Chaplaincy
CCWA Chaplaincy Committee
Churches working together to develop and maintain chaplaincies in hospitals, prisons, industry and other settings.
Ecumenical Chaplaincy in Hospitals, Prisons, Industry and other Institutions
There are chaplains in Western Australian hospitals appointed to ecumenical positions. Chaplains are working ecumenically in the WA Police Service, The Fire and Emergency Services Authority and St John Ambulance. More than 30 Chaplains are working in WA Prisons, from Roebourne to Albany. Most are appointed by their denomination, but work ecumenically with the prisoners and other chaplains.
Chaplaincy to industry is a growing area.
The Council of Churches of WA Chaplaincy Committee is able to offer
- Assist in the appointment of ecumenical chaplains.
- Negotiating duty statements, terms of appointment and appropriate funding arrangements.
- Negotiating with denominational bodies for the appointment of chaplains.
- Identifying standards in best practice for the training and appointment of chaplains.
- Maintaining a pastoral responsibility for those Chaplains who come under its care.
- Making recommendations about further developments in chaplaincy.
- Negotiating with hospitals and prisons on funding for denominational chaplains on behalf of churches.
- Providing under contract the chaplaincy service.
- Conducting performance reviews with promotes best practice.
Every situation is different and the services required may only be one or more of these and not all of them.
There are a variety of organisational models for ecumenical chaplaincy work. In some places one or more Chaplains are selected and appointed to act on behalf of all the Churches. In others, the selection of the Chaplain and their appointment is undertaken by the Christian denominations involved in the chaplaincy work. These denominationally appointed chaplains work in a team setting to bring Chaplaincy to all people in their care, without defferentiation on the basis of their denomination or faith stance. A third model is that a government body or institution may employ chaplains directly with various levels of consultation with the Chaplaincy Committee.
Chaplains are required to access the services of any religious practitioner who may be required by people in their care. This means being able to work in multi-faith contexts and includes being able to make an appropriate referral to a religious practitioner from other faiths.
For more information please contact:
Chaplaincy Field Officer
The Council of Churches Chaplaincy Committee
Unit 24 Stafford Court,
8-12 Stafford Street, Midland WA 6056
Phone: 08 9274 3888
