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.

Safe Church training to go "live online"

Some changes are planned for the way Safe Church training will be delivered across the church.
Live online training will be phased in during 2024.

See here for more details
 

Changes to Child Safety Plan timeframes

The Lutheran Church of Australia has started implementing the Child Safety Standards across all congregations and parishes in Australia. These are designed to drive cultural change and create, maintain, and improve child-safe practices.

At its October 2023 meeting, the General Church Board agreed to make some important changes to Child Safety Standards submission timelines.

See here for more details

Child Safety Standards resources update

The Child Safety Standards web page has had a few new resources added to it recently. We hope you will take the time to look at them and consider how you might use them in your congregation.
The new resources include:

• A children’s talk about child safety, with script and PowerPoint slides
• A children’s feedback form
• A parents and families feedback form
• A PowerPoint resource entitled ‘Listening to Children’ from our partners in child safety Child Safe Australia

Click here to access the Child Safety Standards resources
 

Standard 8 in focus

Child-safe churches are always looking at ways to reduce risks to children in both our physical and online spaces by:

• Doing regular WHS (Workplace Health and Safety) reviews of all spaces
• Identifying risks in all church activities and programs (including worship) prior to advertising them and running them
• Ensuring programs are run with appropriate supervision ratios
• Using ChildSafe Australia’s safety management resources, including the Safety Management Online database, to help with planning and preparing for activities as well as with keeping records of incidents
• Using resources from the ‘Risk Management’ and ‘Workplace Health and Safety’ modules on the LCANZ Learning Hub
• Following the LCA Social Media Policy and being familiar with what the ChildSafe Australia Code of Practice says about social media
• Communicating regularly with Professional Standards for ongoing support and advice

Any questions?
We are here to help and advise – please don't hesitate to contact:

• 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 
 

Care and love for children this Advent and Christmas

November is a busy time in many congregations. Between AGMs, Advent preparations and Christmas preparations it may be tempting to think that it is too busy to be pulling out the Child Safety Plan and checking to see if anything needs to be worked on in the coming months.

Christmas is traditionally a time when families will attend church. In fact, we often expect more families and new families to attend. Many churches put additional special worship and activities on to help share the news of the birth of Christ especially with and for children and their families – so now is definitely not the time to slow down your efforts at improving your congregation’s safety.

Things it may be useful to consider doing at this time of year:
 

• Have you shared your child safety progress and new initiatives at your AGM?
• Have you recruited and/or appointed a Safe Church Coordinator to fill a vacancy?
• Have new council members for 2024 been made aware that they need to take part in Safe Church Training and apply for working with children type checks?
• Have you done a WHS walk around of your property before your Christmas working bee and considered the safety of children?
• Have you done a risk assessment on your children's nativity play/worship?
• Do you have seasonal helpers at Christmas events – is their Safe Church Training and WWC type check current?
• Are all your child safety posters visible, and in good repair?

These are all ways to improve the safety of children visiting your church and to share the love of Christ this Christmas.
 

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, Level 1 Refresher and Level 2 training is also available online

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