Coffs Harbour Baptist Church is a Safe Place.
We seek to make the buildings, programs, and all aspects of church safe for everyone and make all people feel safe.
If you have any questions or want to raise a concern, please contact us through the links below:
IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY OR SOMEONE IN IMMEDIATE DANGER
CALL 000
and report to church leadership ASAP.
FORM INFORMATION
These forms help the church stay true to its mission of being a safe, trustworthy, and accountable community. It ensures that anything impacting the safety, wellbeing, or dignity of a child, young person, volunteer, member, attendee, or leader is clearly documented, handled with care, and responsibly followed up.
On a deeper level, we do this because Scripture calls us to care for others with integrity, diligence, and honour. Using incident forms is one way we honour God by creating a safe space for everyone in our care.
What Is an Incident? Use this form where First Aid is applied.
An incident is any event, concern, behaviour, or situation that affects — or has the potential to affect — the safety, wellbeing, dignity, or spiritual care of anyone involved in church life.
It includes:
• Things that actually happen (e.g., an injury, unsafe behaviour).
• Things that almost happen (e.g., a near miss, a boundary concern).
In Safe Church ministry, an incident is not just about harm — it’s anything that signals risk, breaks expected standards, or requires follow‑up to keep people safe.
What is a Hazard?
A hazard is something in the environment that could cause harm, even if no one has been hurt yet.
It’s a physical or situational risk that needs attention.
Examples include:
• Broken equipment or furniture
• Slippery floors or tripping hazards
• Poor lighting or blocked exits
• Unsafe play areas
• Electrical issues
A hazard is about a potential risk in the environment.
What is a Concern?
The Safe Church Concern form should be used for any complaint or information about any form of child protection concern. A concern is something that doesn’t feel right or may indicate a risk, even if no specific incident occurred.
It may involve behaviour, patterns, disclosures, or situations that raise questions about someone’s safety or wellbeing.
Examples include:
• A pattern of worrying behaviour
• Boundary issues
• Something said that raises a red flag
• A situation that feels unsafe or inappropriate
• A partial disclosure or hint of harm
Confidentiality
Do not discuss the concern with anyone other than the Safe Church Team or your Ministry Team Leader.
Privacy & Record Keeping This documentation will be stored securely — either in a protected electronic system or a locked filing cabinet — for at least 45 years (preferably 100 years) from the date of completion. All information is handled in accordance with the Baptist Churches of NSW & ACT Safe Church guidelines.
Mandatory Reporting
Mandatory reporting is a legal requirement in NSW for certain professionals to report concerns about a child who may be at risk of significant harm. While not all church volunteers are mandatory reporters, Coffs Harbour Baptist Church follows the same standard of care.
If you have any questions or want to raise a concern, please contact us here
safechurch@coffsbaptist.com.au