LCA Child Safety Self Assessment Tool 1Instructions2Congregation/Parish Information3Standard 14Standard 25Standard 36Standard 47Standard 58Standard 69Standard 710Standard 811Standard 912Standard 1013Date submitted to Church or Parish Leadership Council14Summary LCA Child Safety Standards for Congregations Self-Assessment Tool Instructions For completing the Web-Based ToolFor assistance, refer to the Self-Assessment Guidelines document and instructional video located on the Self-Assessment Introduction page. Preamble Each page of the LCA Child Safety Standards for Congregations contains a standard followed by a series of statements. These statements represent the elements or indicators of each of the standards. There are 10 standards in total. After the Assessor has completed the “Gathering Information” stage of the self-assessment, the assessor then needs to complete this on-line self-assessment tool by: Rating each element of the standards and Suggesting some “Next Steps” Remember, you do not have to complete the on-line form in one sitting. You can select the “Save and Continue Later” button at any time to come back to your work later. Your saved work will be sent to you via an email. 1. Rating each element: Carefully re-read each standard, each of its elements, and your notes from your discussions. Using the information you gathered in your discussions, as well as your own knowledge base and impressions, consider the extent to which you think each of these statements is accurate or ‘true’ Now rate each element by choosing the rating that you think best corresponds with your findings and conclusions. There are 5 ratings and they are quite straight forward. Select one of the following buttons: “We haven’t started on this yet” if work hasn’t yet commenced “We’ve made a promising start” if work has begun “We’re about half way” if it’s progressing quite well “We’re almost there” if almost complete and “Yes, we meet this!” if it’s all done. Don’t be worried about being critical or about giving a “low” rating. It is very important to be honest because this is the only way your congregation leaders will know what needs to be improved. Also remember, these are just your suggested ratings for council to consider. Don’t worry about getting them right or wrong. The council just wants to hear your suggestions and impressions so that they can then develop a good and meaningful child safety plan Use the comments section to add any clarifications to help your leadership or council understand your rating. You may also wish to include examples of how the standard is, or is not being met, in this section. If you don’t think any clarification or examples are needed, just leave the “Comments” section blank. 2. Suggest “Next Steps” Now consider suggestions for the ‘Next Steps’ section for each of the standards. This section is important because it will form the basis for the congregation’s Child Safety Plan that your leadership team or council will develop and then follow. In developing ‘Suggested Next Steps’, focus on those statements where the rating is low or lowish ie: “We haven’t started on this yet” “We’ve made a promising start “We’re about half way” This is because these are likely to be the areas of child safety risk for your congregation. Then identify strategies or activities that the congregation could put in place to reduce the risk, improve the rating, and meet the standard. Record these in the “Suggested Next Steps” section at the bottom of the page for each standard. For examples of suggestions to include in the “Suggested Next Steps” section, please refer to the CSS webpage Suggest as many or as few as needed for leadership to consider. It is okay to identify only one or two strategies for some of the standards while for others, you may wish to make a number of suggestions. Be as creative as possible and, very importantly, use the suggestions from your interviews. Remember there are no limits and these are only suggestions for your council. Try to keep your suggestions simple and achievable Also remember to try and focus on the areas of priority – don’t overlook these Complete the “Suggested Next Steps” section for each of the 10 standards. If you have no suggestions for a particular standard, leave it blank Once completed, you are ready to submit your self-assessment via pressing the “Submit” button. Your completed self-assessment will then be automatically delivered to your chairperson via an email (this is because you will have provided your chairperson’s email address in the opening pages of the self-assessment tool). Remember that once you have submitted your self-assessment, it is not possible to make changes. As a final point, don’t forget to download and print out your PDF version of your completed self-assessment so that you have the information available for when you present your findings to the church council or leadership You’ll find your downloadable PDF on the last page of the this tool And that’s it! The self-assessment tool all done! Please note that all fields must be completed.Congregation or Parish(Required)Name, location, state (eg St John’s Blackstump NSW) District(Required)Select from the dropdown menuNSW and ACTQueenslandSouth Australia – Northern TerritoryVictoria – TasmaniaWestern AustraliaPastor(s)(Required)If your congregation or parish is vacant, type Vacant in this field. Congregation or Parish Council Chairperson(Required) Chairperson’s Email Address(Required)This is the address to which your submission receipt and summary PDF will be sent. Please ensure this address is entered correctly. Name(s) of Assessor(s): Assessor Email Address(Required) Date Assessment Completed(Required) DD slash MM slash YYYY Child safety is embedded in the culture, leadership, and governance of our congregation. Our congregation prioritises the safety and wellbeing of children and demonstrates this through all levels of its leadership. Our congregation has no tolerance for child abuse in any form. Please use the following ratings for the questions below:1 – We haven’t started on this element yet 2 – We have made a promising start 3 – We’re about halfway 4 – We’re nearly there 5 – Yes, we meet this element!1.1 - Our “Statement of Commitment to Child Safety” is displayed within our congregation spaces and is communicated using various means to our community1.1 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 1.2 - Our pastor(s) and other leaders model a child safe culture by acknowledging the vulnerabilities of children and reminding us of our shared responsibility to keep children safe1.2 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 1.3 - Our pastor(s) and other leaders communicate important messages about child safety to our congregation1.3 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 1.4 - Our leadership understands that child safety must be prioritised in decision making when child safety concerns are raised 1.4 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 1.5 - Our pastor(s) and other leaders understand their legal responsibilities, are aware of the required steps, and know who to contact and report to if there is a child safety concern1.5 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 1.6 - Everyone at our congregation displays appropriate behaviours when interacting with children1.6 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 1.7 - Our leadership team encourages employees and volunteers to raise questions or concerns about child safety 1.7 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 OVERALL RATING FOR CHILD SAFETY STANDARD 1CommentsSuggested Next StepsStep 1(Required) Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Our congregation takes the views of children seriously. We are committed to listening to children and to providing them with opportunities to participate and be heard. We work especially hard to help children raise concerns if they need to. Please use the following ratings for the questions below:1 – We haven’t started on this element yet 2 – We have made a promising start 3 – We’re about halfway 4 – We’re nearly there 5 – Yes, we meet this element!2.1 - Our pastor(s), other leaders, employees, and volunteers acknowledge children during worship and other activities and show children that they are valued and loved by including them in worship and prayer2.1 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 2.2 - Our pastor(s), other leaders, employees, and volunteers value the opinion of children by asking them about what helps to make them feel safe and comfortable2.2 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 2.3 - Our congregation helps children develop and strengthen their church friendships2.3 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 2.4 - Our congregation spaces display child friendly information that encourages children to speak up if they have a concern, and children know who they can talk to if they need support2.4 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 2.5 - Our pastor(s), other leaders, employees, and volunteers know to listen to children and to take them seriously if they raise a concern or are worried about something.2.5 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 2.6 - Our pastor(s), other leaders, employees, and volunteers understand that some children have additional needs and require extra support to help them engage in church activities or raise concerns if they need to.2.6 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 OVERALL RATING FOR CHILD SAFETY STANDARD 2CommentsSuggested Next Steps Step 1(Required) Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Our congregation works in partnership with families and carers to keep children safe. We are committed to keeping families informed, to listening to their concerns, and to helping them be involved in decisions that affect their children. Please use the following ratings for the questions below:1 – We haven’t started on this element yet 2 – We have made a promising start 3 – We’re about halfway 4 – We’re nearly there 5 – Yes, we meet this element!3.1 - Our leadership advises parents that we take their children’s safety and well-being seriously3.1 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 3.2 - Our pastor(s), other leaders, employees, and volunteers talk to parents and carers about their children’s wellbeing and safety and keep them informed about how we keep their children safe3.2 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 3.3 - Our LCA child safety related policies, procedures and resources are accessible for parent and carers3.3 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 3.4 - We remind parents and carers that they can raise concerns with us at any time, we make sure that parents and carers know who they can talk to if they have a complaint, and we make sure to listen and respond when concerns are raised3.4 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 3.5 - Our leadership reminds parents and carers that families also have responsibility for keeping their children safe while they are engaged in congregational activities3.5 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 3.6 - We invite parents and carers to contribute to activity planning and decision-making which relates to their children3.6 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 3.7 - We seek feedback from parents and carers about child safety in our congregation using a range of methods3.7 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 OVERALL RATING FOR CHILD SAFETY STANDARD 3CommentsSuggested Next StepsStep 1(Required) Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Our congregation recognises that children from diverse backgrounds have unique vulnerabilities and are more likely to be at risk or experience abuse and neglect. We know this is particularly true for children from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, children from refugee backgrounds, children from other diverse cultural groups, children with disabilities and children who are unable to live with their families. We appreciate that all children have the right to worship God and to participate freely and happily in our church community. With this in mind, we are committed to minimising the barriers that these children face as we work towards ensuring that our congregation is a safe and welcoming place for all of God’s children. Please use the following ratings for the questions below:1 – We haven’t started on this element yet 2 – We have made a promising start 3 – We’re about halfway 4 – We’re nearly there 5 – Yes, we meet this element!4.1 - Our pastor(s) and other leaders communicate to our congregation that children from diverse backgrounds and with diverse needs have the right to worship in the same way as all God’s children4.1 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 4.2 - Our leadership promotes cultural understanding and inclusivity that reflects our wider community4.2 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 4.3 - Our congregation actively encourages children and families from different cultural groups and backgrounds to participate in worship and church activities4.3 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 4.4 - Our pastor(s), other leaders, employees, and volunteers understand that children with special needs or children from diverse backgrounds find it harder to raise to concerns or make report4.4 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 4.5 - Our pastor(s), other leaders, employees, and volunteers work hard to identify and then reduce barriers faced by children with diverse needs to help them participate and raise concerns if they need to4.5 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 OVERALL RATING FOR CHILD SAFETY STANDARD 4CommentsSuggested Next StepsStep 1(Required) Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Our congregation ensures that our employees and volunteers with designated roles that involve working with children as well as our pastor(s) and leadership team are suitable, safe, well-informed, and supported. Please use the following ratings for the questions below:1 – We haven’t started on this element yet 2 – We have made a promising start 3 – We’re about halfway 4 – We’re nearly there 5 – Yes, we meet this element!5.1 - Our pastor(s), other leaders, employees, and volunteers have current and valid working with children type clearances5.1 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 5.2 - Our leadership makes it clear that work with children cannot commence without a current and valid clearance5.2 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 5.3 - Our screening compliance is reported to our church council at regular intervals5.3 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 5.4 - Our leadership has a system to keep track of dates for screening renewals5.4 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 5.5 - Our leadership requires us to follow LCA procedures when recruiting an employee or volunteer for roles with children, including contacting referees, even when the prospective employee or volunteer is well known to us5.5 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 5.6 - Our leadership ensures all leadership members, employees, and volunteers have clear role descriptions which include requirements to follow LCA policies and procedures and also make reference to child safety requirements * The LCA’s Child Safety Code of Conduct relating to Children is being developed in 2022. Please disregard this part of the question, if the code of conduct has not yet been approved.5.6 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 5.7 - Our pastor(s), other leaders, employees, and volunteers understand and uphold the obligations outlined in the LCA Child Safety Code of Conduct and the LCA Standards of Ethical Behaviour * The LCA’s Child Safety Code of Conduct relating to Children is being developed in 2022. Please disregard this part of the question, if the code of conduct has not yet been approved.5.7 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 5.8 - Our church council maintains accurate and confidential records of recruitment processes for all leadership, employee, and volunteer appointments5.8 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 OVERALL RATING FOR CHILD SAFETY STANDARD 5CommentsSuggested Next StepsStep 1(Required) Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Our congregation has a reporting and complaints process which has a clear focus on child safety, is accessible to children and is clear regarding roles and responsibilities. Please use the following ratings for the questions below:1 – We haven’t started on this element yet 2 – We have made a promising start 3 – We’re about halfway 4 – We’re nearly there 5 – Yes, we meet this element!6.1 - Our pastor(s), other leaders, employees and volunteers who engage with children understand their respective roles and legal responsibilities regarding mandatory reporting, reportable conduct, and failure to report6.1 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 6.2 - Processes for reporting abuse of a child, a child at risk, or grooming of a child are displayed within our congregation spaces and are accessible to everyone6.2 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 6.3 - Child-friendly versions for reporting abuse of a child, a child at risk, or grooming of a child are also displayed6.3 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 6.4 - Children in our congregation are provided with a variety of ways to make complaints, raise concerns, or give feedback6.4 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 6.5 - Our pastors and other leaders know to support our employees and volunteers in making reports if they reasonably suspect a child is at risk or has been harmed6.5 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 6.6 - In situations where child safety concerns are raised in relation to a member of our congregation, our leadership understands its responsibilities to report to the LCA Professional Standards Department and to follow the relevant LCA policies and procedures6.6 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 6.7 - Our leadership maintains accurate, confidential, and secure records of all complaints and child safety concerns6.7 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 6.8 - All complaints and reports relating to child safety concerns are taken seriously by our leadership, managed promptly, and all parties treated respectfully6.8 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 OVERALL RATING FOR CHILD SAFETY STANDARD 6CommentsSuggested Next StepsStep 1(Required) Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Our pastor, other leaders, employees, and volunteers participate in regular training that provides them with an understanding of the fundamentals of child abuse, the importance of ethical conduct, how to respond to concerns, and how to prioritise child safety in the congregational context. Please use the following ratings for the questions below:1 – We haven’t started on this element yet 2 – We have made a promising start 3 – We’re about halfway 4 – We’re nearly there 5 – Yes, we meet this element!7.1 - Our pastor(s), other leaders and all employees and volunteers who engage with children are compliant with the LCA Safe Church Training requirements 7.1 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 7.2 - Compliance with the requirements of Safe Church Training is regularly reported to our leadership7.2 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 7.3 - Our congregation has a system in place to remind our pastor(s), other leaders, employees, and volunteers when Safe Church Training is due7.3 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 7.4 - Our pastor, other leaders and all employees, and volunteers who engage with children have a thorough understanding of child abuse and its indicators (including grooming), child safety risk assessment and risk management, reporting responsibilities, how to respond to disclosures of abuse, and the characteristics of institutional abuse7.4 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 7.5 - Our leadership supports our pastor(s), other leaders, employees, and volunteers to undertake further child safety training as appropriate7.5 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 OVERALL RATING FOR CHILD SAFETY STANDARD 7CommentsSuggested Next StepsStep 1(Required) Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Our pastor(s), other leaders, employees, and volunteers have the knowledge and skills to identify and reduce risks to children in relation to physical and on-line surroundings, church activities and church-related outings. Please use the following ratings for the questions below:1 – We haven’t started on this element yet 2 – We have made a promising start 3 – We’re about halfway 4 – We’re nearly there 5 – Yes, we meet this element!8.1 - All congregation activities involving children are carefully risk-managed using child safety risk management processes8.1 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 8.2 - Our leadership, pastor(s) and relevant employees and volunteers know how to mitigate identified risks to children and will cancel church activities if risks cannot be safely reduced8.2 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 8.3 - Our leadership, pastor(s), and relevant employees and volunteers know to cancel activities if risks to children cannot be adequately reduced 8.3 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 8.4 - We regularly review our church’s physical spaces and reduce identified risks to children8.4 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 8.5 - Our leadership provides clear information to our pastor(s), other leaders, employees, volunteers, children and families about appropriate and safe online engagement with children as appropriate 8.5 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 OVERALL RATING FOR CHILD SAFETY STANDARD 8CommentsSuggested Next StepsStep 1(Required) Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Our congregation is committed to implementing these standards and to making sure that our child safety progress is regularly reviewed. Please use the following ratings for the questions below:1 – We haven’t started on this element yet 2 – We have made a promising start 3 – We’re about halfway 4 – We’re nearly there 5 – Yes, we meet this element!9.1 - Child safety is on the agenda for all our local church council meetings, including the Annual General Meeting9.1 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 9.2 - The church council ensures that a self-assessment of our congregation’s child-safety progress occurs once a year9.2 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 9.3 - Our church leadership oversees the preparation of a Child Safety Plan each year using information from the self-assessment9.3 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 9.4 - Our church leadership oversees implementation of the Child Safety Plan and regularly reviews progress9.4 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 9.5 - Each year we submit our Child Safety Plan to the district’s Professional Standards Officer for collation9.5 - Is this standard met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 OVERALL RATING FOR CHILD SAFETY STANDARD 9CommentsSuggested Next StepsStep 1(Required) Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Our congregation has clear policies and procedures about child safety that help our people develop and maintain a safe environment for children. Please use the following ratings for the questions below:1 – We haven’t started on this element yet 2 – We have made a promising start 3 – We’re about halfway 4 – We’re nearly there 5 – Yes, we meet this element!10.1 - Our leadership follows LCA policies and procedures that relate to child safety10.1 - To what extent do you think this element is met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 10.2 - LCA policies and procedures that relate to child safety are accessible to children, families, pastor(s), other leaders, employees, and volunteers10.2 - To what extent do you think this element is met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 10.3 - Our leadership encourages children and families to provide feedback regarding the implementation of our child safety policies and procedures10.3 - To what extent do you think this element is met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 10.4 - Our church leadership analyses complaints, concerns, and safety incidents to help us improve10.4 - To what extent do you think this element is met?(Required) 1 2 3 4 5 OVERALL RATING FOR CHILD SAFETY STANDARD 10CommentsSuggested Next StepsStep 1(Required) Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Date submitted to Church or Parish Leadership Council(Required) DD slash MM slash YYYY Preview Form Submission & Download PDF LCA Child Safety Standards Office of the Executive Officer of the Church LCA Child Safety Standards Project css@lca.org.au 08 8267 7300 | 08 8267 7372 | 0491 011 643