safe ministry - families

The Presbyterian Church of Victoria, in accordance with the Westminster Confession of Faith, believes that those who profess Jesus Christ, along with their children, are the visible Church - the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, the house and family of God. Families are the place where parents, under God, are the prime educators and teachers of the Christian faith to their children. When a Christian family participates in a PCV church, they do so seeking the support of the church leaders, children’s and youth ministries, Christian teaching and church environment, to enable the children in the family to safely :

  • worship God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit

  • grow in their knowledge of God and the gospel, through the teaching of the Word

  • fellowship together with others, including families and children

  • participate in children’s and youth activities operated by the PCV such as holiday clubs, youth camps.

In Victoria, a child is a person who is under 18 years of age. Where the words “child” or “children” are used in this website, and in all PCV Safe Church materials, these words include all people who are under 18 years of age in the PCV, or accessing services and ministries provided by the PCV.

Families are able to provide feedback to their own church leadership about the children’s and youth ministries and child safe practices in their church. Families can also contact the Safe Church Unit about:

  • The PCV Safe Church programme

  • Child safety concerns, reports and complaints

  • Feedback about child safety in the PCV for the purposes of development and review of child safety policies and practices.

The information on this page (see menu below), as part of PCV Safe Church programme, aims to support and encourage families in PCV churches to:

  • Participate in decisions affecting their child

  • Understand and have ready access to the PCV’s child safe approach

  • Provide feedback and input into the PCV Safe Church child safe policies and practices

  • Be informed about how the PCV operates and governs.

Government Compliance Information

The following information is provided here for families about the PCV’s child safety legal responsibilities and obligations:

Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse by People in Religious Ministry

To see the relevant information about mandatory reporting go here

Working With Children Check legislation

To see the PCV Working With Children Check information go here

The Victorian Child Safe Standards

All organisations in Victoria that work with children must comply with the Victorian Child Safe Standards. 

The Victorian Reportable Conduct Scheme

The PCV must comply with the Victorian Reportable Conduct Scheme.

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Posters - families, children & youth

These posters are made available for PCV churches to communicate to, and enable, families, children and youth to be informed, involved, encouraged and empowered in child safety within the PCV.