1. Professional Standards Unit
Training Survey

2. Total number of Responses37

3. 1. Have you participated in a Professional Standards / ChurchSafe Workshop within the last three years?
NO 8
YES 29

4. The next section asked Pastors to select all statements they believed to be true.
The numbers and percentages indicate how many made that selection. The real answer is either in red or green

5. KNOWLEDGE TEST
The Safe Place policy applies to any form of abuse within the church
TRUE!
81%
FALSE
The Safe Place Policy only applies to sexual abuse and harassment. It’s the move to the Professional Standards Unit that enables any form of abuse to be addressed.

6. KNOWLEDGE TEST
Sexual harassment should be defined along the same lines as sexual abuse
TRUE!
70%
TRUE
Abuse involves a wide range of behaviours along a continuum.
ABUSE HARASSMENT
Where one ends and the other begins is impossible to define. It’s all abuse.

7. KNOWLEDGE TEST
You must first talk with the person before making an official complaint
TRUE! 5%
FALSE
People are encouraged to follow the principle recorded in Matthew 18, however, in some cases, especially those where the power imbalance is significant, the process allows complainants to go directly to the Professional Standards Unit.

8. KNOWLEDGE TEST
The Safe Place process of handling a complaint is different for each case
TRUE!
9 24%
FALSE
It’s important that the same appropriate process is followed in each case

9. KNOWLEDGE TEST
It's important to report child abuse when your belief is based on reasonable grounds or when you are responding to a disclosure of abuse
TRUE!
35 95%
TRUE
It’s so important that we take abuse seriously and therefore report it to the appropriate authorities. Please ring Professional Standards if you need advice.

10. KNOWLEDGE TEST
In responding to a disclosure of abuse from a child it's important to listen rather than investigate
TRUE!
27 73%
TRUE
We are not the experts when it comes to investigation. Our listening to the child is completed once we have decided that we have reasonable grounds to conclude that abuse is occurring.

11. KNOWLEDGE TEST
When appointing a Sunday School Teacher who has been a church member for less than 3 months you need to make sure you check their background thoroughly.
TRUE!
32 86%
FALSE
Welcome to my most difficult question!
While checking backgrounds is critical, it’s also important not to appoint anyone until you know them well and they know the congregation. The recommended minimum period is 6 months.

12. KNOWLEDGE TEST
The Safety Management Online system is freely available to all congregations.
TRUE!
27 73%
TRUE
All congregations/parishes need to do is let the Professional Standards know the name and address of their Coordinator.

13. TRUE!
I have never attended a Safe Place or a Professional Standards /ChurchSafe Workshop.
Great to see that all pastors have had some training. It is important, however, that all receive the latest training since it includes Child Protection material.

14. By looking at the details of the responses we can conclude that recent training seems to have made a difference in 4 of the 8 questions. However, they are the more important questions.

15. In the next section the high risk methods of appointing people to roles involving children are listed in red, the lower risk methods are in green.
The method that fully complies with the Church’s policy is in dark green.

16. We accept all gifted people who volunteer to do the work.
How are volunteer roles for those working with under 18 year olds appointed in your congregation?
We accept all gifted people who volunteer to do the work.
We accept all gifted people we trust who volunteer to do the work.
We ask those interested to apply for the role. 8%
22%
14%

17. How are volunteer roles for those working with under 18 year olds appointed in your congregation?
We ask those interested to apply for the role and make sure we check the referees they provide in their application.
In addition to the procedure listed in the previous statement we also interview candidates.
24%
30%

18. Almost 60% of those who have had the latest training use lower risk methods
High Risk
Trained

19. Here is the comparison with those who have not received the latest training
Lower Risk Methods
High Risk
Trained
Not trained

20. While around a half of all who responded use lower risk methods of appointing volunteers less than a third are fully compliant with Church policy and State legislation.
Less than one third
Lower Risk Methods
Fully compliant with legislation and policy

21. CONGREGATIONAL TRAINING
Of those who responded around two thirds said that all their Chairpersons have been trained and just under half could report that all their elders/lay assistants have been trained
Adding those who knew that “some but not all” Chairpersons and Elders/Lay Assistants had been trained, the number rises to 80%.

22. The next question asked Pastors their own attitudes to P.S. Training.

23. PASTORS’ ATTITUDES TO PS TRAINING It is essential for PASTORS
It is a necessary but onerous task.
Past training has been very helpful.
Past training has not been helpful
65%
43%
41% 0%
More than one could be ticked – all selected at least one

24. The next question asked Pastors to assess attitudes of congregation members to P.S. Training.

25. PASTORS’ ASSESSING MEMBERS’ ATTITUDES
It is essential for CHURCH LEADERS
This training is unnecessary
Past training has been very helpful
Past training has not been helpful
29% 7% 3%
More than one could be ticked – all selected at least one

26. Thank you for participating and helping us understand more about our PS Training