What is the Code of Conduct?
A Code of Conduct outlines the principles, values, and behaviours that leaders and volunteers agree to uphold as they serve in your church or ministry. It’s a clear and formal way of expressing what is expected of those who represent your organisation — not just in what they do, but how they do it.
At the end of their Safe Ministry Check training, trainees are required to read and agree to your Code of Conduct. By doing so, they acknowledge their responsibility to act in accordance with these standards and can be held accountable if concerns arise.
Why is it important?
The Code of Conduct is more than a formality — it’s a foundational tool for building a safe and accountable culture. It:
- Outlines the core commitments expected from those serving in ministry;
- Reinforces your church’s or organisation’s values and approach to safety;
- Provides a reference point in the case of misconduct, confusion, or disputes;
- Ensures your ministry is proactive, transparent, and responsible in its safeguarding practices.
Having a clear and accessible Code of Conduct helps set the tone for a healthy culture and a safe environment for everyone involved — from children and young people to leaders, volunteers, and vulnerable adults.
How Safe Ministry Check helps
Safe Ministry Check makes it simple to integrate your Code of Conduct into your onboarding, training, and record-keeping processes:
- Trainee Agreement: At the end of training, each person is shown your Code of Conduct and asked to agree to it before being marked as cleared.
- Record-Keeping: Each trainee’s response is saved and can be viewed at any time via their profile in the admin portal.
- Editing Support: Admins can edit a trainee’s Code of Conduct response manually, which is especially helpful when running group training.
- Public Transparency: We automatically publish a link to your Code of Conduct on your Public Commitments Page — ensuring your community has access to the safeguarding standards you uphold.
- Helpful Template: Don’t have a Code of Conduct yet? We provide a template that you can personalise and adapt to your church or ministry setting.
How to Add or Update Your Code of Conduct in the Admin Portal
Uploading or updating your Code of Conduct in Safe Ministry Check is easy. Just follow these steps:
- Log in to your Admin Portal.
- Navigate to the Settings dropdown (top right corner).
- Select Organisation Settings.
- Click on the Code of Conduct tab.
- Click Update.
- Paste or upload your Code of Conduct.
- Click Submit to save your changes.
Once uploaded, your Code of Conduct will be used in the training flow and available publicly through your organisation’s commitments page.
Using Our Template
If you’re just getting started — especially if you’re a small or newly established church — our Code of Conduct template can help provide a strong foundation. It’s a resource designed to save you time and give you a starting point to work from.
That said, we encourage you not to use it word-for-word without reflection. Instead, personalise it. Shape it around your unique church context, theological convictions, and ministry practices. A good Code of Conduct should feel like your own — not just something generic.
If you have questions or need help uploading your Code of Conduct, our team is always happy to assist. You can reach us at support@safeministrycheck.com.au.