The following guidelines are for responding to and reporting disclosures or evidence of harm or misconduct (a breach of the Code of Conduct).
- The information will be referred to the person appointed by the church leaders to coordinate the implementation of this Safe Church Strategy referred to in this document as the church’s Safe Church Coordinator.
- If the alleged misconduct or harm was perpetrated by a Registered Minister of Queensland Baptists, then the Safe Church Coordinator or church leaders will inform either the QB Safe Church Officer or the Director of Pastoral Services for Queensland Baptists.
- The church’s Safe Church Coordinator will complete a report to document the disclosure or evidence and the coordinator’s and/or church leaders’ response (Schedule 7).
- In all cases where harm is disclosed, the best interests of the child or vulnerable person must be paramount and the process clear and transparent.
- Care must be taken to record information and evidence in the words of the child or person to assist with the accurate presentation of the information or evidence, especially if the matter is referred to a government department or to the police to be investigated.
- The church’s Safe Church Coordinator will ensure that these reports are properly stored either physically and/or electronically and accessible to the church leaders.
- The Safe Church Officer will undertake a risk assessment to identify and minimise any risks to children and vulnerable persons, including ensuring the safety of children and persons who have disclosed harm or misconduct and considering whether there are any restrictions to informing others imposed by Privacy legislation.
- The person identified by the disclosure as allegedly harming and/or guilty of misconduct will be required to step aside from any activities that will bring them into contact with children or vulnerable persons while the matter is being investigated either by the church’s Safe Church Coordinator, the church leaders, a government agency or the police, and until a determination about the matter has been made.
- Cases of physical, emotional or sexual abuse or of evident neglect, should be referred by the Safe Church Coordinator or a church leader to the police or to the Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women.
- Where a staff member or volunteer has breached a legislative requirement pertaining to the protection and welfare of children, or an obligation stipulated by the Blue Card Services, then the appropriate authority will be notified, to determine the response required
- If the failure or breach is outside the scope of government legislation and regulations but is covered by the Code of Conduct or the Church’s constitution, then the provisions of this strategy and/or the church’s constitution will be applied.
