The Synod (Uniting Church NSW and ACT) has an authorisation process in place to help Scripture teachers and their congregations to comply with the regulations set out by the Department of Education and Communities.
All SRE teachers and helpers must be appropriately authorised to enter any government school to teach SRE.
The SRE authorisation process must be followed not just by volunteer SRE teachers, but also Ministers, Youth Workers, Deacons, helpers and SRE relief teachers.
Our Partnering for SRE booklet contains the Authorisation and preparation process.
You can begin to apply for SRE Authorisation at any time, but you will need to have completed your requirements including training before you can be authorised to go into Schools to teach SRE.
Steps:
- Obtain support from the Minister or other authorising agent for your local Church Council.
- Obtain Working with Children Check (WWCC) Clearance number. Applications online: www.ocg.nsw.gov.au
- Attend an SCTA Endorsed Safe Church Workshop Training calendars online
- Participate in SRE training. Individuals with prior learning relevant to SRE teaching can provide evidence of this to apply for Recognition of their Prior Learning. More information
- Local Church Authorising Agent to complete the SRE Local Church Support Form
- Complete and sign a Uniting Church SRE Application for Engagement Form
- Email both forms and supporting certificates to sre@nswact.uca.org.au
- Completed forms are reviewed by Uniting Church Secretariat. If requirements are met an SRE Authorisation card is issued, which is valid up to 3 years. If requirements are not met, an interim card will be issued valid for 6 months (Safe Church and Modules 1, 6 and 7 must be completed)
- Local authorising agent to send a letter to the school/s where you intend to teach SRE, advising them of your authorisation. This SRE authorisation confirmation letter MUST use the supplied template available from the website. Form to be sent directly to the school copied to sre@nswact.uca.org.au
- SRE authorisation card to be displayed when at school for SRE to show you have authorisation from an approved provider of SRE.
*Note: The SRE Authorisation card must be issued by the NSW & ACT Synod and is required to be displayed when at the school.