Safe Sanctuaries Policy – Smithville First UMC

                                      Temporary policy: adopted  Oct 07, 2007

                 Current Policy: Approved by Church Council on Oct 16, 2008

 

Our church, through our Safe Sanctuaries Task Force, (Jeannie Cain, Barry Miller, Tammy Judkins, Pam Poss, Deanna Adams, Glen Page, Susan Parham, John Purdue, Steve Cooper, Esther Hernandez and Samantha Purdue) is working to make First UMC Smithville a safe place for all people, especially children and youth. Toward this goal, we are hereby adopting the following measures. Our commitment as a church is to live by these measures and thus demonstrate our absolute and unwavering commitment to the physical safety and spiritual growth of all persons. These procedures become effective on approval by the 10/26/08 Charge Conference.

Screening 

  1. All new hires will be screened through the Conference Office for Ministerial Concerns for clergy.
  2. All new volunteers with children and youth will be screened through the Conference Office for Ministerial Concerns for laity and through such procedures as are already in place for the preschool.

Supervision

  1. All groups will have two adults present. The two adults may include the presence of an adult “roamer” who moves in and out of rooms.
  2. Supervisors must be at least two years older than the youth or children they are supervising.
  3. All church sponsored trips will require signed medical permission slips.
  4. During worship, children are not to leave the sanctuary alone. Parents are encouraged to take their children to the bathroom.
  5. Pastoral counseling should not be done in isolation, which is to be avoided by keeping the door to the pastor’s office open during counseling when the secretary is in the office, and also by the installation of a window in the door of the pastor’s office. When for whatever reasons following these guidelines is not possible, a written report of counseling done in isolation will be made to the PPR chair within two working days. Any counseling situation that requires more than three visits will also be reported to the chair of the PPR.
  6. The church will not employ workers less than 18 years of age.
  7. The church will provide advance notice to parents regarding special events that involve their children .
  8. The church will maintain appropriate equipment and supervision. To this end, the church will do an annual equipment audit, conduct an annual safety training, including 1st Aid, CPR, defibrillator and Safe Sanctuaries training The church will provide parent and family education about abuse.
  9. The church will carry adequate insurance.

  Reporting

  1. If an allegation is made, it must be reported to the Pastor as well as the following:
    1. District Superintendent (Jay Archer) Office 931-822-1433. Mobile: 931-239-7605.
    2. Tennessee Department of Child Services (877) 237-0004 (or state.tn.us/youth/childsafety.htm).
    3. DeKalb County Sheriff 597-4935.
  2. If an allegation is made against the pastor, it must be reported to the Chair of the SPCR and the above listed persons.

  Response

  1. Any allegation will be dealt with compassionately, swiftly and in a unified manner under the direction of the pastor or his/her designee.
  2. An allegation against the pastor will be dealt with compassionately, swiftly and in a unified manner under the direction of the chair of the SPCR or his designee.

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