Safeguarding

Our commitment

Mirror Christ Church is committed to being a place where children, young people and vulnerable adults are safe, respected and cared for. That responsibility is carried by everyone who serves here: pastors, leaders, teachers and volunteers.

Abuse of any kind, physical, emotional, sexual, spiritual or financial, and neglect in any form, are contrary to Scripture and will not be tolerated or covered up.

Who this applies to

This statement applies to every gathering and activity of the church, including Sunday services, Sunday school, youth meetings, home visits, outreach and any event run in the name of Mirror Christ Church.

How we work

Practical measures we hold ourselves to:

• Children’s and youth ministry is led by known, appointed workers, never by someone unknown to the church.
• Workers serve in pairs where possible, and adults are not alone with a child out of sight of others.
• Registers are kept for children’s ministry, and children are released only to a parent or guardian.
• Photographs of children are taken and published only with the consent of a parent or guardian.
• Concerns are recorded in writing and reported to the pastoral team the same day.

Reporting a concern

If you are worried about a child or a vulnerable adult, speak to a pastor or the church office at once. You do not need to be certain, and you do not need proof. Report the concern and let it be assessed.

Where there is immediate danger, call the South African Police Service on 10111. Childline South Africa can be reached on 116, free from any phone.

What we do with a report

Every report is taken seriously, written down and handled with care for the person at risk first. Where the law requires it, we report to the police or to the Department of Social Development. We do not investigate criminal matters ourselves.

The person who raised the concern will be told that it has been acted on, within the limits of confidentiality.

If the concern is about a leader

Everything above asks you to speak to a pastor or the church office. That does not work if the person you are worried about is a pastor, an elder, or someone in the office. You do not have to raise it with them, and you do not have to raise it with us at all.

These are independent of this church and you can go to them directly:

• South African Police Service: 10111, or any police station. Use this where a crime may have been committed or someone is in danger now.
• Childline South Africa: 116, free from any phone, or 0800 055 555. For any concern about a child, including if you are a child yourself.
• GBV Command Centre: 0800 428 428, free, 24 hours, for gender-based violence.
• Department of Social Development: your local office, for the welfare of a child or a vulnerable adult.

You will not be asked to explain yourself to this church first, and nothing here requires our permission. If you would rather tell us as well, you can email mirrorccmedia@gmail.com, but that is your choice and not a condition.

No one who raises a concern in good faith will face any consequence in this church for having raised it.

Support for those affected

We offer pastoral care and, where wanted, referral to professional counselling for anyone affected. Care is offered without pressure and without cost.

Leaders and accountability

Leaders and volunteers are appointed by the pastoral team and may be stood down at any time where there is a safeguarding concern. This statement is reviewed each year, and any leader may be asked to confirm in writing that they have read it.

Photographs and video

We photograph and film our gatherings, and we publish some of it on this website and on our own social media channels. Anyone attending a service or an event may appear in it.

If you would rather not appear, tell us and we will not publish you. Speak to any leader on the day, or email mirrorccmedia@gmail.com. You do not have to give a reason.

To have something already published taken down, email the same address and tell us which photograph or video it is. We will remove it from this website, and from any of our own channels it appears on, without asking you to justify the request.

Where a child is the subject of a photograph, that request may come from the child, a parent or a guardian, and is treated the same way.