Junior leaders in ministry

A junior leader is a person under 18 years of age. 

Many churches have junior leaders or junior helpers in ministry with children – this is a great practice for churches to include children and give them opportunities to serve and grow in Christian community. 

The key things to remember here are:

• There are no Safe Church CRCA administrative or training requirements for junior leaders.
• Junior leaders must always work under the supervision of a Safe Church CRCA compliant adult leader.
• Adult leaders must always follow the Safe Church Code of Conduct in regard to their own interactions with junior leaders. Adult leaders must make sure they are never alone with a junior leader.
• Never leave a junior leader alone with children. Legally, this would be leaving a child in charge of other children in an official church ministry – this is highly risky should an accident occur, for example. It also puts the junior in a very bad position should something happen while they are alone. If something unforeseen and negative did happen (for example, a child choked on an object, while the junior was left alone in charge of the children), the junior leader themselves would be traumatised by this as well.
• Never allow junior leaders to take children away from the main group alone, such as to the toilet. This must be done by an adult leader, following the Safe Church toileting protocols:

• Victoria - From 16 years of age a junior leader can apply for a Working With Children Check (WWCC) and from 18 years of age they must have a WWCC and complete the Safe Church Volunteer Approval Process before being allowed to continue in their role with children – this is a legal requirement under the Victorian Child Safe Standards. 
• New South Wales - You do not need a WWCC until you are 18 years of age.
• Queensland - You do not need a Blue Card until you are 18 years of age - you can apply for one 6 months before your 18th birthday.
• South Australia - You do not need a WWCC until you are 14 years of age.
• Western Australia - You do not need a WWCC until you are 18 years of age.
• Tasmania - You do not need a WWVP until you are 16 years of age.
• From 16 years of age a junior leader can attend Safe Church Basic Training but only with the permission of their parent(s)/guardian(s). An Under 18s Basic Training Attendance Permission Form must be completed and returned to the Safe Church Representative prior to attendance.