Introduction
1. Disciples Church Springfield is committed to providing a child-safe and child- friendly environment. This includes ensuring that all who are part of our church community know how to report concerns and feel encouraged to do so.
2. Abuse often occurs in environments where trust is involved, including where a person in a position of trust and/or authority misuses their position to harm another. Often the recipient of the abuse is vulnerable due to their personal
circumstances or because the abuser is in a position of power or authority.
3. This policy applies to every person involved in Disciples Church.
4. Members of Disciples Church are always able to make a report directly to the Police or Child Safety Services before going through this complaint process. However, afterwards the Risk Management Officer [RMO] should be notified of
the report made, in order that Disciples Church can take appropriate safety measures and support the parties involved.
2. Abuse often occurs in environments where trust is involved, including where a person in a position of trust and/or authority misuses their position to harm another. Often the recipient of the abuse is vulnerable due to their personal
circumstances or because the abuser is in a position of power or authority.
3. This policy applies to every person involved in Disciples Church.
4. Members of Disciples Church are always able to make a report directly to the Police or Child Safety Services before going through this complaint process. However, afterwards the Risk Management Officer [RMO] should be notified of
the report made, in order that Disciples Church can take appropriate safety measures and support the parties involved.
Making a Complaint
5. Any person – including any child, parent, child’s trusted adult representative, independent support person, staff member, volunteer or adult survivor – may report incidents or complaints about abuse or inappropriate behaviour involving any person at Disciples Church.
6. Incidents involving injury, medical interventions, contact with emergency services, illegal activity, suspicions of abuse, disclosures and complaints about abuse, inappropriate behaviour, or serious near misses must all be reported and
acted upon as soon as possible.
7. Reports should be directed to the Child Safety Coordinator [Coordinator] and the RMO.
8. If the report concerns either the Coordinator or the RMO, or there is a perceived or actual conflict of interest, then the report can be made to the Lead Pastor, or any member of the Elder Board of Disciples Church.
9. Reports should ideally be made in writing, but this is not always possible. If a complaint is made verbally, the person to whom the report is made should record it in writing as soon as possible.
10. Reports can be submitted via:
a. The DC App ‘Incident Report’
b. Email to childsafety@discipleschurch.org.au and rmo@disciples.org.au with the subject “Incident Report”
c. Printed Incident Report forms; located in the Children’s Ministry equipment containers, or by request from DC Staff
However, any method of report is acceptable.
11. Submitting an Incident Report in the DC App will notify the Coordinator and RMO.
12. All reports should include the following details:
a. The date, time and location of event, disclosure or observation
b. The names of the participant / person of concern and any witnesses
c. A verbatim record of the conversation, as far as practical, or a factual account of the incident
i. Including injuries, actions and timings of treatments
ii. Do not include commentary or conjecture
iii. Include accounts by witnesses if available
6. Incidents involving injury, medical interventions, contact with emergency services, illegal activity, suspicions of abuse, disclosures and complaints about abuse, inappropriate behaviour, or serious near misses must all be reported and
acted upon as soon as possible.
7. Reports should be directed to the Child Safety Coordinator [Coordinator] and the RMO.
8. If the report concerns either the Coordinator or the RMO, or there is a perceived or actual conflict of interest, then the report can be made to the Lead Pastor, or any member of the Elder Board of Disciples Church.
9. Reports should ideally be made in writing, but this is not always possible. If a complaint is made verbally, the person to whom the report is made should record it in writing as soon as possible.
10. Reports can be submitted via:
a. The DC App ‘Incident Report’
b. Email to childsafety@discipleschurch.org.au and rmo@disciples.org.au with the subject “Incident Report”
c. Printed Incident Report forms; located in the Children’s Ministry equipment containers, or by request from DC Staff
However, any method of report is acceptable.
11. Submitting an Incident Report in the DC App will notify the Coordinator and RMO.
12. All reports should include the following details:
a. The date, time and location of event, disclosure or observation
b. The names of the participant / person of concern and any witnesses
c. A verbatim record of the conversation, as far as practical, or a factual account of the incident
i. Including injuries, actions and timings of treatments
ii. Do not include commentary or conjecture
iii. Include accounts by witnesses if available
Responding to Complaints
13. Complaints may be made by someone who witnesses abuse or is informed about abuse that has allegedly occurred. These complaints should be taken just as seriously as if the complaint was coming from the child directly.
14. Complainants should be encouraged to report their allegation to the Police where the conduct might be criminal. Individuals should be informed of their right to also report to the Department of Families, Seniors, Disability Services and
Child Safety [referred hereafter as ‘Child Safety Services’].
15. When a child discloses abuse or makes a complaint, the person receiving the disclosure must listen with care and sensitivity. The child should be reassured that they are not at fault and that speaking up was the right thing to do. The adult must not ask leading questions, seek unnecessary details, or press the child to elaborate. Take notes if possible. While acknowledging the seriousness and difficulty of the disclosure, no promises of confidentiality should be made, as
further reporting may be required to ensure the child’s safety and wellbeing.
14. Complainants should be encouraged to report their allegation to the Police where the conduct might be criminal. Individuals should be informed of their right to also report to the Department of Families, Seniors, Disability Services and
Child Safety [referred hereafter as ‘Child Safety Services’].
15. When a child discloses abuse or makes a complaint, the person receiving the disclosure must listen with care and sensitivity. The child should be reassured that they are not at fault and that speaking up was the right thing to do. The adult must not ask leading questions, seek unnecessary details, or press the child to elaborate. Take notes if possible. While acknowledging the seriousness and difficulty of the disclosure, no promises of confidentiality should be made, as
further reporting may be required to ensure the child’s safety and wellbeing.
Risk Assessments
16. Disciples Church must respond promptly and consistently to all complaints.
17. The RMO will be responsible for handling all complaints and reports, unless another member of the Elder Board is appointed to prevent a conflict of interest.
18. Upon receiving a complaint or disclosure of child abuse, an initial risk assessment (which may be informal) must be conducted to identify and minimise any risks to children. Priorities include:
a. Assessing the safety of the complainant and other children and vulnerable people
b. Considering whether it is necessary to immediately report to a relevant agency
c. Considering who, if anyone, should be informed of the complaint – balancing the privacy of the victim with community safety
d. Considering what initial actions should be taken to prevent any potential harm to children, including further contact with the accused, until the situation is resolved
19. If a complaint of child sexual abuse against a person within Disciples Church is plausible then the accused person will be stood down from their position while the complaint is investigated. This includes allegations regarding any person who is an Elder, office holder, staff member or volunteer involved in the ministry of Disciples Church.
20. Disciples Church will report to Police or Child Safety Services any reasonable suspicion that a child has been a victim of abuse, domestic violence, or is at risk of such harm.
21. If Police are investigating or deciding whether to investigate an allegation, Disciples Church must avoid any actions that might conflict with the Police investigation or legal process. Consultation with the Police or Child Safety Services must be undertaken to guide any protective actions within the Church or its ministries, including communications with children, parents, or staff.
22. Sensitive reports will be handled with discretion, and information will only be shared where necessary to protect the child and ensure appropriate action.
23. Support should be offered to those affected, including the child or children involved (or the person who made the complaint).
24. Disciples Church will report allegations of child sexual abuse to ACS Insurance Services.
17. The RMO will be responsible for handling all complaints and reports, unless another member of the Elder Board is appointed to prevent a conflict of interest.
18. Upon receiving a complaint or disclosure of child abuse, an initial risk assessment (which may be informal) must be conducted to identify and minimise any risks to children. Priorities include:
a. Assessing the safety of the complainant and other children and vulnerable people
b. Considering whether it is necessary to immediately report to a relevant agency
c. Considering who, if anyone, should be informed of the complaint – balancing the privacy of the victim with community safety
d. Considering what initial actions should be taken to prevent any potential harm to children, including further contact with the accused, until the situation is resolved
19. If a complaint of child sexual abuse against a person within Disciples Church is plausible then the accused person will be stood down from their position while the complaint is investigated. This includes allegations regarding any person who is an Elder, office holder, staff member or volunteer involved in the ministry of Disciples Church.
20. Disciples Church will report to Police or Child Safety Services any reasonable suspicion that a child has been a victim of abuse, domestic violence, or is at risk of such harm.
21. If Police are investigating or deciding whether to investigate an allegation, Disciples Church must avoid any actions that might conflict with the Police investigation or legal process. Consultation with the Police or Child Safety Services must be undertaken to guide any protective actions within the Church or its ministries, including communications with children, parents, or staff.
22. Sensitive reports will be handled with discretion, and information will only be shared where necessary to protect the child and ensure appropriate action.
23. Support should be offered to those affected, including the child or children involved (or the person who made the complaint).
24. Disciples Church will report allegations of child sexual abuse to ACS Insurance Services.
Investigations Procedure
25. Disciples Church must investigate all complaints of conduct that does not reach the criminal threshold but may be inappropriate and/or a breach of Disciples Church’s Child Safety Code of Conduct. If there is any doubt about whether the criminal threshold has been reached, or if that conclusion is reached at any stage during an investigation, the allegation must be reported to the relevant authorities.
26. The RMO, or delegated Elder, will be responsible for appointing those involved in the investigation.
27. The person/s investigating may be the RMO, Coordinator, a member of the Elder Board of Disciples Church, suitable church members, an appointed contractor, or a small team of such people, depending on the incident type and its gravity.
28. The investigator/s must ensure that they:
a. are impartial and objective, applying a consistent treatment of allegations regardless of who they come from and who they are against
b. have no conflict of interest with the proper investigation of the complaint
c. have relevant training, skills and experience in investigation processes
d. follow steps to meet the requirements of procedural fairness
29. The investigator/s must have sufficient authority to discharge the role effectively and be able to demonstrate they are impartial and objective.
30. Disciples Church will apply the same standards for investigating complaints of child abuse, whether or not the subject of the complaint is a person in a ministry position.
31. The investigator/s must be mindful of diversity and the cultural norms and expectations that are within the group of people involved in the investigation. Additional safeguards may be required to meet the needs of children with disability, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, or children who live in out-of-home care.
32. Confidentiality will be maintained to the greatest extent possible, with information shared strictly on a need-to-know basis to protect the child and support the investigation, consistent with legal requirements.
33. The investigator/s will report their findings to the Elder Board.
34. The Elder Board of Disciples Church will be responsible for implementing any decisions or risk management actions arising from the investigation, as is detailed in the Child Harm and Abuse Response Policy.
35. This policy was last updated in August 2025.
26. The RMO, or delegated Elder, will be responsible for appointing those involved in the investigation.
27. The person/s investigating may be the RMO, Coordinator, a member of the Elder Board of Disciples Church, suitable church members, an appointed contractor, or a small team of such people, depending on the incident type and its gravity.
28. The investigator/s must ensure that they:
a. are impartial and objective, applying a consistent treatment of allegations regardless of who they come from and who they are against
b. have no conflict of interest with the proper investigation of the complaint
c. have relevant training, skills and experience in investigation processes
d. follow steps to meet the requirements of procedural fairness
29. The investigator/s must have sufficient authority to discharge the role effectively and be able to demonstrate they are impartial and objective.
30. Disciples Church will apply the same standards for investigating complaints of child abuse, whether or not the subject of the complaint is a person in a ministry position.
31. The investigator/s must be mindful of diversity and the cultural norms and expectations that are within the group of people involved in the investigation. Additional safeguards may be required to meet the needs of children with disability, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, or children who live in out-of-home care.
32. Confidentiality will be maintained to the greatest extent possible, with information shared strictly on a need-to-know basis to protect the child and support the investigation, consistent with legal requirements.
33. The investigator/s will report their findings to the Elder Board.
34. The Elder Board of Disciples Church will be responsible for implementing any decisions or risk management actions arising from the investigation, as is detailed in the Child Harm and Abuse Response Policy.
35. This policy was last updated in August 2025.
Schedule 1
1. Email addresses for reporting incidents, disclosures, suspicions or abuse and complaints:
- Coordinator: childsafety@disciples.org.au
RMO: rmo@disciples.org.au
- Child Safety Code of Conduct
- Child Harm and Abuse Response Policy
- Incident Report (via DC App, printed form, email)