Clearance for Ministry

Clergy (a person in Holy Orders) and authorised lay ministers must hold a clearance for ministry granted by Kooyoora stating they are fit to hold the proposed role, office or position in the Church.  A new clearance for ministry must be obtained for each new role, office or position.

Requirements for each clearance for ministry:

1. By applicant:
   1. Clearance for Ministry Application (Safe Ministry Check)
   2. Police check (National)
   3. Current WWCC (Working With Children Card)
   4. Letter of Good Standing (If applicant is coming from another diocese or denomination)
   5. International police check if applicant has lived, worked or travelled in a country overseas for more than one year in the last 10 years as an adult.
2. By Kooyoora:
   1. Anglican National Register check
   2. Professional Standards Check (from other dioceses)
   3. Kooyoora register check

Process for each Clearance for Ministry:

1. Applicant applies for WWCC card and adds the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne and Kooyoora as an organisation.
2. Applicant applies for police check (Crimcheck) online using the link provided by the Diocese for clergy or by their parish for authorised lay ministers.
3. Applicant applies for clearance on the online clearance platform (OSCA) using the link provided by the Diocese for clergy or by their parish for authorised lay ministers.
4. Kooyoora checks the application, and it proceeds to next step or if flags, it goes to DPS for discussion.
5. Referree checks are conducted – if flags, goes to DPS for discussion.
6. Applicant’s name checked on Kooyoora database, National Register and DPS network – if flags, goes to DPS for discussion.
7. Letter of good standing received from previous Diocese (if applicable).
8. If flags, the application is considered by the DPS. If DPS is unable to clear the applicant the application goes to the Professional Standards Committee (PSC) for consideration.  If the PSC cannot unconditionally clear the applicant , the applicant can either withdraw their application or the matter can be referred by the PSC to the Professional Standards Board (PSB) for consideration. Once heard at the PSB either party can seek an assessment of the outcome at the Professional Standards Review Board (PRSB). See Kooyoora complaints process diagram.
9. If all is ok with application, the applicant is cleared once:

• a. Application has been received with no flags
• b. Referee checks completed with no flags
• c. Police check has no disclosable outcome
• d. International police check with no outcomes has been received (if applicable)
• e. WWCC confirms that Kooyoora is registered as a workplace for notifications
• f. File and national register checked – no entries
• g. DPS network check – no concerns
• h. Letter of good standing received

Clearance for Service

The Professional Standards Uniform Regulations prescribe at Schedule 1 that lay people who hold any of the following roles, offices or positions, are required to hold a Clearance for Service which is a certificate granted by Kooyoora (Office of Professional Standards):

1 (A) Those who hold a role, office or position that requires them to have a WWC Clearance under the Worker Screening Act 2020 (Vic).

1 (B) Those who hold a role, office or position that constitutes “ministry to children” within the meaning of the Safe Ministry to Children Canon 2017, currently as follows:

Ministry to children means work of a kind where a person:  

(a) is required to hold a working with children check, or a working with vulnerable people check by reason that the person has contact with a child as part of engaging in a regulated activity; or (b) exercises a pastoral ministry which has direct, regular and not incidental contact with children; or  

(c) provides services to children that are ancillary to the exercise of a pastoral ministry within General Synod – Safe Ministry to Children Canon 2017 Adopting Ordinance 2017 paragraph (b) which involve:  

(i) contact with children during an overnight activity (such as camps and similar activities); or  

(ii) close, personal contact with children (such as changing clothes, washing and toileting); or  

(d) supervises the ministry of a person within any one or more of paragraphs (a) to (c); or  

(e) performs a professional standards role; or  

(f) performs a safe ministry role. 

Regardless of whether a role, office or position is within the meaning of 1 A. and 1 B. above, any of following roles, offices or positions:

• Child Safety Officer, Family Safety Champion
• Leader or coordinator of, or instructor, teacher, or other position providing leadership, oversight or direction in —

• • children’s or youth group;
  • camp where children are present;
  • crèche;
  • Sunday School or other educational program for children or young people;
  • small groups where children are present and not accompanied by a parent;
  • choir, music, dance or acting group that includes children;
• bus driver for children;
• candidate for selection conference for Holy Orders;
• theological exiting student intending to seek ordination;
• theological student doing a youth or children’s practicum;
• Warden of Altar Servers or coordinator of the altar serving team where the team includes children
• a lay Corporation Trustee;
• a lay member of the Diocesan Council; and
• a lay director of the Diocesan Corporation.

Church authorities may also require other people to obtain a Clearance for Service (see section 60(3) of the Professional Standards Uniform Act).

Use this Clearance for Service flowchart as resource to determine when a Clearance for Service is required (click anywhere on chart to access links):  Clearance for Service Requirements

Lay people who require a clearance for service must currently submit their application to Kooyoora within 30 days of being elected or appointed to their role, office or position. From 4 September 2024, the lay person (Church worker) must hold a clearance for service before holding a prescribed role, office or position.

Requirements for a Clearance for Service:

1. By applicant:
   1. Clearance for Service application 
   2. National Police check issued within the last 5 years
   3. Current WWCC (Working With Children Check) with the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne and Kooyoora listed as organisations
   4. International police check if applicant has lived in the one country overseas for more than one year in the last 10 years as an adult.
2. By Kooyoora:
   1. Anglican National Register check
   2. Kooyoora register check

Clearance for Service Process

Parish approves applicant for a role, office or position following a suitable selection process.

1. Parish asks applicant to apply for, and to add their parish/congregation, Kooyoora and the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne as organisations onto, their WWCC record via the WWCC website. Click here for WWCC fact sheet.
   For those with VIT Registration, they will need to link this to WWCC. Click here for VIT WWCC fact sheet.
2. Parish organises a police check (using the Parish’s Crimcheck account) for the applicant, if they don’t have one already. Click here for Police Check fact sheet.
3. Parish provides applicant with a link to the online clearance system, OSCA.
4. Applicant completes Clearance for Service application on OSCA.
5. Kooyoora processes the application and contacts referees (nominated by the applicant in the  application).
6. Kooyoora review the police check/s outcome/s and that the WWCC notification has been received.
7. Kooyoora performs National Register and Kooyoora register checks.
8. If all outcomes are satisfactory, a clearance for service certificate is issued and added to the applicant’s OSCA record. An email notification is sent to the applicant to forward to their parish.
9. If there are concerns regarding any of the outcomes, Kooyoora follow the process as set out in the Professional Standards Uniform Act.

For further information and enquiries:

• Frequetly Asked Questions about clearances.
• Go to the Kooyoora website or email Kooyoora at service@kooyoora.org.au or;
• Contact the Registry Office by email to clearances@melbourneanglican.org.au