It’s hard to imagine but there are still churches that have no child protection policies in place. That’s just a tragedy waiting to happen. One related issue is that many congregations have adopted child protection policies but fail to ensure oversight for compliance. In the press of circumstances it’s often easier to lean toward what is convenient rather than what is expedient.
Does your church has a child protection policy? If you don’t know, ask. If the answer is “yes,†then ask about how well the policy is enforced and monitored. Like all policies a change in institutional development often calls for a change in policy. It’s worth revisiting the church child protection policies periodically.
Years ago, when my church created its child protection policy there were few resources and example around to help guide the process of thinking about and crafting such a policy. Like anything “new†in a congregation there was a lot of resistance, with all sorts of reasons given as to why our church didn’t need one. One thing that helped get some folks past the resistance was inviting a representative of our church insurance agency to educate our congregational members about the importance of having such a policy and about the consequences of not having the policy in place. That was a huge step in helping people get past naive or irresponsible notions tied to emotionality.
If you haven’t checked, ask, “Are we enforcing our church child protection policy?†Now’s a good time to check, before the summer children’s programming schedules start. And if your church doesn’t have one, check with your denominational offices and with your church insurance carrier.
Here are some on-line resources:
Our church has a protection policy that was established with my predecessor. Unfortunately though, I have run into a dilemma this year. We have three teachers per class, with the practice they rotate with one another with two in the room and one who has a “day off”. I have teachers who are overly committed and on several sundays throughout the year, more than one misses the same sunday. When that happens, we leave the doors to the classroom open.
For the nursery, the practice in New England is to hire two people who are on payroll, and who I supervise, to work in the nursery on Sundays. This way, nobody needs to volunteer to help. (this is new to me. I have never had to pay anybody to work in the nursery) One was terminated in March and now, the last “paid” nursery worker is leaving in June and we have a congregation who is hesitant in helping in the nursery.
We are already canceling children’s programming this summer due to lack of attendance (our congregation numbers drop 60% + during the summer months. as soon as school lets out, we don’t see them again until Sept) and at the same time, two infants that are about to be born. I am begging for help and trying to squeeze from a turnip. When I am lucky to get one person to be able to help, do I cancel because of lack of volunteers?
I just shared this with the Board of Education last night and put the responsibility /decision on them because I am out of options on my own.