North Park Church

Child Safety Policy

Resolution

The lives of children and youth are very precious. We desire to encourage, inspire, and develop our children and youth in the ways of God through Jesus Christ and, as such, we will take great care to eliminate anything that will hinder in this development. This includes providing an environment that is safe and provides protection from emotional, physical, and sexual abuse.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to spell-out the parameters and procedures for providing reasonable care against abuse of children and youth involved in all North Park Church children and youth programs and activities, with special attention being given to screening and training children and youth workers.

This policy will address five (5) main areas for both paid and volunteer children and youth workers:

• Worker Selection and Screening

• Worker Awareness and Education

• Worker Interaction and Supervision

• Worker Response to Allegations of Abuse

• Reporting Obligations

 What is Child Abuse?

In Pennsylvania, the law defines child abuse as any of the following when committed upon a child under 18 years of age by a perpetrator:

• Any recent act or failure to act which causes non-accidental serious physical injury

•  An act or failure to act which causes non-accidental serious mental injury or sexual abuse or sexual exploitation

•  Any recent act, failure to act or series of such acts or failure to act which creates an imminent risk of serious physical injury, sexual abuse or sexual exploitation

•  Serious physical neglect which endangers a child’s life or development or impairs a child’s functioning

Why Be Proactive?

Sexual abuse of children can cause significant pain and long term suffering, including abnormal fears, post traumatic stress disorder, aggressive behavior, depression, poor self-esteem, and diffused sexual identity. And the consequences of child sexual abuse frequently plague victims into adulthood.

When church leaders, pastors, or respected congregational leaders perpetrate the abuse, lifelong religious confusion and deep feelings of enmity toward God and the church can occur.

Requirements for all Children and Youth Workers

Whether staff members, volunteer program leaders or any church member providing care for children or youth, whether paid or volunteer (hereafter “Worker”), each person who will be working directly with children or youth program participants under the age of 18 (hereafter “Youth”) will: 

1.  If newly engaged:

•  Have been actively engaged in the life of the church for at least 6 months

• Fill-out a written work application if newly engaged, including the providing of three (3) references and the signing of a liability release.

• Be interviewed by the Director of Operations and the Children’s Ministry Director

• Submit to background and criminal records checks, dependent upon ministry role and the extent of isolated exposure to children and youth

• Take part in orientation/training on child abuse issues and agree to adhere to the Standards of Conduct

    2.      If already engaged, annually:

• Fill-out a written renewal application.

• Be re-interviewed by the Director of Operations and the Children’s Ministry Director

• Submit to background and criminal records checks, dependent upon ministry role and isolated exposure to children and youth

• Take part in orientation/training on child abuse issues and agree to adhere to the Standards of Conduct

In addition, Workers will be oriented and required to adhere to the following procedures/guidelines:

•  Identification and Releasing to Parents/Guardian

All children and youth under the age of 16 will only be released to a parent, guardian or friend identified to one of the youth workers. The youth workers will assign at least one worker to assure that the child or youth under the age of 16 is received by the parent, guardian, or friend. This applies to nursery, Sunday school, and other onsite or offsite activities/events.

• First-Aid Awareness

• For nursery workers, additional orientation/training and adherence is required for:

• Special General Nursery Procedures

• Nursery Cleanliness Procedures

• Nursery Safety Checklist/Inspection

Reporting Child Abuse or Suspected Child Abuse

The Senior Pastor, along with one other man and two women selected by Session, will be designated as "safe people" and will be introduced as such to the children and the congregation. Workers, Youth, and other members of the congregation will be encouraged to report abuse, suspected abuse, or any alleged incidence of abuse to one of the safe people.

It is not the responsibility of the reporting person to substantiate the alleged abuse but only to report it to the safe people.

Any allegation of abuse will be taken seriously.  When a report is made that gives reasonable cause to believe that abuse may have occurred, the following people will be notified:

§  Senior Pastor (if not the alleged abuser)

§  Session

§  PA Department of Human Resources, Office of Children, Youth, and Family Services

Child Protective Services and/or local police

§  The church's insurance carrier

§  Parents/guardians of the allegedly offended Youth

§  The accused person after the security of the allegedly offended Youth is guaranteed

§  Denominational authorities (if the alleged abuser is the pastor)

If necessary, other people directly involved will be notified.  The allegation of abuse will remain within the confidence of these parties.

The pastoral staff will maintain records of reported allegations of abuse, which must be kept secure and confidential. 

If the alleged abuser is a pastor, he will be suspended according to Presbytery rules with full pay and without prejudice pending a hearing.  If the alleged abuser is another staff member, office bearer, or a volunteer worker, he or she will be suspended from the church position (with full pay for staff) and without prejudice pending a hearing.

The church will cooperate fully with any investigation done by legal authorities.  All persons involved in a particular case, including their families, will be supported as appropriate with pastoral and professional counseling/care throughout the hearing, investigation and/or legal processes.

Communication

The congregation will be generally informed annually of the Child Safety Policy. All Youth will be informed annually through their various programs of these policies, as is fitting to their age and understanding. This communication will include information on whom they can consult for help, and the introduction of safe people. 

All parents/guardians will be notified by letter each fall regarding the Child Safety Policy and will be invited to the classes where Workers are informed about these policies.  All Inquirers’ Classes will also outline our Child Safety Policy.