Overview of Safe Ministry for those serving at SNAC
NB: This information is for leaders who are over 18. Junior leaders (i.e. under 18) should contact Brendan or Kevin.
At St George North Anglican Church, we take safe ministry seriously. We expect that all leaders involved in ministry to children or youth will complete the steps outlined below. This page gathers together the necessary documentation and external links for each step. If you have any questions about what is required for your role, please contact your ministry coordinator, Brendan (Youth minister and Safe Ministry Representative) – brendan@snac.org.au or Kevin (Children’s minister) – kevin@snac.org.au.
All leaders and volunteers serving in any ministry that involves children or youth require the following:
- Working with children check (WWCC): This must be renewed every 5 years.
- Safe ministry certificate: This online course must be completed every 3 years.
- Safe ministry check: This is an online screening questionnaire.
In addition to the above, all leaders serving in Kids Plus, Kids Church or Youth ministry require the following:
- To have read the relevant documentation for your ministry.
- Submitted a leadership application form.
Working with Children Check
To apply for the first time
- There is no cost for volunteers to apply for a working with children check.
- The first step is to complete an online application form here. You will receive an APP number via email.
- The second step is to visit a branch of NSW services. You will need to take multiple documents as proof of identity. The process usually takes around 20 to 30 minutes depending on the number of people waiting in the queue. Click here to find your closest branch.
- Once you receive your WWCC number, you will need to send this number to safeministry@snac.org.au
To renew your working with children check
- The renewal process is similar to applying for the first time. You can renew your Working With Children Check from three months before its expiry date. The renewed Check will start from the previous expiry date.
- The first step is to complete an online application form here.
- The second step is to verify your identity through Service NSW. This may be able to completed online or you may need to visit Service NSW branch. Click here to find your closest branch.
- Once you have renewed your WWCC, please let us know by contacting safeministry@snac.org.au. We will confirm when we have cleared your updated WWCC with the new expiry date.
Safe Ministry
Which course should I complete?
- If you have never completed safe ministry before you must complete the Essentials course.
- If you have allowed your safe ministry certificate to expire after 3 years, you must complete the Essentials course.
- If you have already completed the essentials course or a refresher course within 3 years, you can complete the Refresher course.
- If you are not sure which course to complete, please email safeministry@snac.org.au.
How do I complete a safe ministry course?
Both courses may be completed online. There is an online learning component which can be completed at your own pace. There is also a webinar that can be booked when you have finished the online learning component. Places for each webinar are limited so please ensure you allow enough time to finish the course. You can find instructions to register for both courses here. The Essentials course costs $20 and takes “up to 5 hours”. The refresher course costs $15 and takes “up to 3 hours”.
Once you have finished, please email your certificate to safeministry@snac.org.au.
Safe ministry Check
This is an assessment tool that will assess your suitability for working with children and youth. The easiest way to complete the safe ministry assessment is using an online survey at this link. You will need to enter our 5 digit SMC Church ID number which is 18305. Depending on your responses to the questions, we may need to organise a follow up interview with you.
Important Documents
For leaders serving in Kids Plus, Kids Church or SNAC Youth, please read through the following documents:
- Children’s Ministry handbook– A summary of our expectations for leaders at Kids Church and Kids Plus.
- Youth Ministry handbook– A summary of our expectations for leaders at SNAC Youth.
All leaders may also like to read documents below provided by our Professional Standards Unit (PSU):
- Faithfulness in service – This is the national code of conduct for those serving in Anglican churches.
- Safe Ministry Blueprint for Children’s ministry – Guidelines for safe ministry with children up to and including Year 6.
- Safe Ministry Blueprint for Youth ministry – Guidelines for safe ministry with high school students, or otherwise teenagers under the age of 18.
Leader Application Form
For leaders serving in Kids Plus, Kids Church or SNAC Youth, please complete a leadership application form as below. Your leadership application form should be returned to Kevin or Brendan.