Introduction
1. Disciples Church Springfield is committed to providing a child-safe and child- friendly environment, which includes ensuring that children, vulnerable people, personnel or caregivers who wish to report an incident or complaint know how to make such a report and are encouraged to do so.
Making Complaints
2. Any person, including any child, parent, child’s trusted adult representative, independent support person, staff member, volunteer or adult survivor may make an incident report or complaint about abuse or inappropriate behaviour by any person involved in Disciples Church.
3. Incidents involving injury, medical interventions, emergency services being contacted, illegal acts, suspicions of abuse, disclosures and complaints about abuse or inappropriate behaviour must all be reported and acted upon as soon as possible.
4. Reports are to be made to the Child Safety Coordinator [Coordinator] and the Risk Management Officer [RMO].
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. The CSE3-IR Incident Report form or the Safety Management Online [SMO] Incident function (for Team Leaders) can be used to make a report. Incident Report forms are located in the Children's Ministry cupboards or can be requested from the Coordinator. However, any method of report is acceptable.
8. The following necessary details should be included in all reports:
a) The date, time and location of event, disclosure or observation
b) The name of the participant / person of concern and any witnesses
c) The conversation, verbatim, or the incident as it occurred
9. Submit the Report either by email to the Coordinator and CC to the RMO with the subject “Incident Report” or in SMO (by Team Leader). The email addresses are:
10. Submitting an Incident Report in SMO will transmit it to the Coordinator for review. Only the Coordinator and RMO can read all Incidents which are logged in SMO.
3. Incidents involving injury, medical interventions, emergency services being contacted, illegal acts, suspicions of abuse, disclosures and complaints about abuse or inappropriate behaviour must all be reported and acted upon as soon as possible.
4. Reports are to be made to the Child Safety Coordinator [Coordinator] and the Risk Management Officer [RMO].
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. The CSE3-IR Incident Report form or the Safety Management Online [SMO] Incident function (for Team Leaders) can be used to make a report. Incident Report forms are located in the Children's Ministry cupboards or can be requested from the Coordinator. However, any method of report is acceptable.
8. The following necessary details should be included in all reports:
a) The date, time and location of event, disclosure or observation
b) The name of the participant / person of concern and any witnesses
c) The conversation, verbatim, or the incident as it occurred
- Including injuries, actions and timings of treatment
- Do not include commentary or conjecture
9. Submit the Report either by email to the Coordinator and CC to the RMO with the subject “Incident Report” or in SMO (by Team Leader). The email addresses are:
- Coordinator: childsafety@disciples.org.au
- RMO: rmo@disciples.org.au
10. Submitting an Incident Report in SMO will transmit it to the Coordinator for review. Only the Coordinator and RMO can read all Incidents which are logged in SMO.
Investigations Procedure
11. All reports regarding breaches in protocols established by Disciple Church’s Code of Practice will be investigated by the Coordinator and RMO, or in the case of a conflict of interest by an appointed member of the Elder Board.
12. All complaints regarding suspected abuse or serious misbehaviour will be investigated according to the procedure detailed in the Harm and Abuse Response Policy.
13. Steps must be taken to ensure the safety of all children while an investigation is underway. A volunteer who is subject to a serious child safety complaint will be stood down from service in ministry and re-assessed pending the outcome of the investigation.
14. Sensitive reports will be kept as confidential as is possible to protect the child.
15. The RMO (or appointed Elder) will take any concerns of a potential crime or suspected risk of harm to Police or the Department of Child Safety, Seniors and Disability Services.
16. This policy was last updated in November 2023.
12. All complaints regarding suspected abuse or serious misbehaviour will be investigated according to the procedure detailed in the Harm and Abuse Response Policy.
13. Steps must be taken to ensure the safety of all children while an investigation is underway. A volunteer who is subject to a serious child safety complaint will be stood down from service in ministry and re-assessed pending the outcome of the investigation.
14. Sensitive reports will be kept as confidential as is possible to protect the child.
15. The RMO (or appointed Elder) will take any concerns of a potential crime or suspected risk of harm to Police or the Department of Child Safety, Seniors and Disability Services.
16. This policy was last updated in November 2023.