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Safe as Churches? Conferences

An initiative of the National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA), Safe as Churches? is a conference that Networks and provides excellent inservice opportunities for those working in the field of Professional Standards in the Christian Church.

There have been four conferences since 2004.

It is becoming clearer to Australian Churches that we are faced with a growing challenge: providing safe church environments in which to carry out ministry programs. This challenge is reflected not only in claims and cases of sexual misconduct in our faith communities, but also in the lack of knowledge at a congregational level; as to how we are to discharge our duty of care, and about the dynamics of power in leadership relationships. In response to this challenge many Christian denominations have established strategies aimed at accountability and transparency in relationships and programs. Significant resources have been put into the establishment of professional standards groups / boards to handle complaints of abuse, and implementation of programs to train employees and volunteer leaders in best practice for creating safer churches. Another pro-active response, initiated by the National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA), has been to hold inter-denominational consultations (conferences) under the banner of ‘Safe as Churches?’ .

The conferences have been engaging the highly sensitive issues sexual abuse and misconduct that in the past have often been concealed or ignored. Something important has happened when we are ready to share our stories on this most painful of subjects, and to ask for help from the family of Churches.

Openness between Churches is an important step in allowing God to heal us and our communities and make us whole.

Safe as Churches? IV, was held in Adelaide, South Australia, from the 11th to the 13th of June 2009. For more information click here.

The first Safe as Churches? Consultation was held from the 4 - 6 March 2004. For more information click here.

Coming July 21-22, 2011in in Sydney is Safe as Churches? V. For more information click here.