NATIONALSCHOOLCHAPLAINCYPROGRAMME(NSCP)
CODEOFCONDUCTFORCHAPLAINSINVICTORIANSCHOOLS
ChaplainsmustcomplywithallStateandCommonwealthlegislation,andwithallrelevantgovernment/non-governmentschoolpolicies,includingthoseconcerningchildprotection,mandatoryreporting,privacy,anti-discrimination,humanrights,andcreationandretentionofstudentrecords.Totheextentthatthereisanyconflictbetweenaschoolordepartmentalpolicyandapolicyoftheorganisationwhichemploysthechaplainorwithwhichthechaplainisaffiliated,therelevantgovernment/non-governmentschoolpoliciesprevail.
Chaplainsarerequiredtoobserveahighstandardofprofessionalconductatalltimes.Whencarryingouttheirresponsibilities,theymust:
- recognise,respectandaffirmtheauthorityoftheschoolprincipal(ordelegate)and/orschoolgoverningbodyandworkinconsultationwiththem
- contributetoasupportive,safe,inclusiveandcaringlearningenvironmentwithintheschool
- respect,acceptandbesensitivetootherpeople’sviews,valuesandbeliefs,includingtheculturalandreligiousperspectivesofparents/guardians
- ensureallstudentsaresupportedwithrespectfortheirreligiousbeliefs,orlackofreligiousbeliefs
- activelydiscourageanyformofharassmentordiscrimination
- referstudentstoaserviceororganisationwhichisbestplacedtosupportthestudent’sparticularneedsinaccordancewiththebeliefsandvaluesofthestudentortheirfamily
- provideaccurateandimpartialinformationaboutthesupportandservicesavailableinthebroadercommunity
- beapproachabletoallstudents,staffandmembersoftheschoolcommunity
- respectstudents,familiesandstafffortheirbeliefsandnotseektoimposetheirownbeliefsorpersuadestudentstowardsaparticularsetofbeliefs
- avoidunnecessaryphysicalcontactwithastudent,recognising,however,thattheremaybesomecircumstanceswherephysicalcontactmaybeappropriate,suchaswherethestudentisinjuredordistraught
- keepappropriaterecordstodocumentthesupportprovidedtostudents/school
- provideaccesstotheserecordstotheschool,asappropriate,toensuretheschoolcanmeetitsdutyofcaretostudents.
Chaplainsmustnot:
- takeadvantageoftheirprivilegedpositiontoproselytise,evangeliseoradvocateforaparticularreligiousvieworbelief
- putthemselves,orallowthemselves,tobeplacedinacompromisingsituation,recognisingthattherearecircumstanceswhereconfidentialitymaybesoughtbythestudent
- conductthemselvesinamannerwhichimpactsthedeliveryoftheirservicesundertheprogram,eveninaprivatecapacity
- performprofessionalorotherservicesforwhichtheyarenotqualified
- conductreligiousservicesorceremoniesorleadstudentsorstaffinreligiousobservancesunlessagreed tobythePrincipalifworkinginagovernmentschool
- deliverspecialreligiousinstructionifworkinginagovernmentschool.
SignatureofChaplain / NameofChaplain
NameofSchool / Date:____/____/20____
Acopyofthisdocumentmustremainintheschool’srecords.