Writing Policies
Is your church writing or revising its Safe Sanctuary policy?
Below you will find a book recommendation, checklist and two links
to some important information regarding Safe Sanctuaries.
Book Recommendation
If you could purchase only one book about Safe Sanctuaries, this is it.
Safe Sanctuaries: Reducing the Risk of Abuse in the Church for Children and Youth,
Joy Thornburg Melton (Author)
ISBN-13: 978-0881775433
This book includes everything your church needs to know about policies and procedures for protecting children, youth and vulnerable adults. The author is an attorney and United Methodist Deacon.
Buy it at Amazon.com
Buy it at Cokesbury
Checklist
(Approved by the Arkansas Annual Conference)
A Checklist for Creating Your Own Safe Sanctuary Policy
(Remember: It is better to put too little in your policy, than to put in something that you do not plan to monitor or implement)
_________Age: In recruiting and hiring volunteers and paid staff to work with children, youth and vulnerable adults or in any position of authority, a consideration of age must be undertaken (typically 18 years of age or at least 4 years older than the age of the persons they are working to serve).
_________Two adult rule: Two non related adults or one adult with the door open and a “floater” monitoring frequently
_________Check-in/check-out Procedure: Churches should evaluate the need for check-in/checkout procedures and/or attendance logs for events/programs.
_________Open Doors: An open door/window in door environment is one of the best protective measures.
_________Reference Checks: It is recommended that church leaders check at least two references for each primary worker. The references may be done by phone, email or in person.
_________Screening Application: Application Careful thought should be given to the application process. A sample staff/volunteer application can be found in the back of Joy Melton’s book Safe Sanctuaries.
_________Background Checks: It is best practice for all clergy, paid staff and volunteers who have supervisory responsibility for children, youth(e.g. youth group leaders), vulnerable persons and all other church employees, to the extent permitted by law, prior to employment, to determine current or historic child abuse or sexual misconduct, criminal records, violent or pedophiliac behavior. It is recommended that churches engage the service of a background investigation service.
The Conference recommends the following:
–To perform a Background check all applicants must sign “Authorization and Request for Criminal Background Check” and a good practice to have applicants sign a “Participation Covenant Statement” form as part of the application process.
–It is best practice for all clergy, paid staff and volunteers who have supervisory responsibility for children, youth (e.g. youth group leaders), vulnerable adults and all other church employees, to the extent permitted by law, prior to employment, to determine current or historic child abuse or sexual misconduct, criminal records, violent or pedophiliac behavior.
–To perform a Background check all applicants must sign “Authorization and Request for Criminal Background Check” and a good practice to have applicants sign a “Participation Covenant Statement” form as part of the application process.
_________Prior Convictions: There are a number of convictions which indicate an individual may not be a suitable candidate to work or volunteer.
_________Confidentiality of Information: The church will keep confidential all information received (this could be pastor or assigned lay person and files must be locked and accessible only to assigned person or pastor).
The Arkansas Conference recommends Background Information Systems of America www.crminalscan.com) and a Arkansas Child Maltreatment form www.arkansas.gov/childcare/licensing/pdf/cmalcenreg.pdf.com. Each service will have mandatory authorizations paperwork which must be signed by the applicant/volunteer prior to use of the service; failure to obtain prior authorization is a violation of law.
________Training: It is advisable for all who work with children, youth and vulnerable persons to receive training. Training is also available for helping a local church develop a Safe Sanctuary policy. An online training can be found at www.arumc.org under Safe Sanctuary resources.
_________Verification of Reading of Policy Statement: It is recommended
Upon receipt of the this policy statement, the volunteer or paid staff person will read and sign a statement that he/she has read your church’s Child Abuse Protection Policy.
__________Response by church workers to all allegations of abuse: If abuse is suspected by, observed by or disclosed to a volunteer and/or paid staff member of the church, that person should report the incident immediately to the pastor or designee (if the accused is the pastor, see the reporting procedures in The Book of Discipline or contact the Arkansas Annual Conference Bishop at 501 324-8019.
__________Application: It is recommended an applicant complete and sign an application and the related waivers giving permission to check references and background information.
__________Reference Checks: It is recommended that church leaders check at least two references for each primary worker. The references may be done by phone, mail, or in person.
___________Forms and Signatures: A sample background check form, covenant statement, reference form etc. can be found in Joy Melton’s book Safe Sanctuary. To process a volunteer or staff person a signature must be received if using a form. A copy of a form should be provided to the signer.
More Information
Getting Started
General Board of Discipleship
http://www.gbod.org/site/c.nhLRJ2PMKsG/b.5598111/k.A248/Safe_Sanctuaries.htm
This is a United Methodist site outlining a variety of information about Safe Sanctuaries.
Topics include:
o Getting Started
o Annual Conference Initiatives
o Frequently Asked Questions
o If You Are a Victim
o State Sex Offender Registry
o Training Download
Background Checks
Background Information Systems of America
http://www.criminalscan.com/
Background checks are available from Background Information Systems of America. Churches in the Arkansas conference may obtain unlimited checks for $150 a year or $12.50 per month.