Child and Youth Safety Policy
Sherwood Church of Christ
Child and Youth Safety Policy
Purpose:
1. To provide a safe and secure environment for children and youth.
2. To protect children and youth from sexual, physical, and emotional abuse while participating in Sherwood Church of Christ programs.
3. To guide Sherwood Church of Christ as an institution in the conduct of its employees and volunteers and to prevent incidents and allegations of child abuse.
4. To protect volunteers and employees from unwarranted allegations of child abuse.
Specific Guidelines for a Safe Environment:
1. Two Leader Open Door Policy
In order to avoid situations where an individual employee or volunteer is alone in a room with children, all children’s and youth activities should be supervised by two adult leaders.
In the event that two leaders cannot be present in the room, an interior door must be left open. The leader should position himself or herself in the room such that other adults passing in the hallway can see the leader. Each classroom for children and youth should ideally have a door with a window in it or a half door, which could then be kept closed.
Furthermore, at any counselling session with youth, the door of the room used must remain open for the entire session. The session should be conducted at a time when others are nearby, even if they are not within listening distance.
The above policy extends to all church-sponsored programs, including overnight and transportation-related events in so far as practical. If it is necessary, for instance, for an adult to take a child or youth home after an event, an effort should be made to contact the family and inform them of the situation before transporting the child or youth. It is always advisable for leaders to give parents advance notice and full information regarding the event in which their child or youth will be participating.
For children in grades 7 – 12, there must be at least three people available for every church sponsored activity. Group size may dictate additional supervision to maintain an appropriate ratio of adults to children. At a minimum, there should be one additional adult for every 15 additional children over and above the first 25 children. One-on-one meetings of a child/youth with a staff member should take place in a public setting (e.g. the church, a library or a restaurant). One-on-one meetings with a church volunteer may occur only with the prior written consent of the child/youth’s parent/guardian and should also occur in a public setting.
Recommended ratios for Leaders and children
Age Ratio
0- under 2 2-6
2-3 2-20
4-5 2-24
Gr. k-6 2-24
2. Overnight Stays
If an activity with children or youth involves an overnight stay, two or more adult leaders must be present and if the group is mixed gender there must be four adults with at least two males and two females.
3. Six Month Rule
For a volunteer’s first six months of service at Sherwood, program leaders will attempt to pair all new volunteer workers with someone who has been with the congregation for at least one year and who has a prior relationship with the children and youth. Typically, volunteers will have been a member/active attendee for six months at Sherwood Church of Christ prior to being put in a leadership position with children or youth. If an exception to this rule appears to be in the best interest of the church, then approval of the Senior or Associate Minister and the Eldership is required.
4. Screening and Training of Volunteer Staff
All volunteers and staff who work with children and youth at Sherwood for any duration of time must receive a copy of the Child and Youth Protection Policy, complete and sign the “Information Form and Agreement for Workers in Children’s and Youth Ministries,” and submit a copy of their driver’s license. References will be checked by the Ministry staff member responsible for youth/children by telephone or email.
All volunteers and staff, within their first six months of working with children or youth, MUST attend a training session on the Child and Youth Protection Policy. Attendance to this session will be tracked. Child and Youth Protection Policy Training will be offered twice each year, and all volunteers must renew their training at least every 5 years, and when changes are made to the policy. The policy will be reviewed at least every two years by a Christian Education committee, making revisions as needed.
Volunteers and staff who work with children and youth for an extended period of time, including any overnight stay or a year-long commitment such as a Sunday School or youth group volunteer, must submit a criminal record check. Should the background check results identify some type of offense the Ministry Staff member responsible for youth/children will consult with the Senior Minister (and the staff program leader if necessary) to determine the volunteers’ eligibility to work with children and youth. A Criminal Record Check must be updated every 2 years. All information forms and Criminal Record Checks will be kept confidential and in a locked filing cabinet.
Other adults participating in youth programs on an occasional basis must be under the direction of the appropriate number of certified volunteers and staff. “Occasional basis” will be defined as no more then twice in a year.
Volunteers and staff are encouraged to have First Aid training that is up to date as each child/youth function must have at least one person on site qualified to perform First Aid. Volunteers are responsible to know the location of all fire alarms, fire extinguishers and first aid kits.
5. Off-Site Activities and Transportation
For any church sponsored event that a child/youth will be off church property, a parental permission form including emergency contact information, pertinent medical history and health card number must be completed for each child and be in the hands of the staff member or volunteer chaperoning the child/youth.
When children or youth are being transported to an event, the staff person or adult leader is expected to travel as a part of the group. When only one vehicle is being used to transport children, two adults must be in the vehicle. However, if more than one vehicle is used, they must travel together, and only one adult is required in each vehicle.
Youth are not to drive other youth to an off-site event except when the other youth is a sibling. For all off-site overnight activities, a roster of the youth or children participating in the activity must be given to the church office prior to the event. A parental permission form for each child should be in the vehicle in which that participant is being transported.
All vehicles must have a current registration and inspections, and the driver must have a current driver’s license and not have been convicted of a felony driving offense in the past 5 years.
6. Bathroom Policy
Leaders of preschool children may take individual children to the bathroom when needed and should remain outside of the bathroom when possible. Elementary students may go to the bathroom in pairs. Volunteers should check on the children if they do not return promptly.
7. Classroom and Event Release Procedures
Elementary children in the 6th grade and under will not be released to the building-at-large. A parent or someone approved (in writing, one note for the year) by the parent/guardian must receive the child from the teacher or supervisor. It will be the responsibility of the parents to update any changes in those designated to receive their children. Elementary children in the 5th grade and above may be sent on errands in pairs to a specific area of the church (e.g. the kitchen, sanctuary or resource room). Youth in grades 7-12 may be released from an activity at the close of the event unless other arrangements have been made with parent/guardian for early dismissal. Youth in grades 7-12 may pick up younger siblings when the parent/guardian has provided written notification (one note for the year) to the teacher.
Please note that any incidents that are reported will be recorded and dated.
Thank you for your time and attention to our policy. We are committed to providing a safe environment for ministry to children and youth and appreciate your willingness to be a part of it.