Your Church Name Here Date here

1. Your Church Name Here Date here

2. Why Needed • Biblical Mandate Mark 9:36-37 Matt. 18:6 2. Conference Mandate (1996) 3. Open hearts, open doors

3. Purpose Protect children Protect volunteers Protect the ministry

4. Definitions • Child/minor 2. Employee 3. Volunteer 4. Child abuse 5. Sexual abuse

5. Sexual Abuse any touching of the sexual or intimate parts of a child or any other conduct done for the purpose of gratifying the sexual desire of either party through physical force or a threat, express or implied, that places a child in fear of immediate death or of physical injury by a person 18 years old or older against another who is less than 16 years old, or by a person four or more years older than the victim.

6. Statistics 3 million reported cases a year 8,219 a day 342 per hour > 8 per minute > 1 every 15 seconds Source: National Center for Child Abuse and Neglect

7. Rates By age 18 • 1 in every 3 girls, • 1 in every 7 boys is sexually abused. Source: National Center for Child Abuse and Neglect

8. POLICY GUIDELINES

9. Minimum Age Youth Leaders: at least 19 yrs old > 5 years older Children’s Leaders: at least 18 yrs. old

10. Minimum Age Youth and Children’s Helpers: at least 12 yrs old. >5 yrs older

11. Two Adult Rule • 2 non-related leaders in a room • Use floater if needed

12. Doors and Windows

13. Sign in – Sign out Procedures

14. Sign-in/Sign-out Resources • www.kidcheck.com • www.lambslist.com • www.excellerate.com • www.childrenschurchcheckin.com • www.ministrytracker.com

15. 6 Month Rule

16. Exceptions to the Rule • helper with a “cleared” volunteer in leadership • non-child contact job • “quick-cleared”

17. Alabama Guidelines for Teacher:StudentRatios • Birth to 18 months 1 : 5 • 18 mons. to 2 ½ yrs 1 : 7 • 2 ½ yrs to 4 yrs 1 : 11 • 4 yrs to school age 1 : 18 • School age to 8 yrs 1 : 21 • 8 yrs and older 1 : 28

18. Potty Policy • Diapering – open, visible area • Supervised Independence – let them ask • Complete privacy – unless an emergency; get parents if needed • Check the bathroom first!

19. Overnight • Never share a bed with a child • Never be alone in a room with a child • Adults must be of the same gender as the students they are chaperoning.

20. Hotel Settings • Adults should never be in a room with just one child. • Doors should open to a hallway • Adjoining rooms are best

21. Cabin Setting 2 adults in a large room with multiple bunk beds

22. Church-Owned Vehicles • Screening and training of drivers • Proper insurance • 2 adult rule • Keep passenger records on board

23. Personal Vehicles • 2 adult rule exception: Caravan • Youth driving other youth • Youth driving themselves

24. The Obvious • Never counsel the opposite sex behind closed doors. • Never visit children and youth home alone • Watch your dress, language, ATF activities

25. Recruiting/Screening For Staff AND Volunteers : • Application • Three references • Criminal background check • Safe Sanctuary training

26. Background Checks • Criminal & sex offender, not credit • Employment Screening Services www.es2.com • www.northalabamaumc.org/safesanctuary

27. Reporting • Voluntary for faith based ministry volunteers but highly encouraged by the Conference • Mandatory for Pastors so alert those you counsel of your obligation

28. Reporting Rubric Secure safety of victim Report to immediate director or pastor (SPRC Chair) Pray and set a guard over your lips

29. Q and A

30. Liz Bowlin Children’s Ministry 205-363-1963 (c) lbowlin@umcna.org Micah Dormann Youth Ministry 205-919-4618(c) mdormann@umcna.org Emily Nelms Chastain Connectional Ministry 205-226-7933 echastain@umcna.org