All Nations Christian Reformed Church
Child Safety Policy
Introduction
1. As a worshiping and serving community, members and friends of All Nations Church share a high concern for each other’s spiritual, physical and mental well-being. Our openness and our trust in each other is a large part of what binds us together as a congregation. We are conscious, however, of our responsibility to take reasonable precautions to prevent that trust from being violated or coming under suspicion, particularly in relation to incidents or allegations of physical, sexual or emotional abuse of children and youth. This policy is meant to identify and mandate abuse prevention procedures that will promote the safety of our congregation and those we serve.
Responsibility
2. The Elders shall provide leadership in abuse prevention within the congregation. This role shall include promoting awareness of abuse prevention, monitoring compliance with practices and procedures, and ensuring compliance with any duty to report incidents or allegations of abuse to the appropriate legal authorities.
Abuse prevention procedures
3. Screening:
a. This procedure applies to all volunteers and staff recruited to participate in any church sponsored program or activity designed for children and youth under the age of nineteen.
b. All such volunteers and staff must first be screened through the Nova Scotia Child Abuse Registry and the equivalent registry in any jurisdiction in which the person reports having resided in the last five years.
c. All such volunteers and staff who have not been members or adherents of All Nations Church for the last five years must also provide a written reference, preferably from the leadership of a former church, attesting to the person’s trustworthiness and competence to participate in such programs or activities.
d. The acceptability of written references and child abuse registry checks shall be determined by an Elder, and the documents so generated shall be maintained by the Elders in a confidential file.
4. Practices and procedures specifically related to nursery services: see Appendix “A”.
5. Practices and procedures regarding all church sponsored programs or activities designed for
children and youth,
namely, Children and Worship, Sunday School,
children’s groups, and youth
groups:
a. At least two adult staff members or volunteers shall be present throughout any
such program or activity whenever any child or youth is in attendance, regardless
of whether the program takes place inside the church building or in any home or
location outside the church building. This restriction shall not apply to:
i. Classroom sessions, provided that the teacher or leader remains visible to
observers outside the classroom at all times;
ii. transportation of children and youth to or from any such program or
activity, provided that any such staff member or volunteer shall use their
best efforts to ensure that time spent transporting one child or youth is
minimized and another staff member or volunteer and a parent of the child
or youth is aware of the situation; or
iii. planned meetings between any such staff member or volunteer and an
individual child or youth to which a parent of the child or youth has
consented.
b. Reasonable suspicion or disclosure of child abuse, as defined in the Nova Scotia Children and Family Services Act (CFSA), shall be immediately reported by the staff member or volunteer forming such suspicion or receiving such disclosure, in accordance with that legislation, failing which the staff member or volunteer shall immediately report the matter to an Elder who shall then ensure that the report is conveyed to the appropriate authority. Staff members, volunteers and Elders should not discuss the matter with the child or youth involved until the matter is reported and then only in consultation with the appropriate authority. Staff members, volunteers and Elders should be aware of the duty to report even if the child or youth involved has since reached the age of majority.
c. In endeavouring to maintain reasonable standards of behaviour amongst children
and youth, staff members and volunteers, including Sunday School teachers, shall:
i. clearly communicate behaviour expectations for the group;
ii. use such devices as distraction, redirection and limited supervised timeouts;
iii. not use physical force or harsh or demeaning language to control or
attempt to control a child or youth;
iv. inform and involve the child’s or youth’s parent(s) in addressing sustained
patterns of misbehavior, including where necessary requiring a parent’s
presence during the activity or program;
v. as a last resort, where a child or youth’s behaviour regularly disrupts the
program or activity, request that the child or youth no longer attend,
provided that this decision is made in consultation with an Elder.
d. Any activity or program involving children or youth, including Children and Worship sessions and Sunday School classes, which is conducted inside the church building, shall take place in a room in which the door is either left open at all times or in which the interior is visible to outside observers by means of a window or other opening.
e. At the conclusion of an activity or program involving younger children, including Children and Worship sessions and Sunday School classes, the leader(s) involved shall ensure that each child is transferred to the care of a parent or trusted caregiver.
6. Practices and procedures specifically related to
youth group functions and activities:
a. All such functions and activities shall be conducted with sufficient and
appropriate supervision, such that all members of the group remain under the
observation or control of the leaders throughout the event.
b. Physical contact between leaders and group members shall be fleeting and limited,
such as a brief handshake or pat on the back, and such contact shall take place
only in public.
c. Youth group leaders shall not meet privately with a youth group member. No
communications of a personal nature, including e-mails and other internet based
communications, and no personal gifts, shall be exchanged between youth group
leaders and individual group members.
Appendix “A”
One of the most precious treasures in the world is our children.
At All Nations we
recognize a special commitment to the children entrusted to our care.
Because our
children deserve the best care and a secure environment, Nursery Attendants are
reminded of the following:
Nursery Policy
Prior to Nursery time:
1. Attendants are responsible for arranging their own replacement if they are unable to be in nursery on the assigned week. Adults must be replaced by another adult, and a woman must be replaced by another woman.
2. Please arrive in the nursery at least 15 minutes early. It is especially important that attendants are early to greet and orient visitors who may be dropping off their children, or have questions about the nursery program.
3. Adults are asked to remove their shoes at the door.
4. Please make yourself a name tag with the tape provided.
As Children and Parents are Arriving:
1. Identify yourself to parents and children, particularly visitors. A kind word of welcome and reassurance for both the parents and child can alleviate some of the stress of being in a new environment.
2. Acquaint yourself with the child’s belongings, and receive any special instructions from the child’s caregiver. Note these instructions on the sign-in board.
3. Place masking tape name tag on the child’s back and bag.
4. If a child is sick or shows symptoms of being sick, they are not permitted to be in the nursery.
5. When a parent drops off their child(ren) to the nursery, please ask who will be coming to pick up the child(ren) after church. Note this on the sign-in board.
During Nursery time:
1. If a toy is noted to be dirty or if it has been in a child’s mouth, attendants should wash the toy with warm water and soap. Do this throughout nursery time or throw dirty toys in the sink to be washed during tidy up time.
2. It is important to always wash your hands after you wipe a nose, mouth, or change a diaper.
3. Use a disposable Lysol wipe to wipe off changing pad after each use.
4. Children may be offered a soda cracker if permission has been received by the parent. Have older children sit on the bench for snack time.
5. Ensure that the appropriate beverage be consumed by the child it belongs to.
6. Children who require use of the bathroom must be escorted by the female attendant.
7. If consoling attempts are ineffective towards a distressed child send for the caregiver after 5 minutes of distressed crying.
8. Should it be necessary for a caregiver to be called to the nursery, the youth attendant should be sent, and for this reason it is necessary that the youth attendant also arrive in the nursery early in order to be acquainted with the caregivers of the children.
9. If a child has an open cut or scrape, please cover it with a bandage.
As Nursery time ends:
1. Only allow the person noted on the sign-in board to pick up the child after church.
2. Stay in the nursery until all the children have been picked up by the previously designated person.
3. Ensure that the nursery is tidied up after each use. Use the broom and dust pan to sweep up cracker crumbs. Pick up all toys.
4. All toys that have been mouthed or appear dirty should be washed in the sink with warm water and soap.
Miscellaneous:
1. Children who are four years old should attend Children in Worship. Children who are three by September can start Children in Worship at the beginning of the new school year in September.
2. The nursery is not to be used as a play area before church, or during the coffee hour.
3. Children older than four are to stay out of the nursery before, during and after nursery, unless accompanied by a parent.
4. Watch for strangers lurking around the nursery or walking through the basement. Notify the greeter immediately.
5. Toys and nursery surfaces must be washed, sanitized and rinsed with warm water and bleach every three months by volunteers (Sept., Dec., March, June).
6. Toys donated to the nursery must be inspected by Emily Geertsema or Julie Close before being used by the children attending the nursery.