“We are building a wall around our kids” a senior social worker tells Eternity. “Some of the paperwork and rules we have to stick to at our church may seem like overkill. But they all send a message that we are taking Child Protection seriously. And we believe that vigilance in those details can discourage potential perpetrators from hanging around.”

Here is a shortlist that a local church should consider:

1. Follow your denomination’s Safe Church rules. Make sure all volunteers and ministers are trained, and keep their certificates up to date. Stick to the rules – which will include similar ones to this list. If you are an independent church adapt the rules of a denomination in your state, and access training from that denomination.  Contact the National Council of Churches in Australia Safe Church Network for information about programs that comply with National Training Standards. Email: scta@ncca.org.au
2. Always have at least two leaders present for any activity involving children. Identify the risk points in your church property and activities, and develop clear expectations for addressing them. For example, not allowing a leader and child to be alone in the toilets. If a leader is talking to a child or young person on their own, ensure they remain within eyesight.
3. Ensure that one to one ministry to young people doesn’t occur behind close doors. If leaders are mentoring young people outside group times, ensure that their supervisor and the young person’s family are aware of this, and arrange to meet in public places such as coffee shops or libraries.
4. Don’t pressure people to volunteer for children’s ministry. At one church, a young enthusiastic leader begged an older couple to volunteer. They signed up, but later withdrew confessing one of them had a record of misconduct towards children. The church was lucky the couple were brave enough to admit they had a problem.
5. Design your building so that passerbys can see into all rooms. Glass panels in doors are a good idea.
6. Outdoor lighting. Strangers were hanging around the Friday night activities at one church. Much more powerful lights on the church lawns solved the problem.
7. Co-operate with the state authorities This is an area where churches have often performed poorly in the past. Make sure you know the state government legal expectations that apply to your church regarding child protection reporting and employment screening for paid staff and volunteers.
8. Offenders will target the vulnerable: children with busy, disengaged and disorganized parents. Be vigilant about the connections that develop through church activities with families in the church and beyond. The greatest danger is often contact that occurs off church property with children who have been groomed by an individual who has won their family’s trust.
9. Make sure that parents and children know how to report suspicious activity. It should be possible to complain anonymously. Some denominations provide a complaint line, or a panel of social workers to complain to.
10. Ensure that in your church community children are visible and heard across all activities. If children don’t expect to be believed, they are less likely to tell someone that they are being abused.

The rules apply to everyone, no matter how respected they are. They apply to you.

** Featured image – picture posed by model