Safety at St Jude's
Creating a safe, caring and responsible environment at St Jude's
Safety is a Priority At St Jude's
As part of our Parish Risk Management Program, safety is a key component. On this page we provide specific information in relation to four aspects of safety:
Safe Ministry
As part of the Anglican Church, Diocese of Sydney, St Jude's Bowral is committed to protecting and promoting the physical, emotional and spiritual welfare and safety of all people, especially those who are vulnerable within our own church community.
All those with roles of authority, including Ministry and Office staff, Wardens, members of Parish Council and any volunteer program and activity leaders, have a verified Working with Children Check and Safe Ministry Check, and have completed the Safe Ministry Course, with refresher training required every three years. We also encourage those working with vulnerable adults to complete Safe Ministry training. Records are kept to ensure that these accreditations are up to date.
The Safe Ministry Course is our Diocese's best practice in equipping those working with children and other vulnerable people with the knowledge and understanding they need to build a culture of safe ministry. Comprehensive information can be found in the Safe Ministry Blueprint for Churches, published by our Diocese.
Sydney Anglicans Policy Statement
To ensure the safety of children and vulnerable people, the Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney, in conjunction with the Anglican Church of Australia, will:
- carefully recruit and train its clergy and church workers
- adopt and encourage safe ministry practices amongst its clergy and church workers
- respond promptly to each concern raised about the behaviour of its clergy and church workers
- offer pastoral support to any person who has suffered abuse
- provide supervision and pastoral accountability.
If you have any questions about safe ministry or abuse of power at St Jude's, please get in touch and ask for the Safe Ministry Representative. Alternatively, you may contact the Office of Safe Ministry within the Diocese of Sydney.
Please contact the Police on 000, and / or the Office of Safe Ministry within the Diocese of Sydney on the 1800 774 945 report line, or report in writing by secure form. All reports are acted on promptly, although it is important to note that making initial contact does not commit you to anything.
Our Safe Ministry Representative will be glad to talk to you, give you full explanations and answer any questions you might have before you decide what you want to do. Please email safeministry@stjudesbowral.org.au
Food Safety
At St Jude's, we are committed to effective risk management, including food safety at all our events. Even though we are not a commercial food business, we are still required by law to meet the Food Standards Code. We follow these formal Standards so that we:
- act responsibly by meeting our legal obligations and community expectations
- act lovingly as Christians, caring for one another and ensuring no harm comes to those we serve.
Food safety practices have changed significantly in recent years. Food allergies and foodborne illnesses are now much more common, especially among children, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems. Our duty of care means taking every reasonable precaution to protect everyone who eats the food we prepare.
Volunteers involved in food handling receive written guidance and face-to-face training and are provided with access to our Food safety for volunteers guide, and online food safety training video for ongoing education and reference. Links to these resources are provided below.
Emergency Evacuation
We have developed emergency evacuation arrangements and designated responsible persons to serve as persons of authority in overseeing the effective implementation of our procedures as required.
This online training video resource has been developed to support staff and volunteers in understanding their emergency evacuation responsibilities.
Get In Touch With Us
Traditional Building:
Sunday 8:00am
Sunday 10:00am
Sunday 4:00pm
Auditorium:
Sunday 9:00am
Sunday 5:00pm
St Jude’s Anglican Church
38 Bendooley St,
Bowral NSW 2576
Office Hours:
Monday to Friday 9-12pm
ABN: 47 044 202 152
Social Media
St Jude's is committed to the safe, respectful, and accountable use of social media across our parish ministries and communications. We encourage transparent and appropriate communication between leaders and children or young people, with parents and church leaders aware of these relationships. For full guidelines, please refer to our Social Media Policy.