Safe Sanctuaries
A
Training Session for Persons Working with Children and
Youth
Acton United Methodist Church
Purpose: Churches
must be holy, safe, and protective communities for
children, regardless of age and ability. The purpose of
this policy is to address the safety of our children
and youth at all local, District or Annual Conference
sponsored events. The written policy and procedures
help prevent the opportunity for the occurrence or
appearance of occurrence of abuse of children and youth
and to help protect workers from false accusations
and/or suspicions.
Background
Checks:
Why?
To
provide for the safety of the child and to protect the
church from litigation
and financial risk.
What
is involved? An
application for volunteer or employee status is
completed
and a background check is completed. All information is
confidential.
Who
would be eliminated by these background checks? Anyone
whose background check indicates:
● Child
abuse conviction whether physical, emotional, sexual,
or neglectful.
● Violent offenses, including murder, rape, assault,
domestic violence, etc.
● Criminal History of DUI or DWI recently, if driving
is a possibility.
●
Criminal
History of drug-related conviction within the past five
years.
Supervision:
Definition
of Child Care Provider or Supervisor:
Any
individual, either volunteer or paid, who provides
direct supervision of any child or youth at any church
activity or church-sponsored activity.
General
Supervision –
The Rule of “2” will apply when possible. At all times,
it is preferable to have at least two supervisors with
children and youth.
● To achieve compliance with the Safe Sanctuary policy
it may be necessary
to combine groups; recruit, train and recruit
volunteers; or cancel an event.
● Recognizing that there is safety in numbers, children
and supervisors will be
instructed to use the buddy system.
● A recommendation for one First Aid/CPR trained adult
be present at all
activities.
Supervision
of Nursery/Child Care
● Open
door policy where children are in a nursery childcare,
or teaching
situation. The rule of 2 adults in each class is
preferable and recommended.
●
Recommendation that when possible, State Childcare
Minimum Standards be
followed, particularly in relation to childcare
providers to child ratio. Texas
childcare minimum standards:
Age 0 months – 11 months = 4 children/childcare
provider
Age 12 months – 17 months = 5 children/childcare
provider
Age 18 months – 23 months = 9 children/childcare
provider
Age 2 years = 11 children/childcare provider
Age 3 years = 15 children/childcare provider
Age 4 years = 18 children/childcare provider
Age 5 years = 22 children/childcare provider
Age 6-8 years = 26 children/childcare provider
Supervision
of Children/Youth (To
comply with Safe Sanctuary Standards)
● 2 Leader Rule Preference: 2 leaders per classroom, 2
leaders within line
of sight indoors and outdoors
● Exception to allow 1 leader with an open door and
window for visual
supervision.
● Any one-to-one mentoring or consulting shall be
conducted in sight of
another leader.
● Understanding there is safety in numbers, one leader
can be in contact
with multiple youth (6th
–
12th
grade)
when in line of sight of other
leaders.
Definitions
of Abuse:
Verbal
Abuse:
● Any
verbal act that humiliates, degrades or threatens any
child or youth.
Physical
Abuse:
● Any
act of omission or an act that endangers a person’s
physical or mental
health.
In the case of child’s physical abuse, this definition
includes an
intentional physical injury caused by the individual’s
caretaker.
● Physical abuse also may result from punishment that
is overly punitive or
inappropriate to the individual’s age or condition. In
addition, physical
abuse results from purposeful acts that pose serious
danger to physical
health of a child or youth.
Sexual
Abuse:
● Child
or youth sexual abuse is the sexual exploitation or use
of same for
satisfaction of sexual drives. Sexual abuse may
include, but is not limited
to incest, rape, prostitution, romantic involvement
with any participant, any
sexual interaction or sexual conduct with, or fondling
of an individual
enrolled as a child or youth in an activity that
communicates sexual interest
and/or content. Examples include but are not limited
to: displaying sexually
visual materials, making sexual comments or innuendo
about one’s own or
another person’s body, touching another person’s body,
hair or clothing,
touching or rubbing oneself in the present of another
person, kissing and
sexual intercourse.
Reporting
of Incidents:
● Leader
suspects abuse of violation of Penal Code is taking
place or has
taken place, he or she shall call 911 when needed
and/or report the abuse
to the Department of Protective and Regulatory
Services. (800.252.5400)
● Notify person in charge immediately
(leader/director/pastor)
● Address any needs the child or youth may have,
medical or otherwise.
Report to the parent(s) or legal guardians.
● Remove person suspected of abuse, for the safety and
well being of the
child/youth until an appropriate investigation has
taken place. The matter
shall remain confidential. If the event leader is the
suspect, the report should
be made to the Conference supervisor.
● Following report of incident, the event leaders shall
document the report
and then speak with the alleged victim....using only
open-ended questions.
(See forms provided.)
● All conversation shall be documented, carefully and
with confidentiality and
filed with supervisor.