Safe Person
Brigitte McDonald is the Church Safe Person. If anyone has a concern in relation to personal safety in the Church or Community Brigitte is a person who can be approached confidentially to share their issues. Mobile phone: 0450 404 408.
Brigitte is married to Pastor Ray McDonald. She is the teacher of the Junior Sunday School and has wide experience as a school teacher, Disability Case Manager’ and for many years a Personal Planner for people with disabilities in the Victorian Department of Community Services.
Safety
At Millgrove Baptist Church we aim to create a safe place for all people.
In particular we want to ensure that when children and young people interact with the ministries and activities of Millgrove Baptist that they feel safe, physically, emotionally and spiritually.
We do this in various ways, including:
- Ensuring that every leader and volunteer holds a valid Working with Children Check,
- Various other screening procedures
- Having a process for children and young people, leaders and volunteers to be able to report any concerns they may have.
Child Safety
The Victorian government has introduced seven child safe standards for organizations that include children and young people. Millgrove Baptist Church is committed to implementing these standards continuously across our community.
We will continue to strive to ensure that children, young people and vulnerable elderly feel safe at Millgrove Baptist. We will take seriously any concerns that are raised, and act on these in a timely and appropriate manner, including reporting concerns to the relevant authorities. Training is provided to our leaders and volunteers to ensure that all who represent Millgrove Baptist Church understand their responsibilities, to ensure that Millgrove Baptist is a safe place.
If you have any concerns regarding the safety of a child, young or elderly person at Millgrove Baptist Church, please inform Pastor Ray McDonald or Brigitte McDonald, our ‘Church Safe Person’ who has been especially appointed to this role.
We aim for Millgrove Baptist Church to be a place of welcome for all people and we are committed to making it a safe place for children and young people to discover Jesus and their purpose in life.
Church Safety Statement
Millgrove Baptist Church Child Protection Policy Summary Statement for website, Facebook and other electronic media platforms.
Millgrove Baptist Church have zero tolerance of all forms of child abuse and are committed to ensuring that the best interests of children are upheld.
As required by law and as an expression of our concern for the well-being of children, Millgrove Baptist Church has adopted a Child Protection Policy. This statement is a summary of that policy.
Millgrove Baptist’s Child Protection Policy includes:
- Practices to be followed in the recruitment and screening of staff and volunteers, together with a requirement for a knowledge of child protection practices and ongoing child protection training;
- Necessity of those having contact with children within their Millgrove Baptist Church role to have ongoing supervision by a senior staff member;
- Procedures for dealing with conflicts of interest (especially those involving a child or children and Millgrove Baptist); and
- Procedures on responding to reports of suspected child abuse. It is Millgrove Baptist Church’s practice to require ALL adult volunteers, not just those who work directly or indirectly with children, to have a valid Working with Children Check.
Millgrove Baptist Church has a ‘Church Safe Person’ – Brigitte McDonald. Brigitte is available for consultation with any member or attender of the Millgrove Baptist Church community on matters of child safety and wellbeing.
A person who is experiencing or has experienced child or elderly abuse or has a reasonable belief that a child or an older person is, or may be, being abused by a member of the Millgrove Baptist Church community is strongly encouraged to speak with Brigitte McDonald, the Pastor Ray McDonald or either of our Millgrove Baptist Church Elders – Owen or Marg Bastian regarding the complaint / suspicion about the potential abuse.
Action will be taken to contact relevant authorities (for example, the Police and the Commission for Children and Young People) and to access any required support services.
Where appropriate, the child’s parent / guardian / carer may be made aware of the concern / complaint and the action(s) to be taken.
Millgrove Baptist Church will treat all concerns / complaints with utmost respect and confidentiality.
Reporting suspected child or elderly abuse concerns shall not have any adverse impact on the person(s) connected with the actual / perceived victim of the abuse to receive continued services and support from Millgrove Baptist Church.
For further information on Millgrove Baptist Church’s Child Protection Policy, please contact:
- Brigitte McDonald Mobile 0450 404 408
- Pastor Ray McDonald Mobile 0404 036 244
- Elder – Marg Owen Mobile 0438 507 630
- Elder – Owen Bastian Mobile 0424 866 278