What is best practice with junior leaders (under 18 years old)?

Managing Junior Leaders (those under 18 years of age) needs as much care as we give the process with adult leaders. We also need to maintain great care when they turn 18 and transition to an adult leadership role. Here are the main points to note:

Safe Ministry Check 

• Leaders under 18yrs must complete the Safe Ministry Check for 13-17 year old’s and this document must be counter signed by a parent.
• When they turn 18, the Safe Ministry Check for adults must then be completed.

SPECIAL NOTE: Should any person completing this form disclose that they have been convicted of, charged with or accused of sexual abuse of a child or young person, the senior minister or their delegate must obtain advice from the Director of Safe Ministry about disclosures of this type before any decision about appointing the person is made. This advice can be sought via the contact form (choose ‘OSM Director’ as the recipient). 

Screening 

• A Working with Children Check (WWCC) is one aspect of the screening process, but it cannot be obtained until a person turns 18. Therefore, we need to be as vigilant with our screening of Junior Leaders as we are with adults (a significant percentage of sexual abuse of children is peer-to-peer abuse). Every church should use a comprehensive screening policy that includes a role application such as this document.
• An application for a WWCC may be lodged with the OCG a few months prior to the leader turning 18 to ensure that they comply with this screening requirement and can remain in a leadership role.

Safe Ministry Training

• The Safe Ministry To Children Ordinance 2020 mandates safe ministry training for all volunteer church workers who work with children – including those we call junior leaders.
• The Junior Leaders Course is the mandated course of training, however, at the discretion of the rector or his delegate, and in consultation with the junior leaders’ parents, leaders who are 16 or 17 years of age and are regarded as sufficiently mature can complete the Essentials course (this may be the preferred action to take rather than re-doing the Junior Leaders course upon expiry). 
• When a junior leader turns 18, they must complete the Essentials course to maintain their accreditation and remain in a leadership role.

NOTE: it is not appropriate to count a junior leader as a leader for supervision purposes or take on full leadership responsibilities if they have completed the Essentials course at 16 or 17yrs.

Any further questions: please contact your local church Safe Ministry Representative,  Safe Ministry Training Support or the Safe Ministry Parish Consultant.