Overview
The need for volunteers for ministry is essential to a healthy, growing church. Scripture teaches that every believer has been equipped by God for ministry in, or through, the church. When everyone in the church is doing his or her part, the church normally grows spiritually and numerically (Ephesians 4:16). Therefore, a healthy church utilizes a large number of volunteers in a variety of ways both within and outside the church. The children’s programs receive a large benefit in the use of volunteers. In most churches, the children’s program is not possible without these dedicated people. But how do you insure that the volunteers have the right spirit need to tend for our smallest charges? The following sample policy lay the groundwork for providing a safe place for our children.
Volunteers – The Heart of the Children’s Program
Encouraging believers to get involved in church ministries is a spiritual service. Church leaders have been given the assignment “to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.”
Sample Children’s Safety Policy
This policy is designed to assist church leaders in recruiting a large core of volunteers and to provide, to the greatest extent possible, for the safety of children, youth (under 18 years of age), and developmentally disabled persons of any age who are served by these volunteers.
The application of these policies and procedures is important in all Christian churches. While some flexibility is necessary in these policies, the church needs to be professional in its oversight of volunteers.
The implementation of these policies is only possible when lay volunteers and church leaders have a thorough understanding of the reasons for such policies. Therefore, church leaders may wish to distribute portions of this document to members, lay and professional, of their ministry team and to prospective volunteers. Permission is granted to pastors and leaders to duplicate any portion or all of this document for use in other churches.
1. RECRUITMENT PROCEDURES
Volunteers will be recruited by the pastoral staff, ministry leaders, or their designates to help administer a particular program. Each volunteer shall complete a Personnel Ministry form and orientation. Their references will be checked, and final approval given before a volunteer works with children.
The Church Ministry Personnel Form is vital in protecting the church from legal action if a case of child abuse occurs in which a church volunteer is involved. To be immune from liability in child abuse cases, the church must show evidence that it has taken reasonable action in checking out the volunteers involved in working with children, youth or developmentally disabled adults. The courts will look for a process by which a church screens volunteers before engaging them in service. A court may find a church legally liable if the church is less than systematic and therefore negligent in screening volunteers. By having every volunteer fill out a Children’s Ministry Personnel Form and keeping these forms on file, the church greatly reduces its liability in child abuse cases.
The form asks for two (2) personal references. These references should be phoned and asked to affirm the appointment of the volunteer. Be careful to record the person making the phone calls, the date of the calls and a summary of the reference’s comments. The form asks the prospective volunteer for permission to conduct a criminal records check. If a criminal records check is provided by your provincial/municipal government free of charge, it would seem reasonable for a church to take advantage of such a service.
2. PERSONAL SAFETY PROCEDURES
Our church is concerned for the safety of the children and families we serve. At the same time, we are concerned about the safety and reputation of the adults and teens who volunteer to make this ministry possible. There will be, however, some who may come in with impure motives. We have therefore developed these procedures to lessen the possibility of abuse occurring.
CLASSROOM RATIO
Our desire is to provide a safe, loving classroom where the child feels comfortable and where learning can take place. Therefore, the following guidelines shall apply:
- Normally there will be a minimum of two leaders in any room with children, except in the event of an emergency situation. This standard not only assists in providing a safe and loving classroom, it also provides volunteers with more encouragement, creativity and flexibility, as well as providing a gift-mix in each classroom that makes for a richer teaching environment.
- When only one leader is in a room with children, the door of that room will remain slightly open or be a window door that will allow the pastor or someone else to look in occasionally without interrupting the teaching process.
- Normally there will be a minimum of 1 leader for every 4-6 preschool children and 1 leader for every 8-10 children from Grades 1-6.
RECORD KEEPING
- The names and addresses of parents and children shall be carefully maintained.
- An accurate sign-in procedure will be maintained for each child in the nursery, recording the child’s name, parent’s name and parent location during the service. A line on this sheet should be provided for parents to list special needs of their children. Workers must not release a child to anyone except the child’s parent or previously arranged alternative.
- The names of each volunteer shall be recorded each session on the sign-in list.
DIAPER CHANGING
- Diaper changing should always take place in such a way that another nursery worker can easily see the child being changed.
RESTROOMS
This is an area in which we need to be especially sensitive to gender issues and the possibility of problems.
- One leader will not be allowed into a restroom alone with a child or children. A second leader will need to accompany them or be within visual contact. One leader may take a child or children to the restroom if he (she) stands in the open doorway only.
- A child under the age of 6 should not be sent to the restroom by themselves. They should be accompanied by a worker (as above) or with another child of the same gender.
SICK CHILDREN
- A child who is not feeling well should not be received into the classroom, exposing other children and workers to illness. Some signs of illness are unusual fatigue or irritability, coughing, sneezing, runny nose and eyes, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, inflamed mouth and throat. Children with these or similar symptoms must be returned to their parent or guardian.
WORKER BEHAVIOR
- Workers should always conduct themselves in a godly manner, being an example of obedience, respect and honesty to young believers.
- All workers must fill out a Children’s Ministry Personnel Form and it must be kept on file. Names will be reviewed annually.
- Workers should not be involved in any of the following activities with older children: extended hugging, kissing, sitting a child on the lap, inappropriate touching or being alone with a child.
EMERGENCIES
- Workers are not to give or apply any medication. If a child needs medication, the parent must give it. No medication will be left in the classroom with a worker or child.
- Procedures will be reviewed semi-annually for fire emergencies.
- First Aid boxes will be kept on hand and all workers are to review the location and contents semi-annually.
PARTIES AND FIELD TRIPS
Leaders are encouraged to have special class activities in their homes, plan social activities and involve young people in field trips and service projects. The following precautions need to be taken with these activities:
- Always have another adult (not a relative) present at these activities.
- Get a signed parental waiver from each parent if the church is responsible for transporting children to these activities.
- Invite one parent to come as an activities assistant. Parents helping with individual activities do not need to fill out a Children’s Ministry Personnel Form
- Pastors should check the church’s insurance policy to be sure that liability coverage includes off-premise activities. Leaders who hold special events are recommended to review their own home policy for liability coverage.
