LOVE COMES TO LIFE when we treat each other with courtesy and respect, and when the way we behave towards each other reflects the way God loves us.

Child Safety Standards
Update

Thank you and congratulations to all congregations who were able to submit their Child Safety Plans by March 31st! You will find a list of all congregations who have completed and submitted their plans here.

We know that many of you worked very hard during February and March to meet the deadline, and we are pleased to advise that this has resulted in an impressive number of plans coming in across all districts. It is wonderful to see that child safety is being embraced positively by so many of our congregations and exciting to read about the many innovative ways that congregations are implementing their plans. We will soon be sharing some of these initiatives and good news stores from other congregations on this page, so please keep checking in.   

If you have not yet completed your Child Safety Plan: For those congregations who are either still working on their Child Safety Plans, or who are yet to commence the process, please note: You are still required to complete your Child Safety Plan and send it through
Please submit via the online portal at www.lca.org.au/css

Remember, this is a very important part of your congregational responsibilities, both synodically and legally. It is also a very good way to familiarise yourselves with your child safety responsibilities and engage with your congregation.
Please also remember, we are here to help. As such, we are currently contacting all congregations who have not commenced the CSS work to see how we can best support.   

In the meantime, if you have any queries at all, we are very happy to assist you in any way, either over the phone, via a Zoom or Teams link-up, or if necessary, in a face to face visit.  Please just contact your district Professional Standards Officer or the CSS Team in the churchwide office. All contact details can be found below.

If you have no children in your congregation: You may be eligible to complete a "Congregation without Children Assurance". Please give us a ring to see if this might be an option for your congregation.

Child Friendly Resources:
As a final point, don’t forget our new “Speak Up” poster and 'Who keeps me safe at Church?' resources on the LCA Child Safety page. Just look for the “Resources” section on the right-hand side of your screen and scroll down. 

We are excited to now begin working with you all on implementation of the Standards and will be focussing each month on a different standard in various publications of the LCA. This month we are excited to be releasing our new Speak Up Poster and Who keeps you safe? Activity page.

These resources are designed to assist congregations with Standard 2 - Children are safer when they are valued, respected, and listened to. It is designed to be customised to your congregation with names, phone numbers and a picture of safe people from within your congregation – the Tips page attached to it explains who this photo should be and how to insert the photo.

We are providing you with a full size poster version for display in your congregation and a smaller version which you may like to keep around for children and young people to take a copy home after attending church, youth group or other events. You will find them on the Child Safety Resource page.

We look forward to hearing the ways you have used this resource in your congregation.

Any questions?

We are here to help – please don't hesitate to contact either:

• Your district Professional Standards Officer details here or
• Nicole Hall or Mary-Ann Carver | Churchwide Child Safety Team
  Email: css@lca.org.au
  Phone: Nicole: 08 8267 7372 or 0491 011 643 | Mary-Ann: 0490 281 727 

Asking For It

This confronting but gripping three part documentary series examined Australia’s epidemic of sexual violence.

If you missed it, you can catch up on SBS On Demand.

Watch series

WORKSHOPS

Safe Church Level 1
Safe Church Level 1 Refresher
Safe Church Level 2

If you are unable to travel to a workshop, Level 1 and Level 2 training is also available online

Please do remember to keep child safety as a standing item on all of your meeting agendas…

…And if you get stuck, don’t hesitate to contact us or the Child Safety Standards team!

Blessings from your Professional Standards team

Questions|Concerns|Feedback

Your local Professional Standards Officers are here to support you.

PSD webpage shortcuts

• Homepage and PSO contact details    www.lca.org.au/psd
• Training    www.lca.org.au/safechurchtraining
• Frequently Asked Questions    www.lca.org.au/psd-faqs
• Resources, including for Safe Church Coordinators    www.lca.org.au/psd-sp3
• LCA Standards of Ethical Behaviour    www.lca.org.au/seb