform should be private and only be sent to those invited to the group. Ensure compliance with the Australian Privacy Principles when handling personal information.
• Safety: Online platforms are ever changing. Consider how to remain up to date with changes
  to privacy settings/restrictions, etc. Private chat functions through these platforms should be
  disabled.
• Permission: Ensure you have parental permission to contact or communicate with Children
  or Young Person on the specific online platforms you are using.

Photography / Videoing

• No videos or photography are to be taken of children’s at youth ministry events.

Online Communication Outside Church Programs

For many ministries, telephone and online communications are a useful tool for building community, pastoral care, discipleship and support. However, telephone and online communication may also be used to test or step over relational boundaries. If using online communication outside the Church program, it is important to have the following boundaries in place:

General Guidelines

• Staff and Volunteers must not engage in any telephone or online communication that:
  • Constitutes unlawful discrimination.
  • Is harassing, threatening or derogatory.
  • Is obscene, sexually explicit or pornographic.
  • Is inappropriately personal or intimate.
  • Attempts to hide the identity of the sender or represents the sender as someone else; or
  • Is defamatory.
• At all times with communication outside the Church, Staff and Volunteers should ensure that they are approved by the Ministry Leader to make the contact.

Phone Contact

• Senior Youth (Grades 10-12) and Vulnerable Adults: Phone contact is permissible. Ensure that parental permission is received first. Ensure the conversation is open, safe and able to be heard by parents/care givers and that the Ministry Leader has given permission for the contact to be made.

E-mail Contact

Senior Youth (Grades 10-12) and Vulnerable Adults: Ensure that parental permission is received first. Can include logistics and encouraging/discipling conversations. Messages should be retained for accountability. Ensure that the Ministry Leader has given permission for the contact to be made.

Online messaging and posting

Most social media platforms terms require users to be at least 13 years of age. Please consider the platforms you use in your ministry and if they are age appropriate as per the platforms terms and conditions. Written parental/carers permission should always be received first before contact is made.

All Youth (Grades 7-12) and Vulnerable adults:

• Is permissible by the Ministry Leader or the person’s discipleship leader and can include conveying information about the ministry and encouragement (eg: praying for you this week). Messages should be retained for accountability. Ensure that the Ministry Leader has given permission from a parent for the contact to be made.
• Caution must be used when communicating on social networking sites. You must maintain transparency and be accountable for what you say or post. You must take care with the message you intend to communicate through both the words and images you use as it may be perceived differently by those who view it.
• If social media contact is made with Youth in Grades 7-12, the following guidelines are recommended:
  • Limit contact to group discussions that can be read by others.
  • Consider the same gender dynamics as with the physical environment (eg: a male leader should not have an online chat with a group of Year 8 girls).
  • Consider the time that you are communicating with Children, Young People or Vulnerable Adults. There should be no need for contact outside of normal Church office hours. If there is a need for pastoral communication this should not be done before 8am of after 8pm.
  • The history of the chat should be kept. Staff and Volunteers should not communicate using social media which cannot be retained.
  • Ensure privacy settings are set to prevent personal contacts from seeing or interacting with child contacts connected to your ministry.
  • Be alert to the dangers of sexting (sending sexual images) and cyber bullying (using information technology to intentionally harm or harass another person). These are just as harmful as other abuse techniques used. If you come across this, refer to Section 4: Responding to Child Protection Concerns.
  • If posting photos of others on a private social media platform, ensure that there is parental and participant consent.

It is strongly recommended no communication to Children or Young People is made using private accounts. A suggestion would be that ministries of Children and Young People establish Group Pages on Social Media pages, with multiple leaders, Governance Group approved and with an adult Staff administrator. Ensuring all communications, in the group and in messages, are accountable and transparent to multiple administrators).