SAFE SANCTUARY POLICY
A sanctuary, by definition, is a holy and sacred place. To use the term “Safe Sanctuary” in a church may seem redundant, and yet our societal ills dictate that we must take measures that ensure the safety and protection of all those who enter into the life of our church—especially children and youth. The Church, existing on earth as the Body of Christ, is responsible for representing God in all manner of justice and love, and for protecting the physical, emotional, and spiritual integrity of the children of God. As a sign of our commitment to providing the best possible safe and secure environment by not putting any child at risk, we agree to the following:
· Follow safety measures in the selection and recruitment of staff and volunteers.
· Provide ongoing training and education for such workers.
· Implement operational procedures for all programs and events.
· Educate all who work with children and youth regarding the use of appropriate methods for classroom management, instruction, and positive outcome discipline.
· Set forth a clearly defined procedure conforming to the Massachusetts state law requirements for reporting any suspected incident of abuse.
· Be prepared to respond to inquiries regarding specific situations as they arise.
2-Adult Rule When planning class sizes and teachers, the church strives to adhere to the appropriate adult to youth ratio. However when a lack of adequate volunteers exists, two adults at the very least must be present during any church sponsored program or event involving children or youth. This includes transporting them to or from an event. An exception to this rule would be an emergency at which time it shall fall on the adult in charge to make that decision. No adult is ever to be alone in the church building with a child or youth.
6-Month Rule All volunteers seeking to work with children or youth must either be church members or, at the very least, be active in the church for at least 6 months, unless they are accompanied by and closely supervised by another volunteer who is a church member. (See “Staff & Volunteers”)
Advanced notice of all church-sponsored programs and events involving children and youth will be provided through written publications.
Diapering and Toileting Ideally, toileting and diapering should be done by the parents. This type of care is assigned to adults and never to other children or youth. If it falls to a volunteer, the restroom door will remain open at all times while an adult volunteer is diapering an infant and another adult present. While supervising a toddler, the restroom door is to remain ajar while the adult supervises the child. An adult other than the parent/caregiver should not be in the restroom with the child unless the child needs assistance; in which case, the door of the bathroom shall remain open and another adult present. All precautionary procedures regarding hygiene and safety will be posted in the rest rooms, and strictly enforced.
Key Policy Only those authorized by the Pastor or SPRC (Pastor-Staff Relations Committee) designee will have a key to the building or classrooms. They will sign a statement agreeing to not duplicate the key nor bring any child other than their own into the building when there is no program in session. The back door of the building is to be locked during Sunday School time.
Open Door Policy Although parents are free to visit a classroom at anytime, it is required that visitors sign in at the office to be furnished with a VISITORS badge. This is to ensure that the class or program is not being interrupted, and that all visitors are accounted for. Classroom doors are to be unlocked and kept open at all times unless the rooms are equipped with a half-door or window, or where excessive noise prohibits this. Windows on classroom doors are to remain uncovered. Counseling sessions may take place in the privacy of an office or study provided the room is equipped with doors that have windows that are left uncovered.
Release of Children and Youth
· Infants, toddlers, and preschoolers up to the age of 5 must be signed in and out by parents or someone designated by them in writing. Children must be picked up by those who sign them in unless otherwise designated in writing by the parent . (Photo I.D.s)
· School-age children in grades 1 - 4 must be picked up directly from their classroom by the parent/guardian or other designated person immediately following Worship and before Coffee Hour. Parents will be summoned from Coffee Hour should the child happen to be left behind.
· Middle and high school students are free to leave the classrooms on their own, but are not allowed to wait outside the church building to be picked up. This includes weekend on-campus events and programs.
· No child will be left alone in the classroom or inside the church building without two adult supervisors being present.
· The release of children to siblings who drive will be approved only by written permission from the parents.
Reporting Abuse All volunteers who are working with children under the age of 18 are required by the Church to report any incidents of child abuse or reasonably suspected cases of abuse, whether perpetuated by individuals associated with the church or outside the church, to the Pastor or designee of on the SPRC This report can be made in “good faith” anonymously. The mandated reporter will in turn file a report with the Department of Children and Families (DCF) either in writing, or by calling the Child-at-Risk Hotline at anytime of the day or night at 1-800-792-5200. Should the child or youth be in immediate danger, a 911-call will be made to the local law enforcement agency 911. The individual(s) making the call agree to follow the directives by law enforcement officers given at the time of intervention.
Staff and Volunteers All staff members and volunteers who have regular contact with children and youth of the church must…
· Be of the Christian faith.
· Complete the application process.
· Be either a church member, or active within the church for at least 6 months.
· Be at least 21-years-old or at least 5 years older than the age of the persons they will be in charge of. Those not meeting this minimum age requirement may serve only as assistants to another adult.
· Submit to a CORI (Criminal Offender Record Information) investigation. The $25.00 (or current) fee for the CORI check is the responsibility of the applicant. The church will assume the cost of any CORI checks on volunteers and non-paid personnel. All CORI reports will be kept in a locked file, and made accessible only to the Pastor and/or SPRC designee.
· Sign a Covenant Agreement.
Transportation Written permission by all parents is required when transporting children or youth as part of a church event or program: i.e. youth camp, missions trip, etc. Drivers providing transportation must be properly insured, present a current driver’s license, and over the age of 21 with a clean driving record. A single child should never be alone in a car with two adults unless an emergency arises which would put the child’s life at risk. Ideally more than one adult should make this decision.
Travel and Lodging All off-campus events will originate and end on church grounds. No one is to be dropped off on the way back to the church. In situations where overnight travel is involved and lodging for youth takes place in a hotel or motel, adults will not sleep in the same room with the youth unless they are of the same gender, and the 2-person rule applies. No adult is ever allowed to sleep in the same bed as a child or youth unless it is the child’s parent or guardian. Should lodging necessitate that older youth sleep in separate rooms from adults, if at all possible rooms occupied only by youth should not be adjacent to one another but should be separated by a room with supervising adults.
Any person who believes he or she has been abused by any other member of this church community during a church program or event should report the complaint immediately to the Chairperson of the Staff-Parish Relations Committee or the Pastor. The church vows to intervene in a caring and loving manner towards all involved in the allegation. This report will be known as an “Episode Report,” and will serve as formal documentation of the allegation. If the allegation is directed against the Chairperson of the SPRC, the complaint should be brought to the Pastor. If the allegation is directed against the Pastor, the Chairperson of the SPRC should direct the complaint to the District Superintendent. Upon receipt of Report, the Chairperson or the Pastor will have 15 days to appoint a committee to investigate the matter, and thirty days of the committee’s appointment within which to recommend action. Notwithstanding any of the above, any case of alleged abuse may be reported to the proper civil authority by the complainant.
This policy will be shared through church publications, and is available upon request.
A sanctuary, by definition, is a holy and sacred place. To use the term “Safe Sanctuary” in a church may seem redundant, and yet our societal ills dictate that we must take measures that ensure the safety and protection of all those who enter into the life of our church—especially children and youth. The Church, existing on earth as the Body of Christ, is responsible for representing God in all manner of justice and love, and for protecting the physical, emotional, and spiritual integrity of the children of God. As a sign of our commitment to providing the best possible safe and secure environment by not putting any child at risk, we agree to the following:
· Follow safety measures in the selection and recruitment of staff and volunteers.
· Provide ongoing training and education for such workers.
· Implement operational procedures for all programs and events.
· Educate all who work with children and youth regarding the use of appropriate methods for classroom management, instruction, and positive outcome discipline.
· Set forth a clearly defined procedure conforming to the Massachusetts state law requirements for reporting any suspected incident of abuse.
· Be prepared to respond to inquiries regarding specific situations as they arise.
2-Adult Rule When planning class sizes and teachers, the church strives to adhere to the appropriate adult to youth ratio. However when a lack of adequate volunteers exists, two adults at the very least must be present during any church sponsored program or event involving children or youth. This includes transporting them to or from an event. An exception to this rule would be an emergency at which time it shall fall on the adult in charge to make that decision. No adult is ever to be alone in the church building with a child or youth.
6-Month Rule All volunteers seeking to work with children or youth must either be church members or, at the very least, be active in the church for at least 6 months, unless they are accompanied by and closely supervised by another volunteer who is a church member. (See “Staff & Volunteers”)
Advanced notice of all church-sponsored programs and events involving children and youth will be provided through written publications.
Diapering and Toileting Ideally, toileting and diapering should be done by the parents. This type of care is assigned to adults and never to other children or youth. If it falls to a volunteer, the restroom door will remain open at all times while an adult volunteer is diapering an infant and another adult present. While supervising a toddler, the restroom door is to remain ajar while the adult supervises the child. An adult other than the parent/caregiver should not be in the restroom with the child unless the child needs assistance; in which case, the door of the bathroom shall remain open and another adult present. All precautionary procedures regarding hygiene and safety will be posted in the rest rooms, and strictly enforced.
Key Policy Only those authorized by the Pastor or SPRC (Pastor-Staff Relations Committee) designee will have a key to the building or classrooms. They will sign a statement agreeing to not duplicate the key nor bring any child other than their own into the building when there is no program in session. The back door of the building is to be locked during Sunday School time.
Open Door Policy Although parents are free to visit a classroom at anytime, it is required that visitors sign in at the office to be furnished with a VISITORS badge. This is to ensure that the class or program is not being interrupted, and that all visitors are accounted for. Classroom doors are to be unlocked and kept open at all times unless the rooms are equipped with a half-door or window, or where excessive noise prohibits this. Windows on classroom doors are to remain uncovered. Counseling sessions may take place in the privacy of an office or study provided the room is equipped with doors that have windows that are left uncovered.
Release of Children and Youth
· Infants, toddlers, and preschoolers up to the age of 5 must be signed in and out by parents or someone designated by them in writing. Children must be picked up by those who sign them in unless otherwise designated in writing by the parent . (Photo I.D.s)
· School-age children in grades 1 - 4 must be picked up directly from their classroom by the parent/guardian or other designated person immediately following Worship and before Coffee Hour. Parents will be summoned from Coffee Hour should the child happen to be left behind.
· Middle and high school students are free to leave the classrooms on their own, but are not allowed to wait outside the church building to be picked up. This includes weekend on-campus events and programs.
· No child will be left alone in the classroom or inside the church building without two adult supervisors being present.
· The release of children to siblings who drive will be approved only by written permission from the parents.
Reporting Abuse All volunteers who are working with children under the age of 18 are required by the Church to report any incidents of child abuse or reasonably suspected cases of abuse, whether perpetuated by individuals associated with the church or outside the church, to the Pastor or designee of on the SPRC This report can be made in “good faith” anonymously. The mandated reporter will in turn file a report with the Department of Children and Families (DCF) either in writing, or by calling the Child-at-Risk Hotline at anytime of the day or night at 1-800-792-5200. Should the child or youth be in immediate danger, a 911-call will be made to the local law enforcement agency 911. The individual(s) making the call agree to follow the directives by law enforcement officers given at the time of intervention.
Staff and Volunteers All staff members and volunteers who have regular contact with children and youth of the church must…
· Be of the Christian faith.
· Complete the application process.
· Be either a church member, or active within the church for at least 6 months.
· Be at least 21-years-old or at least 5 years older than the age of the persons they will be in charge of. Those not meeting this minimum age requirement may serve only as assistants to another adult.
· Submit to a CORI (Criminal Offender Record Information) investigation. The $25.00 (or current) fee for the CORI check is the responsibility of the applicant. The church will assume the cost of any CORI checks on volunteers and non-paid personnel. All CORI reports will be kept in a locked file, and made accessible only to the Pastor and/or SPRC designee.
· Sign a Covenant Agreement.
Transportation Written permission by all parents is required when transporting children or youth as part of a church event or program: i.e. youth camp, missions trip, etc. Drivers providing transportation must be properly insured, present a current driver’s license, and over the age of 21 with a clean driving record. A single child should never be alone in a car with two adults unless an emergency arises which would put the child’s life at risk. Ideally more than one adult should make this decision.
Travel and Lodging All off-campus events will originate and end on church grounds. No one is to be dropped off on the way back to the church. In situations where overnight travel is involved and lodging for youth takes place in a hotel or motel, adults will not sleep in the same room with the youth unless they are of the same gender, and the 2-person rule applies. No adult is ever allowed to sleep in the same bed as a child or youth unless it is the child’s parent or guardian. Should lodging necessitate that older youth sleep in separate rooms from adults, if at all possible rooms occupied only by youth should not be adjacent to one another but should be separated by a room with supervising adults.
Any person who believes he or she has been abused by any other member of this church community during a church program or event should report the complaint immediately to the Chairperson of the Staff-Parish Relations Committee or the Pastor. The church vows to intervene in a caring and loving manner towards all involved in the allegation. This report will be known as an “Episode Report,” and will serve as formal documentation of the allegation. If the allegation is directed against the Chairperson of the SPRC, the complaint should be brought to the Pastor. If the allegation is directed against the Pastor, the Chairperson of the SPRC should direct the complaint to the District Superintendent. Upon receipt of Report, the Chairperson or the Pastor will have 15 days to appoint a committee to investigate the matter, and thirty days of the committee’s appointment within which to recommend action. Notwithstanding any of the above, any case of alleged abuse may be reported to the proper civil authority by the complainant.
This policy will be shared through church publications, and is available upon request.