Child Protection - 3

Movers Carrig, H.

The General Synod recommends:
(a) that each diocese, parish and church organisation adopts the Church’s Safe Ministry Policy Statement and develops and implements safe ministry policies and structures;
(b) that each diocese adopts a system for the selection of ordination candidates that includes:
(i) the Safe Ministry Check including the relevant diocesan or agency privacy policy;
(ii) a medical report;
(iii) a children’s commission check or a criminal history check; and
(iv) some form of psycho-sexual assessment;
(c) that each diocese adopts a system for the screening of clergy that includes:
(i) the Safe Ministry Check including the relevant diocesan or agency privacy policy ; and
(ii) a children’s commission check or a criminal history check and that screening is to be carried out immediately prior to:
(iii) their ordination as a deacon and as a priest;
(iv) the issuing of a licence or authorisation; and
(v) their consecration as a bishop or at the expiry of a children’s commission check or every three years, whichever first occurs;
(d) that the proposed National Register include ordination candidates and unlicensed clergy;
(e) that each diocese is to provide to the General Secretary for inclusion in the National Register with respect to each listed person:
(i) the date of each children’s commission background check or criminal history check;
(ii) the date of any completed disciplinary proceedings except where the allegations were found to be false, vexatious or misconceived;
(iii) the date of any refusal by a bishop to ordain the person as a deacon or priest or to issue a licence or authority to the person or any refusal to consecrate
the person as a bishop because of an adverse risk assessment; and
(iv) the date of any refusal by a church organisation to employ or appoint the person because of an adverse risk assessment and that access to this information be restricted to the categories of persons determined by the Standing Committee after consultation with the Professional Standards Commission;
(f) that each diocese adopts a system for the screening for all paid and voluntary church workers:
(i) who have direct and regular contact with children in their ministry; or
(ii) who supervise any such church workers that includes:
(i) the Safe Ministry Check including the relevant diocesan or agency privacy policy; and
(ii) a children’s commission check or a criminal history check and that screening is to be carried out immediately prior to their appointment or at the expiry of a children’s commission check or every three years, whichever first occurs;
(g) that each diocese adopts a code for personal behaviour and the practice of pastoral ministry by its clergy and church workers that includes Faithfulness in Service and any revisions;
(h) that each diocese regularly provide training in the diocesan code for personal behaviour and practice of pastoral ministry to its clergy and church workers;
(i) that each diocese ensures that training in professional ethics in ministry and in human sexuality is included in the formation of clergy and church workers undertaking individual pastoral ministry;
(j) that the bishop of each diocese not ordain a person as a deacon or license or authorise a church worker to undertake individual pastoral ministry, and each parish or church organisation not employ or appoint a church worker to undertake individual pastoral ministry, unless the person has satisfactorily completed training in professional ethics in ministry and in human sexuality;
(k) that each diocese ensures that all clergy, and church workers:
(i) who have direct and regular contact with children in their ministry; or
(ii) who supervise any such church workers satisfactorily complete safe ministry training prior to their ordination as a deacon, employment or appointment and thereafter at regular intervals;
(l) that each diocese adopts a system of pastoral support for all people in the diocese affected by

Resolution year: 2004
Resolution number: 35/04