Child Safety

If anyone should be motivated to protect and nurture children, it should be Christians. St. Paul takes seriously the privilege and responsibility of providing a safe and secure environment in which your child can learn about Jesus. For that reason the following document is set forth to help ensure a safe, nurturing environment for the children in our care.

Purpose of Policy

• One of the most disturbing facts about these current trends is that children who experience physical or sexual abuse are much more likely to be abusers themselves as they grow older. For example, studies have shown that up to 80% of the men in prison for sex crimes were sexually abused themselves as children.
  
• Most experts believe that the incidences of sexual abuse are just as high in the Christian church as they are in the general community (cf,”Child Abuse: The Church’s Best Kept Secret?, Christianity Today, Feb. 115, 1985, 32-34).
  
• As other organizations such as the YMCA, Boy and Girl Scouts, and Big Brothers implement more stringent screening procedures to identify potential abusers, there is a much greater likelihood of sexual abusers coming to local churches anticipating easy access to children. 

• Jesus chided His disciples who tried to inhibit ministry to children (Matt.19:13-15). He said that receiving (welcoming, caring for) a child was like receiving Himself (Mark 9:36-37).
  
• Furthermore, He warned that anyone who offends a little child would be better off to have a mill stone tied around his neck and be drowned in the depth of the sea (Matt.18:1-6).

Church Membership:
All volunteers who will be involved in the care and teaching of children/youth must be members of St. Paul and have committed to come under the authority of the Elders of the church.

Employment References & Background Checks:
These will be required and checked for all paid and volunteer staff members and caregivers.

Child Safety Training:
All regular teachers and workers will be given a written copy of this policy. They will be asked to read it and agree to follow this policy, and attend training sessions periodically.

Supervision

•  Persons under 18 years old may teach only when supervised by an adult.
  
• No worker should ever be alone with one child at any time. If the situation arises where you are forced to be alone with just one child, be sure that the door to the room is left ajar and windows are not obstructed so as to avoid the appearance of improper activities.
  
• Every preschool and elementary classroom must have at least two adults, or one adult and one youth present at all times. In an emergency situation there may be one adult in the classroom with doors open and one adult floater between classrooms. No male teacher will be left alone, or alone with a female youth assistant unless he is the father of the assistant.
  
•  Only adults/youth serving in official teaching and/or caregivers are to be in the classrooms with the children. Parents and legal guardians are always welcome to observe any activity involving their child. 
  
•  Volunteers and workers must follow good health/general hygiene guidelines at all times when dealing with children. Specific requirements for prevention of infectious diseases are covered in the Nursery Health Policy and must be followed for the safety of the children and the workers/teachers.
  
•  If parents are dropping children off, ages infant through sixth grade, for church sponsored activities held in the church, it will require that the parent sign the child in and out, and fill out any necessary information needed on the child, (such as allergies, etc.). Appropriate adult to child ratios of 1 to 4 with infants through 3 yr. old and 1 to 7 with ages 4 yrs through 12 yr. will be maintained for these events.
  
•  Activities away from the church will include at least two adults who have completed the volunteer application, and have read this policy manual. A 1 to 7 adult-child ratio will be maintained. All children must have a signed permission slip on file before they are allowed to participate in such events.
  
• All special activities involving children must be approved by the church office to ensure appropriate supervision and verify the nature of the event.
  
• When taking a child to the restroom it is important to respect their privacy by entering a stall only to assist a child. If only one adult is available to attend to a child’s needs while toileting, another adult must be informed. Elementary age children must be sent (in pairs of the same sex) to the restroom. Men may not take girls to the restroom.
  
• All children, ages infants through sixth grade, must be signed in and out on Sunday morning and Wednesday nights by their legal parent or guardian. No sibling under the age of 12 will be allowed to pick up a younger brother or sister. Special identification tags or stickers are used for the preschool and children’s areas to ensure the safety of our children (See Preschool Policy Handbook).
  
• Volunteer/workers identification name tags should be worn at all times.
  
• “Time Out” is the only type of discipline that can be used with children while at church. If a child has the potential to harm himself or others, the teacher will work as a team with another teacher to help redirect the child’s attention. It is against St. Paul policy to use any form of corporal punishment.
  
• At times when children are not under direct supervision of a teacher or volunteer/caregiver, parents must have their children with them until such time as worship or classes begin or childcare workers are available. Safety is an issue at all times, so please do not allow children to run freely through the church. With the doors open on Sunday and Wednesday anyone is free to walk into the church and take a child that is alone from the building.

1.  Maintain confidentiality.
    
2.  Immediately report the information to the director over the particular age ministry (i.e.preschool, children or youth), or to a member of the ministerial staff so the abuse can be reported to DHS or Sheriff’s office in the child’s county of residence.
    
3.  All known or reasonably suspected incidents of child abuse or child sexual abuse on church property at church activities are to be reported to the supervisor responsible for the program and to the Senior or Associate Minister. St. Paul Community Church will report abuse in accordance with the Tennessee Child Sexual Abuse Law. The agencies of the State determine whether child abuse has occurred and the guilt or innocence of persons involved. The church reserves the right to re-assign or relieve workers for various reasons. Such information, especially the name of persons involved will be held in strict confidence on a need to know basis only.