Our Safe Ministry Policies

Our Safe Ministry Policy

St Matthew’s Anglican Church is committed to the physical, emotional and spiritual welfare and safety of all people, particularly within its own community. To ensure the safety of children and vulnerable people in our community, St Matthew’s Anglican Church, in conjunction with the Anglican Church of Australia, is committed to -
  • Carefully recruiting and training its clergy and church workers,
  • Adopting and encouraging safe ministry practices by its clergy and church workers,
  •  Responding promptly to each concern raised about the behaviour of its clergy and church workers,
  • Offering pastoral support to any person who has suffered abuse, and
  • Providing 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 another vulnerable person.

Safe Ministry Representative

Each parish requires a Safe Ministry Representative, appointed by the Senior Minister with the concurrence of the parish council. The duties of the Safe Ministry Representative include:
  • Assisting the Senior Minister in complying with child protection screening.
  • Keeping safe ministry training records.
  • Monitoring and reporting on Safe Ministry systems and practice in the parish.
  • Reporting abuse by clergy or church workers.
  • Our Safe Ministry Representative is Mrs Jennifer Hurdis.

Safe Ministry and the Anglican Diocese of Sydney

The Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney has established the Professional Standards Unit, which receives and deals with complaints of child abuse or sexual misconduct by members of the clergy and church workers. The Safe Ministry Board formulates and monitors policy and practice, and advises on child protection and safe ministry for the Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney.
 
If you wish to speak to someone about abuse that has happened in a church or by someone involved in an Anglican church please contact the Anglican Abuse Report Line by phone on     1800 774 945 or via email at [email protected]